Below is the full text of the letter to Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities from Bill Walker, MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.

Hon. Reza Moridi
Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities
1ih Floor, 77 Wellesley Street West
Toronto, Ontario M7 A 1N3
Dear Minister Moridi:
With a volatile economy, rural Ontario is looking to your government to help promote small businesses, entrepreneurship and create jobs in our communities.
For over two decades, this support was made possible through the Ontario Self EmploymentBenefit program, known as OSEB. In fact, the OSEB program was a success in my riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, providing financial support and business planning advice to help retrain laid-off workers starting their ownbusiness. Since 2005, as many as 400 constituents in my riding alone went on to start abusiness, and to create new jobs in our region because of this benefit.
The Bleeding Carrot, Dr. Cobbler's Shoes & Swirls and Elsie's Diner, with the latter now employing 18 people, are just a few successful highlights.
In her own words, Kris Heathers of Elsie's Diner said, "I would not have achieved this success without that Self Employment Benefit program." Clearly, the OSEB program's financial support, training and advice was what made these business start-ups the success they are today.
Given this evidence, I think your decision to cancel the Self-Employment Benefit is a step backward. That you have not taken steps to identify any replacement program for OSEB is yet another regressive move.
If so many people have told us how commendable and instrumental this specific initiative was to the success of their start-ups with an emphasis on the new jobs they created in their communities, then I have to ask why you're denying others this same opportunity. If the OSEB program results were so unacceptable to the Government, then I also have to ask what new action you're prepared to take on this front.

Your predecessor, John Milloy, then Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, delivered a Statement in the Legislature a few years ago in praise of how the OSEB was helping constituents across Ontario. He specifically mentioned EcoTraction's Marc Appleby who was just one example of someone who used this benefit to launch his business. As Mr. Milloy explained, the OSEB helped land Mr. Appleby on Dragons' Den and earned him an impressive offer of $500,000 for his product idea. Today, Mr. Appleby's EcoTraction is known as one of the
world's safest and most effective ice management solutions that also won the international "Innovation of the Future" award.
Your decision to cut the OSEB will sadly negate the opportunity for future business start-ups and existing entrepreneurs like EcoTraction, Elsie's Diner and many others across the province, and the accompanying jobs that we so badly need.
With 500,000 currently out of work in Ontario, I would expect the government to immediately announce its plans to implement effective alternatives. I therefore urge your government to make clear what alternative funding it will invest in this area, how it will improve job opportunities for Ontario's unemployed and what plans it has for ensuring that such resources are publicized.
Thank you for your attention and consideration of my requests.
Bill Walker MPP
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound
CC: Hon. Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development
Hon. Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour
Jane Phillips, The Business Enterprise Centre
Owen Sound Chamber of Commerce

Queen's Park Office: Rm. 410. Main Legislative Bldg. · Queen's Park· Toronto, ON M7A 1A8 • Tel. (416) 325-6242. Fax: (416) 325-6248
E-mail: bill.walker@pc .ola.org