Schreiner to Ford: Stop wasting public dollars to sabotage climate solutions.

At a press conference at Queen’s Park, Green Party of Ontario Leader, Mike Schreiner called on the Premier to drop his campaign to sabotage climate solutions amidst reports of a multi-million dollar taxpayer funded ad blitz to mislead people about pollution pricing.

“It’s bad enough the Premier is wasting $30 million on a political stunt in the courts, but now we learn he is also spending millions on politically motivated partisan TV attack ads to mislead the public about pollution pricing,” said Schreiner.

“This is an appalling waste of our tax dollars. The Premier does not have a mandate to help finance the federal opposition’s election campaign."

Schreiner accused the Conservatives of using the same weak partisan advertising rules that they once criticized the Liberal government for exploiting when in opposition.

The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services tabled a Private Member’s Bill last year to restore Auditor General oversight of taxpayer funded government attack ads.

“I’m calling on the government to drop this anti-climate ad campaign and to restore the Auditor General’s oversight of partisan government advertising,” said Schreiner.

The Premier continues to tour Ontario, spending additional tax dollars on events and fake announcements that amount to nothing more than propagating myths about pollution pricing.

“Places like Sweden, California and British Columbia have all grown their economies and reduced emissions through carbon pricing. It is incorrect to suggest in any way that putting a price on pollution is bad for the economy, for jobs or for people’s pocket books,” said Schreiner.

80% of Ontarians will get more money back in rebates under the federal backstop than they pay in pollution prices. Yet Ford continues to conceal this fact, while perpetuating myths about an economic doomsday.

“The Premier punted the ball to Trudeau by cancelling cap-and-trade. If he doesn’t like the federal plan, the answer is easy: Put a price on pollution in Ontario and return all the revenues to citizens. That way it can be the Premier’s name on the checks,” said Schreiner.

source: media release, GPO