FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 9, 2001

Environment funding falls short: OPSEU

TORONTO -- The announcement of a $25 million increase in funding for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment falls short of what is needed, says the union representing provincial environment workers.

Ontario Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced the new money in today's provincial budget.

"Twenty-five million dollars will go part of the way to repairing the damage this government has done," said Leah Casselman, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. "Sadly, it is a drop in the bucket compared to the 1,200 jobs that have been lost in a tiny but vital and life-saving ministry."

The $25-million figure is the product of political calculation, not public need, Casselman said. "The government has calculated the political cost of Walkerton, and the number they came up with is $25 million."

Casselman called Flaherty's statement that his government had increased MoE funding by 51 per cent since 1997 "the height of cynicism."

"The Tories must think Ontarians are pretty stupid if they don't think we realize that this government is actually responsible for the cuts that contributed to Walkerton," she said. "They could have said, 'We are restoring some funding to the Ministry of the Environment, but the funding level will still be $43 million less than it was when we were elected.' They didn't say that.

"With $64 billion in revenues, it is inconceivable that this government could not restore MoE funding to at least the level it was at before the Tories began their reign of terror."

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For more information: Randy Robinson (416) 315-298