Hudak attacks unions and [Ring of Fire] environmentalists – by Richard J. Brennan (Toronto Star – March 6, 2013)

The Toronto Star has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on federal and Ontario politics as well as shaping public opinion.

Tory Leader Tim Hudak is blaming unions and radical environmentalists for Ontario’s economic woes.

Unions and radical environmentalists are threatening Ontario’s economic progress, Tory Leader Tim Hudak says.

Hudak on Tuesday blamed unions — particularly public sector unions — for stalling Ontario’s economic recovery, and environmentalists for stalling development of the Ring of Fire, a vast northwestern Ontario mineral deposit.

“What the oilsands are to Alberta, what potash is to Saskatchewan, the Ring of Fire could be for the province of Ontario … it’s too bad that the Liberals seem to be captured by radical environmental groups,” Hudak told reporters at Queen’s Park.

Hudak said the Liberal government and the New Democrats are too busy listening to the unions and not the rest of Ontarians.

“The problem that we have is that we have public sector union bosses who are running the government right now. And they seem to have access to the front door to Kathleen Wynne as premier,” he said.

“I think it’s just unfortunate that the NDP and Liberals seem to be so singularly focused on appeasing the public sector union bosses, it’s causing a province to go bankrupt and it is costing us jobs. Nobody is going to invest in a province that has huge debts.”

Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), told the Star that Hudak’s rabid anti-union campaign has been good for his union.

“Do you know how much my union has grown the last couple of years with these guys attacking unions and public sector workers? We’re growing in leaps and bounds. We’re signing up a couple new units a week. I’m serious,” he said.

Thomas said no doubt Hudak hates unions but says he learned a long time ago “that hate is a useless emotion, all it does is detract from your own happiness.”

For the rest of this article, please go to the Toronto Star website: http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2013/03/05/hudak_attacks_unions_and_environmentalists.html