SDSG Provincial NDP riding association President Brian Lynch responds to the August 1st byelection results: The Ontario byelection results on August 1 have given the NDP momentum with 2 very convincing  NDP victories in the ridings of Windsor-Tecumseh and London-West.  The NDP under the leadership of Andrea Horwath has been getting results in the Ontario legislature to create jobs, make life affordable, improve public healthcare, provide a fairer tax system, and make the Liberal Government accountable.

The Ontario Liberal Government’s loss of 3 safe Liberal seats in the byelections is a repudiation of the Ontario Liberal Government’s sorry record of broken promises, cynical politics, inept management and costly scandals.

In particular, the removal of teachers’ and education workers’ democratic collective bargaining rights, the inept management of E-Health, Ornge air ambulance, the costly cancellation of the gas plants in Mississauga and Oakville to win 5 seats in the October 6, 2011 provincial election and the ongoing attempt to cover up the real costs, and the shutting down of the Ontario legislature last October have all contributed to the loss of 3 safe Liberal seats.

By cynically calling the byelections for the middle of the summer when people are on vacation in an attempt to lower voter turnout, Premier Wynne has diminished her leadership.  The results of the byelections show that people want a change from the Liberal status quo and mismangement that have left people in Ontario falling behind.

When the next provincial election comes, I believe that more people will see that the NDP is the clear progressive alternative to the tired, discredited , arrogant Liberals and the slash and burn Hudak Conservatives who want to cut essential public services and make Ontario a low wage province.  The people of Ontario deserve better.