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Chamber gives Hudak a friendly reception Continued from page 1 3 · Thursday, August 16, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com When asked by former Oakville Chamber of Commerce chair Mark Brown how he would cut government spending, Hudak listed a wage freeze for all public sector employees (including MPPs) as one option. Hudak said the wage freeze would be in place for a minimum of two years and anticipates saving $2 billion per year. He said the current government's approach of negotiating a voluntary wage freeze with the public sector unions is not working. "Do you know how many collective agreements we have in the Province of Ontario? Four thousand. So you're telling me we're going to go one by one with this kind of circus we are seeing with the teachers," said Hudak. "The best way is across the board, now, today, freeze it. Two billion dollars right there." NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER Hudak also called for a reduction in the size and cost of government by evaluating CHAMBER VISIT: Tim Hudak, leader of every program to decide whether it should be Ontario's Opposition Progressive Conservatives, delivered by the government, if it should be visited the Oakville Chamber of Commerce contracted out or if it should be done away Thursday. happening in the private sector. with all together. He singled out Ontario's teachers, in parHe said the government needs to get out of the business of corporate welfare and said ticular, stating a three per cent pay increase the imbalance between the public sector and every year for four years does not reflect the private sector realities needs to be reconciled. reality of the situation in the province. Former Oakville Chamber of Commerce Public sector officials, Hudak said, are currently seeing pay increases, bonuses and pen- president Stephen Sparling asked Hudak if sions that are way out of line with what is something could be done to give union mem- bers a say in how their union dues are spent. Sparling noted that during the last provincial election, one union group spent about $8 million in advertising against the PCs. Hudak said, under the current system, a union member has to pay their dues, after which the union leadership can do whatever it likes with it. "First, I think union members should have the right to decide whether they want to be in a union or not. The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the (U.S.) and throughout Europe, countries we usually compare ourselves to, all allow what's called `workers' choice' where you can't be forced into a union if you don't want to be," he said. "We also want to allow union members to say `No' to their dues being used for political causes they don't support." Hudak said besides campaigning against the Conservatives, some union leaders have used their union's dues to campaign against Israel and to support protests taking place in Québec over tuition fees. Hudak said these political causes have nothing to do with improving the workplace and are not what union dues are intended for. When a representative from the auto industry asked about Hudak's stance on investment in that industry, Hudak said throwing money at economic problems had not proven to be a solution. The secret to success in this area, he said, involves investing in things like apprenticeships, lowering the tax rate for businesses and entrepreneurs, clearing away the red tape and obstacles that keep these businesses from growing, and getting the Province's energy policy back to the economic fundamentals. Hudak also answered questions concerning pub- lic healthcare, in which he called for the removal of the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), which he classified as an unnecessary and expensive level of bureaucracy. He also discussed nuclear energy, which he said he supports, as a reliable and affordable source of power despite the significant upfront costs involved in bringing it to an area. Put the fun back into shopping RegisteR start sh today, o & We'll s pping. hip it FREE! ON SALE NOW! Canadian Made Solid Wood Occasional Tables by Choice of Stain! FURNITURE & HOME DECOR 217 Lakeshore Rd. E., Downtown Oakville www.swissinteriors.com 905-844-3530