MEDIA RELEASE - Hudak PCs on Pan Am Games: Negligent, Hypocritical

Hudak PCs on Pan Am Games: Negligent, Hypocritical

Freedom Party condemns Tim Hudak's open letter to Dalton McGuinty

September 18, 2011 Toronto - Freedom Party leader and No Tax for Pan Am Spokesperson Paul McKeever is condemning PC Leader Tim Hudak for his too-little-too-late open letter of September 18, 2011 to Dalton McGuinty concerning cost over-runs in Toronto's hosting of the 2015 Pan Am Games. Freedom Party formed a No Tax for Pan Am Games committee on August 24, 2009 to oppose taxpayer funding for Toronto's bid to host the games, and has continued to oppose and document cost over-runs on its notaxforpanam.com web site. Until today, Hudak and the PCs have been utterly silent, and have offered up no defence of the taxpayer with respect to the 2015 Pan Am Games.

In the summer of 2009, McKeever and the committee managed to spark opposition to taxpayer funding for the games both in print and radio media. Noticeably silent throughout was any opposition by Her Majesty's loyal opposition, the Tim Hudak PCs. Freedom Party has, in the past, condemned Tim Hudak's neglect on the Pan Am file, arguing that the PCs dropped the ball when strong opposition was needed to the Liberal government's agreement to make taxpayers the guarantor for cost over-runs of the Toronto games. McKeever has predicted that the original $1.7B estimate for the games will result in a bill as high has $11.6B, based upon the size of over-runs from other international games events, such as the 2010 Olympics.

"I have one question for Tim Hudak and the PCs", says an outraged McKeever "Where the heck have you been? At every key point in this scandalous Liberal plan to soak the taxpayer, the Hudak PCs have utterly dropped the ball and remained silent. Until today - almost two years after Toronto won the bid - Tim Hudak has been silently sitting and sleeping on the bench while the Liberal government has continued to allow the taxpayer to be body-slammed with cost over-runs. Now, falling behind in the polls, Hudak suddenly wakes up and thinks he sees an election issue. Well, it is an election issue - a big one - but Hudak's PCs, by their neglect, actually have been co-conspirators in the Liberal Pan-Am Panhandling Scam. An after-the-fact letter from Mr. Hudak, complaining now about long foreseeable cost overruns is, in this case, worse than hypocritical.

"Mr. Hudak, in his letter, state that 'Warning signs of problems came earlier this month..." Earlier this month? The signs were all over this project since well before Toronto won the bid, years ago. If Mr. Hudak has failed to see where this was all going until just last month, the Ontario voter should be very concerned that Mr. Hudak lacks sufficient knowledge and foresight to make long term decisions regarding the future fiscal health of this province.

"This growing Pan Am scandal is proof positive that it is time to show the McGuinty Liberals the exit door. However, the gross fiscal negligence of the Hudak PCs, in failing to oppose taxpayer funding for the Toronto bid, renders the Hudak PCs unfit to be the chosen replacement."

FOR THE RECORD: Freedom Party Defending Taxpayers re: the Pan Am Games

February 10, 2011 - Ontario Needs a 2015 Pan Am Games Lotto Now: Click here to read the full media release.

February 10, 2011 - Radio Interview: Paul McKeever, leader, Freedom Party of Ontario (John Oakley Show, AM640, Toronto - February 10, 2011).

February 1, 2011 - Pan Am Panhandling Must End: Click here to read the full media release.

March 10, 2010 - Radio Interview: Paul McKeever, Spokesperson for No Tax for Pan Am Games (Ryan Doyle Show, CFRB 1010 AM, Toronto)

March 10, 2010 - Radio Interview: Paul McKeever, Spokesperson for No Tax for Pan Am Games (John Oakley Show, AM 640 AM - March 10, 2010)

October 23, 2009: "Cancellation of Tax-Funding for Pan Am Now a Pressing and Obvious Necessity": Click here to read the full media release.

August 26, 2009: Radio Interview Re: No Tax for Pan Am Campaign: Paul McKeever, Spokesperson (Talk 820 AM, Hamilton)

August 25, 2009: 'Splinter' group campaigns to halt Pan Am funds (Hamilton Spectator) - Click here to read.