NDP: Ford’s Labour Minister parties in Paris while Ontario bleeds jobs

QUEEN’S PARK — Today’s StatsCan report shows an alarming increase in unemployment, while the Minister of Labour is busy partying in Paris and enjoying rink-side Leafs tickets with insiders:

“Under Doug Ford’s watch, hundreds of thousands of Ontarians are out of work,” said Ontario NDP Shadow Minister for Finance Jessica Bell. “Just this past month, 20,500 more people became unemployed. Many are underemployed, and many are in precarious work. Doug Ford is a jobs disaster.”

"The youth unemployment numbers are shocking,” said Shadow Minister for Economic Development Catherine Fife. “These are recession numbers, clearly the Minister of Labour is too distracted by scandals of his own making. Ontario’s youth deserve a leader dedicated to helping them reach their potential through education and employment opportunities.

“This needs to be a wake-up call for the Premier and the Minister of Labour,” added Bell. “There is no good reason why Doug Ford is using the workforce training fund to hand out taxpayer dollars to his well-connected friends. Instead of telling young people to ‘look harder,’ the Premier needs to get his own house in order. If he continues to just wag his finger and do nothing, a whole generation of young people could be left behind.”

“When youth lose hope, we have failed them,” continued Fife. “While the Minister spends his time at Paris weddings and Leafs games, New Democrats are focused on meaningful solutions to this jobs disaster.”

New Democrats remain focused on solutions to Ford's jobs disaster by protecting good jobs, investing in new opportunities, and making life more affordable.