<div dir="auto">Please consider signing. Thanks, Catherine </div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Rivka Goetz – Leadnow</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:leadnow@leadnow.ca">leadnow@leadnow.ca</a>></span><br>Date: Wed, Jun 14, 2023 at 6:53 PM<br>Subject: Ontario's hidden $22 billion<br>To: <<a href="mailto:catherine.walther@gmail.com">catherine.walther@gmail.com</a>><br></div><br><br><div>
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<td align="left" valign="top" style="font-size:19px;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Catherine , I’m outraged.<br><br>
<b>The Ford government is sitting on $22.6 billion of so-called “excess funds” – money stashed away from the public purse that they have no plan to spend any time soon.</b> [1] While people across Ontario are struggling to afford groceries, find housing, and access healthcare and other basic services, year after year our government is hiding away more money – while cutting funding to public services.<br><br>
We only know about these “excess funds” because the Financial Accountability Office, an independent watchdog, discovered a pool of taxpayer dollars left unaccounted for in the Ontario budget. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy claims the FAO’s report doesn’t reflect new government spending. [2] But <b>if the province’s growing budget surpluses haven’t been allocated to any public programs, where is this money going?<br><br>
The reality is that our public services are crumbling, and austerity and spending cuts are only making them fall apart faster.</b> [3] Thanks to the FAO’s report, we now know that Ford’s government and the Ontario Ministry of Finance could be doing so much more to <b>invest in Ontarians – starting with a transparent plan to put this $22.6 billion towards desperately-needed public services and support.</b><br><br>
That’s exactly what we’re calling for today. A massive petition from thousands of Ontarians – <b>demanding that Finance Minister Bethlenfalvy and Premier Ford</b> stop stashing away billions of dollars and instead <b>invest in public services for Ontarians</b> – can ensure these “excess funds” are put to good use. <b><a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyou.leadnow.ca%2Fpetitions%2Finvest-in-ontarians%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=658d818dbc3781b8605ea3546b0e9545cfa1c83bd1723c04558fa55e7430817f" target="_blank">Will you add your name today?</a></b><br><br>
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<a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyou.leadnow.ca%2Fpetitions%2Finvest-in-ontarians%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=658d818dbc3781b8605ea3546b0e9545cfa1c83bd1723c04558fa55e7430817f" style="background-color:#52476d;color:#ffffff;display:inline-block;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-weight:bold;line-height:50px;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:200px" target="_blank">SIGN THE PETITION</a>
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<br><br>
Between the crises Ontario faces in healthcare, housing, and cost-of-living, <b>there are so many ways that $22.6 billion could make a difference.</b> Ford and Bethlenfalvy could use it to:<br>
<ul>
<li>
<b>Pay healthcare workers fairly and better fund public hospitals</b>, instead of paving the way for private, for-profit healthcare [4]
</li>
<li>
<b>Build more housing</b>, bringing us closer to the province’s stated goal of creating 1.5 million homes by 2031 [5]
</li>
<li>
<b>Increase the Ontario Disability Support Program’s allowances</b> for shelter and basic needs, ensuring a liveable income for people with disabilities [6]
</li>
<li>
<b>Fund the public transit infrastructure</b> that millions of Ontarians rely on [7]
</li>
<li>
<b>Invest in our education system</b> — after years of underspending [8]
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And that's just to name a few. We need to tell Ford and his government that <b>this isn’t their money to hide away – not while our province is in crisis. It’s the government’s duty to invest in Ontarians.</b> They can’t keep starving public services and underpaying workers, then expect us to believe that there’s a $22 billion “excess.” <b>If you want to see this money put towards public services and supports, <a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyou.leadnow.ca%2Fpetitions%2Finvest-in-ontarians%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=658d818dbc3781b8605ea3546b0e9545cfa1c83bd1723c04558fa55e7430817f" target="_blank">will you sign the petition now?</a></b><br><br>
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<a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyou.leadnow.ca%2Fpetitions%2Finvest-in-ontarians%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=658d818dbc3781b8605ea3546b0e9545cfa1c83bd1723c04558fa55e7430817f" style="background-color:#52476d;color:#ffffff;display:inline-block;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-weight:bold;line-height:50px;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:200px" target="_blank">SIGN THE PETITION</a>
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<br><b>
<a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyou.leadnow.ca%2Fpetitions%2Finvest-in-ontarians%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=658d818dbc3781b8605ea3546b0e9545cfa1c83bd1723c04558fa55e7430817f" target="_blank">https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/invest-in-Ontarians</a></b><br><br>
With determination,<br>
Rivka and Ellen, on behalf of Leadnow<br><br>
Sources:<br>
[1] <a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F9762549%2Fontario-government-22-billion-excess-funds-fao%2F%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=94d381a3e4ac74435ee92250e7ace13cb719d2f07d63066e0961acac7ec5be80" target="_blank">https://globalnews.ca/news/9762549/ontario-government-22-billion-excess-funds-fao/</a><br>
[2] See [<a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F9762549%2Fontario-government-22-billion-excess-funds-fao%2F%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=94d381a3e4ac74435ee92250e7ace13cb719d2f07d63066e0961acac7ec5be80" target="_blank">1</a>]<br>
[3] <a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbc.ca%2Fnews%2Fcanada%2Fnewfoundland-labrador%2Fausterity-nl-oates-1.5641993%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=5fc1482bd513bb15bae1a4a56761988775af4fe6679e63c8053f2112760493bf" target="_blank">https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/austerity-nl-oates-1.5641993</a><br>
[4] <a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftoronto.ctvnews.ca%2Fontario-unlikely-to-meet-health-care-goals-due-to-underspending-and-staffing-report-finds-1.6303801%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=2de907870f8e76cc26cad4b4c991130ade3c5c8665ec664d90ea1a131cb0ab2d" target="_blank">https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-unlikely-to-meet-health-care-goals-due-to-underspending-and-staffing-report-finds-1.6303801</a><br>
[5] <a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F9574132%2Fontario-1-5-million-homes-2031-target%2F%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=22407069ed37d1736da7cecb155da910de553bc5bc33fcb3a5705b3bea7dd499" target="_blank">https://globalnews.ca/news/9574132/ontario-1-5-million-homes-2031-target/</a><br>
[6] <a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com%2Fopinion%2Fcontributors%2F2022%2F10%2F31%2Fdoug-fords-math-on-social-assistance-doesnt-add-up-and-doesnt-solve-the-problem-of-legislated-poverty-for-people-on-odsp.html%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=44642ba0867422aa2c84263f7d38e4c3761f0c155503fcc7d1d03c4ac11dfce3" target="_blank">https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/10/31/doug-fords-math-on-social-assistance-doesnt-add-up-and-doesnt-solve-the-problem-of-legislated-poverty-for-people-on-odsp.html</a><br>
[7] <a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcutaactu.ca%2Fontario-misses-an-opportunity-to-rebuild-and-grow-transit-ridership-in-budget-2023%2F%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=b79b4d1c0df64dc453d9f3fd0ddb170a831cf4e33883853eb3fe352ca8e9ac44" target="_blank">https://cutaactu.ca/ontario-misses-an-opportunity-to-rebuild-and-grow-transit-ridership-in-budget-2023/</a><br>
[8] <a href="https://identity.leadnow.ca/clicks/link/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpressprogress.ca%2Fdoug-ford-quietly-reduced-education-spending-by-nearly-a-billion-dollars-last-year%2F%3Futm_source%3Dleadnow%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dblast2023-06-14&member_guid=72fa0a0a-9f31-490c-aaec-98562e38b6be&identity-signature=fb72b18149169c3b4913dd7311b3d1e692eae108a1c56cdb6b75037f2ed2162f" target="_blank">https://pressprogress.ca/doug-ford-quietly-reduced-education-spending-by-nearly-a-billion-dollars-last-year/</a>
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</div><img src="https://identity.leadnow.ca/opens/9797/6a651a19-de85-442c-876d-ed3a5bc05a78"></div></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:13pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Cambria,serif;color:black">May you walk in joy as love calls us on.<span></span></span></i></p></div></div></div></div></div>