Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece says his party’s election platform, the “People’s Guarantee,” which Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown unveiled on Nov. 25, “shows we are ready to form government.”
Pettapiece stated in a Dec. 7 press release the PC platform includes tax cuts for the middle class, a refund for childcare expenses, a further 12 per cent cut to hydro bills, investments in mental health, and “measures to restore trust and accountability following years of Liberal scandals.”
Pettapiece noted the platform includes three of his own initiatives: protecting firefighters with truss- and lightweight-construction identification; reforming joint and several liability insurance for municipalities; and support for horse racing.
“It’s really encouraging to see these included,” Pettapiece said. “It tells me that we are doing something right in Perth-Wellington.”
In April 2017, the Ontario legislature endorsed the Rea and Walter Act, Pettapiece’s private member’s bill, which would mandate commercial, industrial, and many residential buildings to clearly show if they were constructed with lightweight materials. Those buildings burn quicker and pose significant danger to firefighters.
That bill was named in honour of North Perth firefighters Ken Rea and Ray Walter, who died in 2011 while fighting a fire in a lightweight-constructed building.
“All parties thought [truss and lightweight identification] was a good idea when they supported my bill, but so far, Patrick Brown is the only leader committed to taking it the rest of the way and writing it into law, once and for all,” Pettapiece observed.
In 2014, all parties in the Ontario legislature approved Pettapiece’s motion calling on the government to reform Ontario’s joint and several liability insurance system, often blamed for higher insurance premiums for municipalities. Pettapiece said the Liberal government “later backtracked on its promise, and refused to make any changes.”
As his party’s critic for horse racing, Pettapiece has often called on the government to better support the industry and make it viable – especially for smaller tracks and those in rural Ontario who rely on them.
“Again, it goes to show we are the only party that understands horse racing,” Pettapiece stated.
He said the party would “fix joint and several liability issues – while still ensuring adequate protection for victims, in order to clarify that taxpayer-funded entities can only be held jointly liable when they are truly responsible for negligence.”
Pettapiece also stated the PCs will get horse racing back on track by creating a horse racing scratch ticket and reviewing and fixing the sharing agreements between Woodbine and community tracks for off-track wagering revenue.
