CHRISTINE ELLIOTT, M.P.P. Whitby-Oshawa

For Immediate Release
March 3, 2008

TORY AND DURHAM REGION MPPS SUPPORT PETERBOROUGH RAIL
PC Leader calls on MPP Leal to show support for Peterborough by backing new rail link

(Toronto, ON) – Progressive Conservative Party Leader John Tory and PC Durham Region MPPs Christine Elliott, Jerry Ouellette and John O’Toole today praised the federal government’s initiatives of a rail link between Toronto and Peterborough and called on local MPP Jeff Leal to stand up for the project.

“We are very pleased to see the federal government supporting the transportation needs east of Toronto. Dean Del Mastro and Jim Flaherty should be congratulated for a filling a void,” said Tory. “This is one of the fastest growing areas of Ontario and its transportation needs have been ignored by the McGuinty Liberals. This will do wonders to help create economic development in Peterborough and Durham Region.  Only the McGuinty Liberals would look a gift horse like this in the mouth.”

The McGuinty Liberal response to the project has been lukewarm at best. Tory called on Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal to support his riding and get behind the project. Leal had previously been on record as saying he supported a link between Toronto and Peterborough saying: “Anything we can do to have a rail link to Toronto is positive news." (Peterborough Examiner, February 7, 2004) However, following the Federal Budget last week he appeared less enthusiastic about the proposal, saying that he “reserved any opinions on the plan to revive [the Toronto to Peterborough] service until the federal government releases more details.” (Peterborough Examiner, February 28, 2008)

Tory also said that this announcement was not new news for Leal and the McGuinty Liberals, as Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal David Caplan had been briefed on the proposed project last year by local MP Dean Del Mastro and Leal had talked positively about it during the recent Ontario election.

“This is just more of the McGuinty Liberals playing partisan politics,” said Tory. “Leal should be over the moon about this beneficial announcement for Peterborough. Why was he so supportive of this in the past, yet now he is hiding behind the curtains claiming he doesn’t know enough to get behind this initiative? It just doesn’t make sense. The people of Peterborough need an MPP who will stand up for what is good for Peterborough not one will allow politics to be placed ahead of Peterborough.”

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For more information:
Christine Elliott
(905) 430-1141