LISTEN: McCallion Talks Tough at Gas Plant Hearings
The mayor of Mississauga is slamming both the Liberal government and opposition for wasting time at the hearings into the gas plant cancellations.
Hazel McCallion testified Thursday, speaking her mind about the decision to cancel the plant in her city before the 2011 election and after crews started construction.
She underlines it should have been cancelled before a building permit was issued.
McCallion says residents were happy but didn't agree with the timing of the cancellation.
"My citizens are not interested in wasting taxpayers money," McCallion testified.
She then targeted opposition, who pushed for the hearings.
"I don't know why you're wasting a lot of time of at Queen's Park for something, in my opinion, is dead wood," she said.
McCallion says MPPs could be better spending this time tackling the gridlock problem and transit issues in the GTA.
She says the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) should absorb any cancellation costs given she says it didn't do its homework on locations in the first place. She underlines it also ignore residents and city concerns.
All three parties at Queen's Park are defending the hearings.
Premier Kathleen Wynne says there are questions that need to be answered on this issue and information needs to be made available. When asked about McCallion's testimony, the premier noted the Mississauga mayor always says what she thinks.
Wynne calls that a wonderful thing.
NDP MPP Taras Natyshak says the people of Ontario deserve the truth on the issue. However, he noted his party had been pushing for a public inquiry on the matter, which was ultimately struck down by Wynne due to cost.
At the hearing, PC Energy Critic MPP Vic Fidelli told McCallion that MPPs are still carrying on the business of the legislature.