To the editor:
In response to Yves Fricot’s letter “Families come first,” really? Are you kidding me? Let’s go over your letter one statement at a time.
“Families in Northwestern Ontario are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, save for retirement and finance their kids education.”
You’re right, especially when your client Buchanan/Lucky Star walks away with their employees’ pensions, severance and termination pay, destroying any chance of a comfortable retirement or putting their kids through school.
“We believe Canadian families need and deserve a break right now and their needs should come first.”
You’re right, so tell your client to pay up. After all, the employees’ needs come first, right?
“Keeping retirees out of poverty through the establishment of a voluntary supplementary Canada Pension Plan.”
How about your client voluntarily pays the pension shortfall they left behind? Better yet, how about your Liberal government make it law that private holding companies are not protected from the financial responsibilities of their affiliate companies and make the founders, CEOs and board of directors legally responsible and accessible for these financial obligations?
“No support for corporate tax cuts on the backs of the Canadian families and small businesses.”
That’s right, let’s just declare bankruptcy so we don’t have to pay our bills at the small businesses, the local municipal taxes in Thunder Bay, Atikokan and Duberville, which are in the hundreds of thousands, the stumpage fees that are owed to the province, which are in the millions, as well as the hydro bills and gas bills that are in the hundreds of thousands. Who do you think is going to pay for these defaults through higher taxes and increased rates? The taxpayers – that’s who.
“Financing tax cuts requires borrowing money. Asking families to pay the interest charges so that large corporations can have a tax cut is simply wrong.”
But giving grants to start forestry divisions as well as a $25 million loan guarantee to a private holding company is okay? Maybe it’s time for Buchanan to start financing their own business instead of asking the taxpayers to, especially when they are not meeting their financial obligations.
Like it or not Yves Fricot, you are the face of Buchanan. You have been their legal counsel for years. The fact that you have the audacity to spew this Liberal party rhetoric with what is going on right now with the bankruptcy of five mills and the way it is affecting employees, contractors, suppliers, their families and their children’s education and futures as well as municipal taxes and utilities is disgusting.
A vote for you is a vote for big business. Why would I send you to Ottawa just so you could secure more taxpayer money for your client.
What’s worse is that Michael Ignatieff thinks that you are what Northwestern Ontario needs right now.
That proves that he is further out of touch with this part of the province than most people thought. I guess he didn’t get the message the voters sent in the last (federal) election when they voted in the NDP.
Charity begins at home, so go back and tell your client to quit playing the financial shell game; quit crying poor and pay the employees what they are rightfully and legally owed. At least that way the next time you open your mouth and spew this “for the families” garbage, it will have a tinge of sincerity to it.
Good luck in the next election.
Darryl Stewart,
Neebing
In response to Yves Fricot’s letter “Families come first,” really? Are you kidding me? Let’s go over your letter one statement at a time.
“Families in Northwestern Ontario are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, save for retirement and finance their kids education.”
You’re right, especially when your client Buchanan/Lucky Star walks away with their employees’ pensions, severance and termination pay, destroying any chance of a comfortable retirement or putting their kids through school.
“We believe Canadian families need and deserve a break right now and their needs should come first.”
You’re right, so tell your client to pay up. After all, the employees’ needs come first, right?
“Keeping retirees out of poverty through the establishment of a voluntary supplementary Canada Pension Plan.”
How about your client voluntarily pays the pension shortfall they left behind? Better yet, how about your Liberal government make it law that private holding companies are not protected from the financial responsibilities of their affiliate companies and make the founders, CEOs and board of directors legally responsible and accessible for these financial obligations?
“No support for corporate tax cuts on the backs of the Canadian families and small businesses.”
That’s right, let’s just declare bankruptcy so we don’t have to pay our bills at the small businesses, the local municipal taxes in Thunder Bay, Atikokan and Duberville, which are in the hundreds of thousands, the stumpage fees that are owed to the province, which are in the millions, as well as the hydro bills and gas bills that are in the hundreds of thousands. Who do you think is going to pay for these defaults through higher taxes and increased rates? The taxpayers – that’s who.
“Financing tax cuts requires borrowing money. Asking families to pay the interest charges so that large corporations can have a tax cut is simply wrong.”
But giving grants to start forestry divisions as well as a $25 million loan guarantee to a private holding company is okay? Maybe it’s time for Buchanan to start financing their own business instead of asking the taxpayers to, especially when they are not meeting their financial obligations.
Like it or not Yves Fricot, you are the face of Buchanan. You have been their legal counsel for years. The fact that you have the audacity to spew this Liberal party rhetoric with what is going on right now with the bankruptcy of five mills and the way it is affecting employees, contractors, suppliers, their families and their children’s education and futures as well as municipal taxes and utilities is disgusting.
A vote for you is a vote for big business. Why would I send you to Ottawa just so you could secure more taxpayer money for your client.
What’s worse is that Michael Ignatieff thinks that you are what Northwestern Ontario needs right now.
That proves that he is further out of touch with this part of the province than most people thought. I guess he didn’t get the message the voters sent in the last (federal) election when they voted in the NDP.
Charity begins at home, so go back and tell your client to quit playing the financial shell game; quit crying poor and pay the employees what they are rightfully and legally owed. At least that way the next time you open your mouth and spew this “for the families” garbage, it will have a tinge of sincerity to it.
Good luck in the next election.
Darryl Stewart,
Neebing
