/R E P E A T -- Thomas: Is expelling and disrespecting rural MPPs the 'Hillier' that Ford will die on?/
TORONTO, March 15, 2019 /CNW/ - OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says the expulsion of Randy Hillier from the Conservative caucus is proof that Premier Doug Ford views his MPPs as nothing more than pawns who are expendable if they don't do as they're told.
It's hypocritical to give Hillier the boot after he was accused of being disrespectful to a group of parents of children with autism, says Thomas.
"If that's one of the reasons then why aren't the Minister of Mean Lisa MacLeod and her chief of staff kicking stones down the road?" said Thomas. "They've been incredibly disrespectful toward families of children with autism and should have been fired."
Thomas said everybody knows the real reason Hillier was expelled: he stood up to Ford and his backroom bullies.
"I don't agree with a lot of things Hillier says, but the whole episode paints a pretty clear picture of what's going on behind closed doors in Ford Nation: either shut up or you're out."
Thomas said it's laughable that another reason Ford is giving for expelling Hillier is that he didn't "show up for work," and that he's not a "team player."
"How many days did the Premier skip out on Question Period when the opposition parties were demanding answers for his outrageous attempts to appoint his buddy Ron Taverner to head the OPP?" Thomas asked. "What kind of team player is Ford when he forces his cabinet ministers to take the punches meant for him?
"Real teamwork isn't running scared from tough questions while demanding your caucus members clap like trained seals."
There is too much going on in the backroom of Ford Nation that Ontarians aren't being told about, said Thomas.
"For example whatever happened to the investigation into the Conservatives' alleged theft of the personal information of tens of thousands of Ontarians from the Highway 407 computers?" asked Thomas.
"The silence speaks volumes."
SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, 613-329-1931
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