Dear Mr. Hudak:

We, the undersigned, demand an apology for repeatedly referring to us as “foreign workers.” We are not foreigners — we are Canadians. We chose to live in Ontario. We came here because we saw Ontario as a safe, stable and tolerant place — a place where we could settle, build lives, families, open businesses and contribute to society.

As Canadians, we pay taxes and contribute to our communities every day. We expect our leaders to bring Ontarians together. Instead, you have chosen to try to drive us apart. And what makes it even more disappointing is that your position stands in stark contrast to the position you held just over a year ago.

In 2010, you introduced legislation that would give a 10 per cent wage subsidy to any business hiring a skilled newcomer. There were no caps or limits in your program. In many ways, this was similar legislation to what is being currently presented by the Ontario Liberal Party as an alternative to your plan. At the same time, in your election platform, you speak of the importance of creating opportunities for newcomers to Ontario and helping them get their credentials recognized.

In the midst of an election campaign, you have abandoned your previous position and have degraded the dialogue with the use of aggressive and inflammatory language. You have implied that we are somehow less Canadian. Worse still, members of your team have crossed a line — talking about “our own people” or asking when Ontario became “for” immigrants. And your local campaign offices continue to release materials referring to Canadian citizens as “foreigners.” Instead of showing leadership and condemning such language, you have chosen to look the other way.

We sign this letter more in sadness than in anger. We are hard-working Ontarians and we have played by the rules as we build our lives here. We are proud Canadians, proud Ontarians and proud of the contributions we are making to Ontario. We would like you to apologize for belittling our contributions and our pride as Canadian citizens. We also ask that you hold your candidates responsible for their inflammatory and hateful language. We are not foreigners. We are Ontarians — just like you.

   


 



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  Indeed, Hudak could barely contain his excitement Thursday in Ottawa, almost shouting “Dalton McGuinty wants to spend up to $50 million (over four years) to hand over jobs to foreign workers...” Toronto Star, September 9, 2011 A few questions presented themselves: How are Canadian citizens living in Ontario "foreign," and why on earth would the PCs direct ire toward them, rather than toward the Liberals who proposed the idea? Does the party not want their votes? Does it realize they're allowed to vote? National Post, September 8, 2011 What the province's voters could stand to hear much less of, however, is the “foreign worker” nonsense that the Tories, and Mr. Hudak himself, insist on peddling. National Post, September 10, 2011 This distorts not only the facts but the scale of the program, which will cost just $12-million and cover an estimated 1,000 people. In reality, it is available only to Canadian citizens, not "foreigners." National Post, September 12, 2011 Errol P. Mendes, the wellknown University of Ottawa law professor and human rights campaigner, has condemned Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak's description of new immigrants in Ontario as "foreign workers," as appalling, and says no one running to be premier of Canada's largest province should use such incendiary language. Ottawa Citizen, September 11, 2011