Provincial cabinet minister Vic Fedeli was met by a small group of demonstrators outside the Porcupine Dante Club Wednesday night, when he arrived to speak to the Timmins Chamber of Commerce. But he did not stop to talk to the Timmins Labour Council organized rally.
Louis Clausi of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association called it “a labour council welcome”.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t come to speak to us. But we wanted to express concerns with his budget from last year, that left many people behind.”
Fedeli was Doug Ford’s finance minister for the first year of his mandate. Clausi said the people left behind are children with autism and the mental health, school and health systems.
“The supports for those that are the vulnerable, that’s where the cuts are and they often don’t get to speak for themselves,” said Clausi. “So we’re here to speak on behalf of all those who can’t speak or choose not to speak and say we’re not going to accept these cuts.”
Fedeli didn’t mention any of the protesters’ issues in his speech inside the hall to the local business community.