Rick Nicholls office releases fake press release

By Greg Holden

A press release from Chatham-Kent-Essex MPP Rick Nicholls office was released yesterday that quoted Nicholls saying things he did not say. Today, Nicholls spokesperson Larry Landry described the release as a quick fix solution. Landry said that PC Party members work on press releases such that the information can be shared. Landry explained that it saves time. Instead of having a press release for every MPP, information is shared quickly by releasing information that the party wants to tell people.

In Nicholls defence he did try to get ahold of the CKReview at about 3:15 p.m., when he left a message. No-one was available to take his call.

Nicholls office advised the CKReview today that if someone had been able to speak to Nicholls, the release wouldn’t have been sent. It was suggested that party members meet in caucus and find a party position that everyone holds to.

Here are the two releases. First from the PC Party website:

Auditor General Exposes Liberals’ Cover-Up

QUEEN’S PARK – Today the Auditor General confirmed what the Ontario PCs have been saying all along – the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals hid the true cost of the cancelled Mississauga gas plant from taxpayers, PC Energy Critic Vic Fedeli said.

“Ontarians are now on the hook for at least $275 million to cancel the Mississauga gas plant – $85 million more than the amount originally cited by the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals,” said Fedeli. “These additional costs are an indictment of the Liberals’ cover-up and attempt to mislead taxpayers.”

Fedeli added that the Auditor General found that cancellation costs were higher than they should have been because the Liberals’ decision was politically motivated to save five seats.

While we finally know the cost of the Mississauga gas plant, the investigation is far from over, continued Fedeli, adding that the Liberals’ cover-up continues on the Oakville gas plant cancellation.

“Even though documents say otherwise, Premier Wynne continues to deny knowing anything about the Oakville cancellation. To make matters worse, the Liberals keep telling taxpayers that the cancellation will only cost $40 million, while independent energy experts estimate that it could cost over $800 million,” said Fedeli.

“From shutting down the Legislature, to withholding documents on three occasions, the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals have been attempting to skirt accountability. Taxpayers deserve to know who ordered the cancellations, how much they cost, and most importantly, who is now trying to cover them up.

“The McGuinty-Wynne Liberals still fail to recognize and acknowledge the severity of the hundreds of millions of dollars that they wasted to save five Liberal seats,” concluded Fedeli.

“It is clear that they can’t be trusted with taxpayers’ money.”

 

In email Nicholls office sent the following:

AUDITOR GENERAL EXPOSES LIBERALS’ COVER-UP

 QUEEN’S PARK – Today the Auditor General confirmed what the Ontario PCs have been saying all along – the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals hid the true cost of the cancelled Mississauga gas plant from taxpayers, Chatham-Kent-Essex MPP Rick Nicholls said.

“Ontarians are now on the hook for at least $275 million to cancel the Mississauga gas plant – $85 million more than the amount originally cited by the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals,” said Nicholls.  “These additional costs are an indictment of the Liberals’ cover-up and attempt to mislead taxpayers.”

Nicholls added that the Auditor General found that cancellation costs were higher than they should have been because the Liberals’ decision was politically motivated to save five seats in the GTA.

“Despite this being the Liberal party’s mess, Ontario families are expected to foot the bill. These extra costs are being tacked onto your energy bills and paid by your tax dollars,” Nicholls stated.

While we finally know the cost of the Mississauga gas plant, the investigation is far from over, continued Nicholls, adding that the Liberals’ cover-up continues on the Oakville gas plant cancellation which has an estimated total cost nearly three times that of the Mississauga closure.

“Even though documents say otherwise, Premier Wynne continues to deny knowing anything about the Oakville cancellation. I think it is disgraceful that it takes an Auditor General’s report to finally get to the truth. We cannot trust this Liberal government for a second,” said Nicholls.

“From shutting down the Legislature, to withholding documents on three occasions, the McGuinty-Wynne Liberals have been attempting to avoid accountability. Taxpayers deserve answers from a Liberal government that has so far been either dishonest or incompetent in regards to the gas plants scandal.”

“The McGuinty-Wynne Liberals still fail to recognize and acknowledge the severity of the hundreds of millions of dollars that they wasted to save five Liberal seats,” concluded Nicholls.

“It is clear that they can’t be trusted with taxpayers’ money.”

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Nicholls office stated that the multiplication of press releases was a standard occurrence within the PC party, and not plagiarism. The CKReview is well aware of press releases from political parties that duplicate the same message, however they do not offer quotes that never happened. In the rush to have a statement, a little fancy footwork was done to seem to have one. It is better to have no statement than a faked one. If the PC Party policy is to release identical quotes from all 36 of its members then the sincerity of what our elected officials actually say is called into question.