Thompson’s motion, intended to bring light to impending closure of the Walkerton Jail, was tabled to pressure the McGuinty Liberals to back down on the scheduled closure this weekend. Thompson’s motion states that local community stakeholders must be consulted before any provincially owned or leased institution can be closed.
Last week, Thompson asked the Minister to commit to postponing the closure of the Walkerton and Owen Sound jails until the promised local community stakeholder consultations have been completed and the cost-benefit analysis has been released to the community. The Minister said point blank that the McGuinty Liberals would not postpone the closure.
“We have to try every possible to angle to get the McGuinty Liberals to see that closing this jail without the input of the community is wrong,” “Rural Ontario is already facing economic instability, and now this Liberal government will not commit to keeping local jobs. It’s very disappointing that rural Ontario doesn’t seem to matter to the McGuinty Liberals.”
The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services has slated the jail for closure on December 4, 2011, without completing the local community stakeholder consultations that were promised when the closure was announced earlier this year. Additionally, the cost-benefit analysis that states the closure makes economic sense has not been released. Thompson assumes that as is the case with the Sarnia Jail, no cost-benefit analysis was done prior to announcing the closure.
“Listening to the needs and concerns of the community are important and it appears as though the Liberal government is prepared to forge ahead with this ill-advised plan without engaging those who will be impacted most by this closure,” said Thompson. “If the Liberals don’t have a last minute change of heart, this Saturday will be a sad day for Walkerton and its residents, and yet another hit to the rural Ontario economy.”
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