Patrick Brown. (file photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn Media.)Patrick Brown. (file photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn Media.)
Midwestern

Ontario PC Leader Will Not Rollback Minimum Wage Increase

Ontario Progressive Conservatives are not happy about a Liberal Caucus email that accused Leader Patrick Brown of wanting to roll back the minimum wage if he's elected next June.

Brown tells Blackburn News CKNX that is simply not true, and he wants to make the minimum wage hike easier on businesses by relaxing the timeline.

Brown says he supports a $15/hr minimum wage, saying the Conservatives will honour the $14/hr minimum wage hike coming up on January 1, but the second phase would be done over a four-year implementation period, so approximately 25 cents per year, similar to what's happening in British Columbia.

Brown says he's alarmed at how the Liberals are rushing this hike, noting Premier Kathleen Wynne wasn't even a fan just a short few years ago, saying herself that it would quote "kill jobs", but has not completely changed her position.

The provincial PC leader says the Liberals plan will cost the provinces tens of thousands of jobs, and says his plan allows for small businesses to grow and invest, and hire more workers.

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