The Grey Bruce Labour Council pulled no punches in opposing former Premier Mike Harris' potential appointment to the Order of Ontario.
Labour Council Vice President Dave Trumble says Harris rose to power "on the guise of saving the province from the debt-driving government of the NDP, which we know is not true", and that "correcting governmental mistakes on the backs of workers is not how you fix problems".
Trumble cited the Walkerton E. coli outbreak and "the undermining of public power" as the main reasons Harris should not receive an award "that represents millions and that harmed the province's regulatory system, that had worked very well, and intentionally tried to destroy the labour movement".
Several indigenous leaders have decried the effort as well, saying the Harris government bears responsibility for the confrontation between police and protesters at Ipperwash provincial park in 1995, resulting in the death of Dudley George.