Crombie’s first test — will she do what is right for Ontario?

She has a daunting task ahead of her in rebuilding the party. But she now has an important question to answer, as she assumes her new duties: namely, will she be fair?

Will she change her position on the dissolution of Peel Region? If she wants to represent all Ontarians, she must do what’s in the interest of the entire province — not just Mississauga. It’s never the wrong time to do the right thing.

As mayor of Mississauga, Crombie led the charge to push the dissolution of Peel Region which was created by former Premier Bill Davis in 1974 to cost-share key regional services. Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga had cost-shared water, wastewater, policing, paramedics, regional roads, long-term care and public health. Brampton and Caledon had subsidized Mississauga’s growth and now it was Mississauga’s turn to do so in north Brampton and Caledon. To stop cost-sharing services now would be akin to running away from a dinner bill. I get why Crombie wanted to do this but it wasn’t the right thing to do. It meant throwing Brampton and Caledon under the bus. It meant short-changing paramedics, public health workers, police officers, long-term care staff and regional staff working at the shelter. Is this how she wants to introduce herself to Ontario by doubling down on a bad reckless idea?

And now, independent financial analysis of the Peel split shows the situation to be even worse than we thought. Updated data from the 2019 study Deloitte produced for Peel Region found that dissolution will have a catastrophic financial impact across all three communities — including Mississauga. Yes, it would also cause taxes to skyrocket in Mississauga, too.

What do I mean by catastrophic? I mean a 38% tax increase. I mean $1.31 billion in additional costs as a best-case scenario. And I mean putting life-saving paramedic and public health services in jeopardy due to staffing shortages.

The 2019 Deloitte report made it very clear then, and the updated data makes it clear now — the dissolution of Peel will cause a financial train wreck affecting every one of us. What does it say about a provincial leader who is willing to put the jobs of first responders at risk in pursuit Mississauga’s independence?

As mayor of Mississauga, I get why Crombie thinks dissolution is a good deal for her city. It would result in a wealth transfer from Brampton and Caledon in the form of billions of dollars that we have invested in Mississauga’s infrastructure over years while losing access to the benefits. Dissolution means Mississauga can leave without helping Brampton and Caledon to pay for the infrastructure that is now needed to build the homes that are so urgently needed in our own communities.

I get why a Mississauga mayor would fight to get the best deal for their city — I really do. But now that she is a provincial leader aspiring to become premier of all Ontarians, she must fight for the benefit of everyone in Ontario.

The dissolution of Peel is a short-term gain for Mississauga that comes with long-term pain for everyone else.

This is her first big test. To reconsider her position and stop dissolution saving the people of Brampton, Caledon, Mississauga and Ontario from a financial disaster.

I have called upon the Ontario government and the Peel Transition Board to reconsider dissolution. Will Bonnie Crombie respect her new responsibility and join me in doing the right thing? She needs to decide, is she running for Premier of Ontario or Mayor of Mississauga, because you don’t unite a province by throwing others under the bus. You won’t earn the confidence of the Ontario public sector by throwing regional public-sector employees under the bus.