Steve Payne
Sign the petition to fix the WSIB disaster; Rally at Queen's Park Feb. 28
Canadian ContractorThe editorial position of CANADIAN CONTRACTOR is that the new WSIB rules are a shameless rip off of hard-working Ontarians. Bill 119 is insulting to self-employed small businesspeople in the trades in this province while fuelling the underground economy.
To sign the petition to repeal Bill119, which forces vast numbers of formerly WSIB-exempt employees and subtrades to pay mandatory WSIB in Ontario, click here.
To plan to attend “The Rally to Fix the WSIB” at Queen’s Park, Toronto (Ontario Legislature) on Thursday, Feb. 28th at 10 am, click here.
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When I signed on Sat there were only 2 pages of signatures, this morning there are 5 more pages, wonderful! But, when I think of all of the General Contractors and Sub Contractors there must be in Ontario, this is a drop in the bucket. I hope more of us will put our names where our mouths are. Always I have just rolled over and taken it when it come to our Government and their constant taxation grabs but there is something about this one that just pushed me over the edge. I complain with the best of them but I don’t DO anything about it. Not this time and I hope all Contractors will take a stand.
Steve, can I ask you if other professions that are involved in renovation and building, such as design and architecture firms, will be affected by this WSIB tax? Or, are they excused by virtue of the WSIB clause “paid directly by the homeowner”?
As you may note when searching for information about either the protests or these petitions you will find that the major media like the sun, star, globe or even 680 news are not carrying any of it. I guess if we are not teachers, public sector workers or have a gas plant in our backyards we do not count. So far pages like this and other social media has been our best efforts. Post similar to all you can.
If our builder associations, cfib, and other associations made a point of boycotting advertising in these same papers or media outlets they would signify how serious we are as well as their commitment to the industry. The fact wether legal or not this bill is adding thousands to the price of a new home, school or even hospital. The word is getting out thanks to media outlets such as this and daily commercial news.
Chris, let me go and find out from some architects and designers if they are also being shaken down for cash. I don’t think so, but at this point the WSIB will hose anyone with a pulse, so I should verify that first. Watch this space and I’ll get back.
Yet another ripple effect from the WSIB 119. My daughter manages an office for a small Canadian insurance firm speciallizing in small business owner’s insurance. There business has dropped off substantially since the introduction of Bill 119. They have to cut back on expenses and people could lose their jobs. I am so angry at our government over this absolute ridiculous bill and it’s impact on all the small businesses. When will the madness stop!
When will it stop? Probably when the $15 billion unfunded liability is paid for, which is never.
You bring up an important fact. The ripple effect is yet to be recognized, but as we all know who are on the front lines, it is there and significant. If jobs are the central issue of the next provincial campaign, then a government willing to get out of the way of small business and let them succeed should be a sure bet to win.
I am not in favor of Bill 119. It’s just a cash cow for compensation board. If the goverment said that you had to have insurance on your self, you could get insurance from private insurance company at one third of the cost and be covered 7/24. And thats the way I see it. I have been in the construction trade for
over 40 years and this is just a thorn in the butt.
With all due respect I have to tell you that contractors are far too busy to reply and sign petitions and that is because they, like everyone else is being squeezed into submission. Show me a politician that will go to bat for you., no way because he wont bite the hand that feeds him. The Feds already know your limits and so they don’t worry about any resistance.
Guys, get going with something more meaningful than a piece of paper with a few names on it.
I was in Hamilton for the protest a few weeks ago and there were a number of contractors there to picket the WSIB offices there. Yes, you are busy, but this is fundamental to a healthy democracy. You MUST find the time to sign petitions, march, and protest.. There are bigger issues at stake. Now is the time.
I was at the rally at Queen’s Park this morning. After suffering through what seemed like an eternity of the mindless and childish heckling and political speechifying that passes for Question Period in our “healthy democracy”, I have to agree with Don. Call me a cynic, but any politician that appears to be going to bat for us is likely doing it for the same reason any politician does anything in a “healthy democracy.” Votes.
And don’t think there is any real difference between the parties. They ALL want your money. They just have slightly different ideas on how to spend it. After all, they all have to fund their parasitical, freeloading, non-productive lifestyles somehow. And it will be at our expense, one way or another.
All these signatures and protests may well win us this political skirmish, but we will inevitably lose the war if we don’t take a serious stand. They can hammer us with new legislation, taxes, fees and regulation all day long. And we are forced to give them the money to do it. Then we have lose a days work plus other costs to stage a protest just to keep our own money???
It’s high time for something more meaningful than signatures on paper and jumping up and down at Queen’s Park in an attempt to keep the fruits of our own labour. The time has come for peaceful and complete noncompliance.
I hated question period. I was embarrassed that our country was being run like this. I thought, if we could put the guys in the pit up in the gallery and the guys in the gallery into the pit, the province would be a lot better off. I swear 50 independent contractors could do a way better job of running this province. We’d “getter done!”
I was at the February 28th, 2013 protest at Queens Park, along with four colleagues. We were very disappointed with the lack of people at the turn out. French speaking protesters seemed to outnumber everyone else and most of them travelled a lot further than others (they know how to protest). There weren’t many from the GTA, a short TTC ride away.
After enduring a big hit to their businesses after the HST, seems like the complacent Canuck, is ready to sit back and take it again. Come on people, stop being walked on! Fight Bill 119. Get everyone you know to write their MP. It affects homeowners that hire legitimate trades, as well as contractors. I understand how hard it is to take time off work, to take part in a protest. But the less we protest, the harder we’ll have to work.
Maybe the best thing, is to do nothing. If we all don’t pay the WSIB, for the owner/ operator portion…
Do you get up and go to work everyday, in pain? The type of pain that your average worker would milk the system for six months?
We’re tough! We can take it! We cannot take something that jeopardizes our way of life, our families, our businesses!
Fight Bill 119!
I also was very disapointed that there was not more representation from Toronto. However, Ottawa and Hamilton have someone actively pushing for the cause in Justin and Julia. We need someone to help focus the Toronto area. I notice that the guys from the homebuilders association were there and maybe that is the way to drive attendance. In any case, it is just the beginning and we’ll need to be ready when election time comes.
The guy from the OHBA was Joe Vacaroe, he was accompanied by Stephen Hamilton, I would point out that there membership was notified on February 26 two days before the event. However local associations were aware weeks prior. I have tried to work with this association about this issue for years, I am a past president of a local association. I am no longer a member however I am still respected, known and still have a voice. The excuse on the delay was that they were not sure of mpp hillier s plans, funny we all were. This association had enough information to stop this bill in 2006. The truth about this bill is now a reality, what happened, who knew are all questions being asked. I say to joe, mistakes were made in the past with this issue, forgive and forget and work with us to fix this issue, they have the access to members, their contact list is extensive, these petitions can be found in the thousands in days.
Yes I sent them an e-mail at our local association here a couple of weeks in advance and yes they did write back. Yes, Steve wrote me and forwarded it to all the memberships and associations and I have proof of that in e-mail! Our local builders had a luncheon and a “Build our City” day March 1st so lots of them were busy and I think their dates were set WELL BEFORE any mention of the Rally. Hell I was in Cuba when I learnt there was a Rally on February 12th and come home to the one being on Feb 28th!
Again Sean you keep blaming the OHBA that they had the ammunition to stop this bill, so did other organizations! The THING MISSING WAS ALL OF YOU STANDING UP OUT THERE BEFORE THIS BECAME A BILL PERIOD! That SUPPORT from the small business owners themselves were NIL and VOID and that is what this NEEDED! 140,000 businesses and their workers should of stood up back then..that didn’t happen! IT SHOULD HAPPEN NOW! AND with people acting on their OWN merit, standing on their own 2 feet and letting their voices be heard. You damn these organizations and pass the buck to them that it is “their fault” again I will tell you the MAJORITY GOVERNMENT (LIBERALS) Passed the bill #1
#2 the next bill in Bill 87 was KILLED ON THE FLOOR IN OCTOBER 2012 WHEN MCSQUINTY PROROGUED THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU BLAME ANYONE ON THE LIBERAL GOVERNMENT’S ACTIONS!?!? AND BTW SOME OF THE NDP MPP’S OUT THERE – SHAME ON THEM ALL!
Again – If an election is called and this dies on the Table who you going to blame then? the OHBA, the CFIB? the little voices who continue to fight from the get go until this is repealed?
I just don’t get the slamming!!! and for the record on the OHBA I was trying to organize buses from my area and THEY WEREN’T THE ONLY ONES TO DECIDE AT LAST MINUTE – ALL OF THE PO’D GUYS NOW STANDING UP WAITED UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO GO AND A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DID NOT GO! 140,000 businesses and 2 rallies didn’t even net a 1,000 people. Town halls held have had small number so just how PO’D is the industry I ask?
Sorry I just want to keep this in the proper perspective.
Lady, I have no idea who you are nor do you have any idea who I am. First and foremost I did not ask OHBA to fight my audit. In fact in 2004 I was asked by the OHBA to look into some if the audit issues. I did, I also worked on behalf of the OHBA with the WSIB on the design and implementation of the independent operator questionnaire,what was and was not to be included in the determination if employed vs self employed. I am an accountant by trade and have never been confused on the issue of how the law stand in determining employment.
This is certainly not the forum to attack me or my beleifs and I question your motives. If you have not been a active participant with in any of these associations how can you determine the nature of their actions. I have been. I will take you back to 2007,2008 while large unions and their association put their mite behind the bill, all those who opposed were left outside the door. You are correct about a liberal majority, how ever the mite of the CFIB combined with the OHBA were not present.
I have no interest in bantering back and forward with you. This situation was brought by government. And you attacking all of us and our opinions is simply misleading. You say to work together yet you frown on the way we see history. You could better find out our history
Sean:
Ok no bantering I was just trying to state facts as I know them! I know the questionnaire well and there were some privacy issues on that form! I fought that with the WSIB/CRA! (on behalf of my guys) Not only did the WSIB try to determine if you were an I/O in a ruling ut so did the CRA! So yes, I know the form very well!
I can determine that because I HAVE I/O’s and Contractors/Builders I work for in books/taxes. I know of the organizations through them and what they tell me and further in my own telephone conversations with these 2 entities over many years on the WSIB issue! and to date BTW!
My motive is nothing more and nothing less than truth and wanting it conveyed!
OK, this will be my last reply because I don’t want to banter either. On the Unions/Associations I have rebutted every word they spoke in the hearings on this bill. Their mite was donating their memberships money into the donations to the government of the day “liberals” and all of them donated millions to them! Well what I read in the documents I have and that of the Legislative Assembly the OHBA and the CFIB were heard on how this will kill the industry and what it will do to them/and what it will not stop the underground from continuing to do!
Not attacking all of you I am just saying that people were fighting when others were not fighting for the cause! I am not wrong in that comment in the least and my guys here are still apologizing to me that they should of listened to me way back in 2002!
I frown a lot on the history because I have every minute of the hearings and rebutted them all! Yes I want this to be done jointly as a “one” in the fight and my motives have been and always will be to fight this to the bitter end! The link you gave me
Very aware of that link and also on the that petition by Randy Hillier. Go to this link that is also affiliated with the cause and you will find my petition as the first one under enough is enough.
http://www.stopwsibbill119.com/Take_Action.html
BTW I did not post my petition there I think Randy may have mentioned to others I had it going or someone from my petition site made them aware of it… I don’t know, I didn’t ask! I spoke to Randy Hillier for over an hour a week ago Friday night on all of this. My petition is and will remain alive and active and was informed to keep it going — btw I paid for that out of my own pocket now 2 years in a row to keep it alive..so I have nothing to gain (monetarily from it) OTHER THAN to fight this bill as I have done over the past 10 years or so!
I think we are all in agreement this bill has to be repealed I just have my opinion of my own and of others who have contacted me with their take on things!
Sorry for getting our dandruff up! I won’t comment on your posts anymore!
David you can contact me if you want to if you want to take some active action without being a member of anything!
Get to my petition site and sign it – Randy Hillier told me to keep it going- after you sign it forward it to everyone you know – let’s get the chain of e-mail going and ask them to forward it to everyone they know – and so on and son on!
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/independent-operators-against-bill-119-mandatory-covera.html
Kathy,
I completely understand you frustration, all your comments are welcome. Funny you remind me about CRA, very important to point out. In the late 90’s auditors were indeed forcing their will on the people. They were determining self employed individuals employees. Many members of the association were being affected. Local associations as well as the OHBA worked together at that time. If I remember correctly this gained national attention, was not simply a provincial issue. The issue stopped.
When EHT was introduced the issue again gave rise again to auditors declaring self employed workers employees, those decisions were fought in the superior court of Ontario and their actions again were defeated.
It sounds to me like you have as much experience with this type of issue as I do. This leads me to the largest point yet. There are more people unaware or than are aware of these issues, their decisions in the courts to their validity. We need to make them aware. Politicians like Randy for whom have a lot of respect for can only help a little. It is the media that needs to be pushed. This issue of employed vs self employed dates back more than a hundred years. This debate will continue. For right now this form of media has been our only tool. And I will point out you found me here, I found Juliette and Justin here. More will find us.
Sean
I said I wouldn’t write back but (dang women – we are like that ya know! lol) I hope I am sensing in what you’ve written to me here means that we both know the ins and outs and that is what is a matter sometimes with technology at times. We don’t seem to talk to one another on the phone any longer, we text, we tweet, we come to blogs etc. Not that that is a bad thing as it is the future but what happens is people’s words are typed and they can be misconstrued by the reader! I was not trying to ever offend you in any way shape or form and I hope we both can say now that all is good in the world!
I logged into facebook tonight to see that Randy Hillier had shared a link to your article you wrote and I read it and was quite impressed with it. I sent you a friend request on Facebook (LOL) who woulda thunk that from anyone reading us going back and forth! If you want to accept that would be great if you don’t I totally understand! Good job on the article though!
http://www.dcnonl.com/article/id54434?search_term=wsib#.UUDcKKG6Z60.facebook
Kathy
Accepted, twitter (thenewf65) and yes you are correct, texts and emails do not show emotion and any emotion perceived is sometimes incorrect. However we get the point across even if by ruffling a few feathers by the way. Glad Randy posted the comment on facebook.
If there is a way to compile all of these comments in one area more people would become aware of each other and our combined efforts.
I actually wrote to the Star’s editor when we first received notice in December of the
WSIB change. They obviously don’t see it as an issue or are being controlled and will not put it to print. There were multiple follow ups but to no avail. If we were teachers, firefighters or policemen (all paid with our taxes) we certainly would be paid attention to. Unfortunately we are a fragmented group of many who have little or no influence on any policies being shoved down our throats.
Until the time arises that we can be heard as a powerful collective group I do not see any changes happening.
I have been trying to get the government to listen to our issue for almost 23 years and all correspondence has fallen on deaf ears.
If any of you have an idea how to make work i would certainly like to hear about it.
As a matter of fact I like you have hounded the media to no avail. However I have filed a lawsuit in oshaw that depicts a deplorable situation dealing with unions and the WSIB audit department this lawsuit deals directly with independent operators and companies that use them. This lawsuit although time consuming and difficult breaks this bill apart. It has been suggested that this lawsuit and its contents can be used to launch a class action suit. I am not the only company this action was taken against they’d are many. Once this becomes public it will lead to a never ending situation and prove once and for all how corrupt this organization is. Beleive it or not hidden with in this legislation is an audit procedure that will legitimize what they were already doin illegally
What we need to do now is a combined protest outside every mpps office in Ontario, they may be small however if we can get the assistance of the CFIB and the home builders association that boast membership in every community to come on board. A show of force in each community at the same time will show we have the numbers across the province. I will contact our local association who will in turn contact each of the others. We need a date and confirmation this could turn out to be the biggest smallest protest this province ha ever seen.
Sean: If you are interested please contact me if you are interested to. I am working on some things here in my area but want to do this PROVINCE wide as it is time for every person affected by this bill to step up this time NOW with their OWN VOICES/FACES being seen in the Public Eye! The CFIB and OHBA were actually fighting this Bill and continue to fight on this Bill and now with Randy introducing another bill that will die the minute another election is called putting us back at square one yet again. This will be the 3rd time in trying to get a Bill on the floor to repeal this because of (a) the bill passed as McGuinty had a majority Government it wouldn’t have mattered if GOD voted nay (b) he then prorogued the Legislative Assembly and Bill 87 to REPEAL THIS BILL and (c) now a new one got first reading.
The time is NOW that everyone is PO’D and upset that this bill is here so every person’s voice needs to be heard and every person’s face needs to be seen!
sppetbill119@hotmail.com
Robert: It is about time people stepped up to the plate. In reality a lot of these people stepping up now were not there for years to fight this and it is a reality check for them all now that the bill is here, they are mad (rightfully so) but lots of people worked on this for years! Randy Hillier a PRIME EXAMPLE man the guy has fought and fought and fought and tries repeatedly to get this dang Bill to stick on the floor to repeal it! Starting yet another organization to fight this with paid membership is not the way to go – there are already lots of them out there! A lot of these people didn’t step up back before this bill was a bill – their were petitions, their were people trying to organize rallies/protests but NOBODY back then thought this bill would pass and NO-ONE came forward back then other than signatures on a petition and writing their MPP the MOL and the WSIB where they got back a blanket letter of blah blah blah as a reply!
I am glad that everyone is up in the air now – but it is time for each individual to stand on their own two feet along side the rest of the construction industry and make their voices be heard (their’s not another organizations) and let their faces be seen! That is my goal and I will try to reach every dang rural area also with a population of less than 500 people who will NEVER get any attention if someone like me doesn’t listen to them!
Just sayin’ if people want change then they HAVE TO SHOW UP AND PUT THEIR OWN VOICE/FACE OUT THERE! JMHO
Kathy,
As I said before I have been fighting this action for over ten years, I was a part of the OHBA. In 2004 the WSIB began aggressively auditing companies in Ontario. Not simply construction. Those audits you will find used the criteria of bill 119 against the companies. Yes you read correctly, the audit department had implemented this bill as “policy” quite a few years ago. Part of bill 119 is to legitimize the actions the WSIB was already enforcing.
That being said in 2006 they hit my company, I knew the legislation and how it affected independent operators. I was wrongfully assessed over $ 300,000.00.they garnished our bank accounts, seized assets, threatened to take our homes. I contacted the OHBA, I explained what was happening and how. They turned their back on me. I took three years to fight my way through the system. I fought alone. However I proved I was correct. Throughout the entire ordeal i reviewed thousands of documents, hundreds of cases identical to mine, % 98 proven to be correct just as i was. The WSIB continued and continues that action against companies in Ontario. knowing full well their position and action are wrong. Every step of the way I tried to keep OHBA informed. So you tell me what the OHBA did.
Sean:
I have also been fighting this from when I first learned of it (2000) but never sent in a petition and letter after letter after letter until 2002. I encouraged the people I know and others too whom I do their books for to fight. All of them said “the Government will never pass this bill” I was very well aware of the changes coming with this bill and I do know the legislation and keep up on it daily to the changes!
The audits began (WSIB) here in our area in full force starting in 2001/2002. In all the audits I’ve been involved with from 2002 to 2012 I never once saw them (WSIB) mandating/applying/enforcing the Bill 119 in these I’ve done. You should of contacted a lawyer ASAP as it was not Law in 2006. I do accounting and taxes for a living and do handle a lot of Audits/Appeals!!
Most auditors jobs (if you were to see their handbook) is to go in and deny 40% off the hop (not just WSIB but the CRA handles it the same way) most people quit at the Audit stage and do not push it to appeal – so good for you for fighting it! I still would of myself if I had seen it in audits I’ve been involved with called a lawyer!
You are mad at OHBA I get it but did you when you signed up for Membership did they tell you they would back you in an Audit/appeals? I mean I don’t think that would be in their policy as that would be the responsibility of yourself (if you did your own books) or getting your Accountant or Bookkeeper involved. I don’t know what you mean that the OHBA as again I’m sure it isn’t in the membership details that they would represent you in your Audit! Again, that would be placed on whomever did the books! Government does that seizes assets until they believe your case do I agree with that HELLO NO! But I still don’t get why you feel this was OHBA responsibility to fight your audit? (if that is what you are saying)
If you are saying OHBA did nothing to fight this bill and still fighting then I disagree wholeheartedly because I saw what they said. Also people are saying the CFIB did nothing. IT WOULD NOT HAVE mattered who did what back then McSquinty had a majority Government and the NDP bedded/sided with them! In fact these 2 organizations continue to work on this and have met with Government officials and continue the fight! (NO before you ask me I am not a member of either affiliation) but do speak to them often! So are you all damning Randy Hillier also (because the bill did pass) he has worked tirelessly on this and continues to do so!
Petition #1 started across this province with not much support and was submitted in 2004 along with letter after letter after letter. When the bill passed in 2008 another petition went out sending it in repeatedly as more signatures were added. I wrote letter after letter after letter to each MPP, MOL,PREMIER WSIB! In these years there was not a lot of support in signing petitons, rallies, etc as everyone said “the government will not do this to businesses, it will not go through” So the little people and organizations dead against this bill did fight when no-one else would come out of hiding! and stand up.
So.. McSquinty has a majority no-one could do anything but didn’t stop us from trying repeatedly!
Petition #2 and Randy Hilliers Bill 87 (if you knew there was already one on the floor that Randy read in the assembly on May 8th, 2012 for first reading to Repeal Bill 119! and if you didn’t then now you do know! A lot of people out there were not aware of this bill he read in. Then, when McSquinty prorogued the legislative assembly and all Ontarian’s voices everything WAS KILLED ON THE FLOOR! EVERYTHING!
Now we are on petition #3 and the reading of the NEW BILL Feb. 28, 2013 to repeal Bill 119 was entered in the readings (1st). So you are all aware out there if an election is called tomorrow, next week, next month or 3 months down the road that this to dies on the ORDER TABLE.
So I ask you is this Randy Hilliers fault all these failing? Absolutely NOT! Is it the little people fighting and doing petitions at fault? NO CFIB’s fault? NO OHBA fault? NO – so why you are all damning the people and organizations that fought on your behalf when you all weren’t standing up and fighting! So hope you understand that if an election is called we are back to start the fight yet again..for the 4th time! So who will you guys pass the buck to then? Whomever calls and demands an election?
I just want to make sure you have the full history of the petitions and attempts by others who were fighting and the full history of what Randy has done and keeps this alive. The 2 organizations people seem to blame are CFIB and OHBA they had no say in the bills passing. Did they fight for all of you not fighting for yourselves YES an continue to meet and work on this issue. (NO before you ask – I am not a member of either affiliation) I just have followed this in DEPTH for many years and correspond with a LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS that have not once turned me away for NOT being a member as they were willing to share with me pertinent information!
Now, are you the same OHBA guy that Doug told me the following about and a past president? “I had a former president of another organization come up to me today to say that it is about time to have an organization that will represent non-union companies/ businesses and he is joining us They where one of the organization that was at the table also back then to fight this but had no success of stop BILL 119 completely. If you are that Sean (well I didn’t see your name in the Legislative assembly if that is the table he is talking about) Maybe he is talking about someone else and not you?
Now, I was so hoping when everyone finally woke up to the reality the law is in effect, we are mad, we have to pay and we don’t want to pay! That is great! I was so hoping that this would UNITE us all to fight this and now here we go another organization being formed by those who damn what other organizations tried to fight (and the repeated failures were NOT THEIR FAULT) It is an oxymoron to say the least! What killed the fight and ongoing fights were: Majority government voted it in LIBERALS, and then proroguing the legislative assemblyLIBERALS were the problems! Not the organizations, little people fighting and certainly not Randy Hillier’s fault! These people fight relentlessly on behalf of all small businesses whether you are a member or not!
What I wanted to see was PEOPLE PO’D ENOUGH to now stand up, come out of the woodwork (so to speak and no pun intended on the construction tradesperson’s woodworkers) with a UNITED WE STAND – DIVIDED WE FALL attitude rather than a PAID membership. Their own voices/faces and stories are what need to be heard. I plan on offering and organizing a VOLUNTEER ADVISORY GROUP (NO MONEY CHANGING HANDS) Just like everyone paid their own way to the Rally they would continue to do out of their own pocket for the ’cause’ for the ‘fight’
They are wanting 50,000 people at $100.00 yearly that is 5 million dollars a year! where is that money going to go? and if the bill is repealed what purpose does it serve when others are already with other organizations!?! This is so rushed, not well thought out and comes with a lot of legal issues and quite honestly it is splitting the MASSES who want to fight this bill! A very well laid out/organized committee is what I am shooting for and getting to the people who want to stand on their very own merit/voice and show their faces!
I told Doug right up front that the idea of yet another paid organization is not something I am personally into as are a lot of others who have expressed that to me! I personally have worked too long, too hard to go back on promises I’ve made to people but this splits us up in the fight. I thought this would bring us altogether and now that everyone is really PO’d that the bill is here would want to stay strong.
Just my humble opinion!
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/independent-operators-against-bill-119-mandatory-covera.html
“Working Contractors Coalition”
The recent rally’s all across Ontario, in protest against Bill 119, demonstrated the need for sole proprietors, Independent Operators and most small business owners to come together as a unified voice. Separately, the government pays little attention to your pleas or to the needs of your families. But perhaps if we form a 10,000+ person strong voice, the government will listen. If you are tired of having legislation rammed into law at your families expense, you need to stand with all small business to make a difference.
It is estimated that there are 103,000 small construction businesses in Ontario with 10 employees or less. These 103,000 businesses represent over 81% of the ENTIRE construction Industry in Ontario. Our work drives this economy and pays for a sizable amount of the governments tax revenue base. Unfortunately, because our government has mishandled many of their assigned responsibilities, all small contractors are now looked on as the “Cash Cow” to bail out the WSIB. Bill 119 is unfair and will cause irreparable harm to families, small business, job creation and economic growth. These are the very things the new Premier said she promised to avoid.
We can’t wait on empty promises any longer.
For 30 years the WSIB (WCB) promised to rein in spending but THEY failed to deliver. And because they failed to deliver, small business and people trying to grow their own tiny little future here in Ontario are being punished for the WSIB’s inability to manage their own house. Unions and large corporations have had great influence on legislation simply due to their size. If you want to have YOUR say in Ontario, now is the time to join together. If you want your kids to have a stronger and brighter future you need to step up. If you want fairness in government now is the time for you to step up.
The Working Contractors Coalition will be a simple organization dedicated to demanding fairness in government legislation. The primary purpose is to ensure laws that impact contractors are reasonable and fair. The organization will be member driven and respond to needs. It will be inexpensive to be a member. $100.00 per year makes you part of the team. Stop for a moment and think if we had 50,000 members! That’s only half of the total in Ontario. Government can’t afford to ignore a 50,000+ member driven organization. It’s your choice. Be a part of the fight for “right” or do nothing and hope for the best.
If you are interested in becoming a member (or a committee member) please send us an email to doug@powerupelectricalinc.com or send us your input. We will need all of your help to have BILL 119 repealed and to have your voice mean something to government.
Please include in your email: the name of your company, your name and if you want to become a member. We are creating a list and as soon as we see there is enough interest, we will push forward – together. Please get this message out to every small business owner you know. We need as many members as possible. This has a very good chance of working. It’s up to you now. Thank you for all your efforts.
Working Contractors Coalition
PS – We will continue to contact the ministers to sit down with us to work with us and if they do not then we will plan to hold another protest if it is required.
We will keep you updated on any and all new information on our website http://www.stopwsibbill119.com
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Justin Dokter
Woodland Construction
Waterdown, ON
H: 289-238-8278
C: 905-807-9624
Why have mandatory wsib which covers basically nothing when I have disability insurance that covers way more ? F*** you Ontario government (stupid liberals)
hand and arm tendinitis 27 years in metal stampings i left the employer because w.s.i.b. was trying to push me back into the same job that caused the injury . after a year of physio and dealing with the harassment from my employer they told me my injuries where to insignificant to be considered for benefits. thats great service but now i have the ontario ministry of labour fighting the case. I have even talked to people that had worked for w.s.i.b and they told me they where told to say no to every thing and treat the injured like dirt under there nails. The wsib is a joke. just a front to nothing people should be sueing the wsib