(Queen’s Park) – Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop today warned the McGuinty government that its decision to repeal the P.C. government’s zero tolerance for welfare fraud policy will result in a return to fraud and abuse of the welfare system.

On December 24, the McGuinty government filed a regulation under the Ontario Works Act that repeals the lifetime ban on welfare benefits for those convicted in a court of law of intentionally defrauding the welfare system. Ontario Regulation 456/03 is published in the January 10, 2004 edition of The Ontario Gazette.

“Welfare fraud is a crime against welfare recipients and taxpayers,” said Dunlop. “Those who commit welfare fraud are stealing from people on welfare who really need the assistance and cheating the hardworking taxpayers who support the system.”

Between April 1997 and March 2002, the P.C. government identified $276.8 million in social assistance that people were not entitled to receive, as well as over $123.2 million in avoided future costs.

“Zero tolerance was put in place by our government to protect the system for those who really need it,” said Dunlop. “Welfare is for the needy, not the greedy.”

The zero tolerance policy on welfare fraud applied only to those convicted of welfare fraud. Other family members continued to receive their portion of the assistance.

Contacts:
Garfield Dunlop
(705) 327-4500 (cell)