The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) hailed the continuance of the stand-alone ministry of consumer services by Premier Dalton McGuinty today (Oct. 20, 2011).
Margarett Best, MPP for Scarborough Guildwood is the new minister.
“We are pleased that Premier McGuinty’s government realizes the importance of having a seat at the cabinet table for a minister that is entrusted with promoting the well being of consumers and healthy markets, said Michael Janigan, Executive Director and General Counsel of PIAC. Janigan noted that consumer transactions account for over 50% of the economic activity in the province.
Janigan also noted that he hoped the leadership shown by the Ontario government on this issue should influence other governments.” It has been shown time and time again that combining consumer services with business portfolios and the like doesn’t work, and diminishes the quality of consumer protection, he stated.