Provincial government monitoring OPG compensation: Flynn continued from p.1 "I thought it was excellent the auditor general examined the organization. I think she came back with a very good report and I was really, really happy to see the prompt action that was taken," said Flynn. "I think all parties have been nibbling around this issue for too many years. It's good to see a premier that finally put her foot down and said, `No, this stops. It's the end of the age of entitlement at OPG and Ontario Hydro.' It's almost been a kind of running joke that people at Ontario Hydro/OPG had it pretty good." The Liberal MPP said the OPG has many great employees and argued Ontario has one of the best hydro systems in the world. That said, he agreed more accountability and oversight is necessary. In the wake of the report, two OPG vice-presidents and its chief financial officer were terminated. The MPP said he's never happy to see someone lose their job, however, he said people must be held to account. Flynn said the excesses listed in the auditor general's report should have been caught by an internal auditor, but since they were not, the Province is monitoring to ensure this does not happen again. He said the organization has reduced its size by 1,500 employees since 2010 saving approximately $1 billion. Flynn said the Province intends to reduce it further to the point where the OPG has about 9,500 employees by 2016. "We're looking at the pension plan. There's a sense it may be overly generous and it may or may not be sustainable and therefore we need to ensure the employees are paying their fair share of that. "We have an internal expert who is going in to take a peek at that as well," said Flynn. "We are introducing some legislation that applies to the broader public sector, but includes the OPG, where we are going to implement some hard caps on salaries, some salary bans and some new rules for Pay for Performance, which is a bonus system used in the private sector." "Not enough," counters Halton Progressive Conservative MPP Ted Chudleigh who said residents face an additional $50 per month on their hydro bills because of this scandal. "This isn't just mismanagement," he stated in a press release. "This is nauseating greed. Merely firing a few executives, as the governing Liberals have done, is nowhere near enough to restore the confidence of Ontarians in their government." Chudleigh cited the auditor uncovering one OPG employee who took pension as a lump sum and then returned to work part-time, earning more than $300,000. Another, charged Chudleigh, was dismissed for ineffective performance, received $450,000 in severance and collected $760,000 in performance bonuses over the previous four years. Yet another, Chudleigh said, was paid $392,000 in moving expenses. "And all of this is why everybody will pay higher hydro rates, which are expected to rise by 42 per cent in the next five years," he said. 3 | Friday, December 13, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com inside today's Editorial Sports Beaver www.insideHALTON.com Sore Feet, Sports Injury, Painful Ingrown Toenails? Plantar Warts? We can help! Exceptional footcare for all ages. · Routine footcare · Corns & calluses · Plantar warts · Heel/arch/foot pain · Diabetic footcare and education · Thick or ingrown nails · Nail surgery · Sports related foot problems & injuries · Custom made orthotics · Sigvaris® compression stockings · Evenings and saturday appointments available · New patients welcome! J. Richard Werkman CHIROPODIST Lobo, Home Hardware Rabba North Living Oakville Marketplace Florida Homes & Lifestyle 6 29 Artscene Classified 27 32 *All flyers not necessarily delivered to all homes For home delivery & customer service call 905-631-6095, 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington New subscriptions call 905-631-6095 or subscribe online @ www.oakvillebeaver.com Visit our website, subscribe to our Blog or call for an appointment. Ample Free parking. located on the north/west corner of maple grove dr. and cornwall rd. 1495 Cornwall Rd., Suite 33, Oakville T: 905-845-4817 www.werkman.ca SALE GIFT RT CE IFICATES AVAILABLE INJURED? I Can Help! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY UNLESS I GET YOU MONEY My team of experienced lawyers can help you with: · Car accidents · Slip and Falls · Disability Claims (Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, CPP) · Wrongful Dismissal OFFICES IN OAKVILLE AND TORONTO For a free consultation call: Oakville: 905.842.2022 or Toronto: 416.351.9222 email: sspadafora@slspc.ca Just in time for Christmas *Plus FREE light bulbs for life CONCEPT LIGHTING OAKVILLE 243 Speers Road 905.849.LITE(5483) www.conceptlighting.ca *See store for details MISSISSAUGA 5980 McLaughlin Rd. #3 near Britannia 905.712.4548 BURLINGTON 1515 N. Service Road 905.331.7444 Sam Spadafora Injury and Employment Law