Gates calls for clarity on Cisco deal

NDP MPP Wayne Gates is calling on the province to release the full contract it signed with Cisco Systems.

The company plans to lay off 8 per cent of its worldwide workforce, or up to 6,000 jobs. This comes less than a year after the Ontario government pledged $220 million in grants to the company to create 1700 jobs in the province.

Gates says he wants to make sure taxpayer dollars aren’t going to a company that’s cutting Ontario jobs.

“When a company’s talking about restructuring, when they’re talking about getting rid of 8 per cent of their workforce — and the numbers are big — 6,000 jobs. 6,000 is a big number in a corporation.”

“You’re looking at one thing: restructuring means job loss. We want to make sure that if job losses happen, they’re not going to get taxpayers’ dollars.”

It remains unclear how many — if any — Ontario jobs are at stake.