Gates calls for clarity on Cisco deal

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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.