So, Ontarians...How Are You Voting?

[FayeW]

With the election just days away, I am wondering how my fellow Ontarians are voting.

There are several key issues for me but the straw that broke the camel's back for me was Dilton McDoily and Co. giving away 32 MILLION DOLLARS in revenue surplus to groups and organizations that didn't even ask for it (or asked for significantly less than they received!!). The one that sticks out specifically was the cricket club in GTA that asked for $150K to help renovate their clubhouse. They received a cheque for $1,000,000.!!!. They called up and said "Hey, there are too many zeros on this cheque, there's been a mistake." and were told "no mistake, keep it".

Now, I'm no rocket scientist, nor am I a financial analyst or CGA., but $32 Million dollars could have paid for alot of doctors, nurses and medical equipment. Probably could have paid for treatment for several of the 1000 autistic children who are currently on a waitlist for treatment, too. By gosh, that money could have been well spent by the public school system which is apparently in such tough shape in this province that the McGuinty government has to put sad faced children in it's ads to promote his stance against faith based funding. McGuinty's ad tells us that John Tory wants to take $500 million on of public schools that badly needs the funding. He doesn't bother to tell us that he personally gave away $32 MILLION to buy votes for his upcoming election. Pretty hard to tell the tax payers they have to swallow a tax increase when he's already got $32 Million of our money in the bank, so he gave it away!

Anyway, if you haven't already guessed, I am voting Conservative. For the first time in my life, there is a political sign on the lawn. When I hear that the polls show McGuinty heading for another majority win, I get sick to my stomach. His ENTIRE campaign has been against the faith based funding. Dandy, except John Tory already said "The people have spoken." and that he will not push through legistation, but instead, will hold an open vote in the legistature. MP's can vote whichever way they (and their constituents) want them to vote. But yet McGuinty keeps yammering. I guess it's because he wants to call attention to something which is no longer an issue in this election because otherwise he will be forced to defend his own lies and deceit.

 

[Limmer]

Right there with you. I wouldn't vote Liberal if you paid me (well, maybe 32 million .... )

 

[NARM Forever]

Couldn't vote Conservative - not even to keep the Liberals out!!! Luckily I live in a riding where I don't have to strategic vote. Not in love with the NDP (find some of their policies and Leader unappealing) however they are closer to my values.

NARM

 

[adamsloco]

Perhaps more important in that it is a longer term decision, I am wondering how fellow Ontarians are voting on the referendum. Stay with the First past the post, or the mixed member proportional. I am leaning toward the MMP, but I am really not sure I like the idea of politicians getting in that no one voted for -- just the party choice. But, I like the idea of some of the smaller parties, such as the Green party, among others, getting a better chance of having a voice in parliament.

What do you think?

 

[FayeW]

I'm not sure what to think, Adam. I am also leaning towards the MPP, because I think that sometimes terrific candidates lose because they are part of the wrong party. With our current system of government, however, I am not sure how it would work. The way it is now, if the legistature votes down a bill, the government is dissolved and we go back to the polls. With MPP there is a real possibility that the governing party could hold the minority of seats so EVERY bill could be defeated.

I like the idea but I just don't know how it could be effective without overhauling our entire system. I don't want that because I like the idea of the government being defeated over unpopular bills.

 

[cslittle999]

I'm voting for the FPTP. I'm stunned that the MMP model was the best they could some up with. The last thing Ontario needs is more politicians. People seem to feel that MMP would rebalance the seats between the major parties, and it will in the beginning, but after an election or two we will end up with more, small, one issue regional parties taking those seats. We will see minority after minority and no hard decision will be made again.

This is really another reason the Liberals should not be reelected. New Zealand which is held up as the poster child of MMP took two referendums to make this decision over multiple years. What we have is a committee that was poorly setup and a badly run referendum.

 

[happycamper83]

I participated in advanced polls, so my vote is cast already.

I voted to keep the electoral system the same - first past the post.

I am not against change, in principle, but I just think we weren't given enough facts about MMP. No where could I find what the new electoral districts would be (they would eliminate 13), nor is anyone being clear about "list members".

 

[karenr518]

I live in Caledonia....so.....there's no way in H E double hockey sticks that McGunty (lol) is getting my vote...

 

[Debbie]

. . . I just think we weren't given enough facts about MMP. No where could I find what the new electoral districts would be (they would eliminate 13), nor is anyone being clear about "list members".

And I think that that is exactly the problem. We DON'T know and there was very little talk. I read the pamphlet, went online, and have some idea of what MMP is about. I like to idea of getting some of the smaller parties-e.g. green- a place in the House, but, I haven't worked through the whole thing yet. My DH called the number for clarification, and all they said was, "We'll send out a pamphlet" THAT'S where he got the number.

I don't share my vote with anyone, but I'd love to discuss this question.

 

[adamsloco]

Neither system is very good, really. I don't think that this (during an election) is the proper time to be holding a referendum on how to change the electoral system. We really have enough on our plates with the election and understanding the platforms of the various parties. And I have to agree, that there hasn't been nearly enough time spent in the media discussing these two systems.

As I said earlier, I am leaning more towards the MMP, since it fixes some problems (but not all) with the system as it stands. It has two major drawbacks in my opinion. Number 1 -- increasing the number of politicians -- just what we need, more mouths to feed at a provincial level. Number 2 -- Politicians for whom nobody voted control 30% of the votes.

Also, it doesn't solve regional discrepancies, where the elected member can have only a third of the support in his or her riding, and still gain a seat.

But it does even things out in the house, and provide an opportunity for the smaller parties to hold seats. In terms of democracy, I think that is a good thing. In terms of getting anything passed, I think that is not a great thing at all. But I am more in favour of democracy, and hence my leaning toward MMP.

What we really need is an overhaul of the entire system. I think that every year we, as Ontarians, should vote on how much to pay our politicians for the year. That would certainly make them more accountable to the voters

 

[digskat]

I'll start with the MMP. I can't support any proposal that they haven't actually finshed making yet. They made sure to tell you what it was (fairer representation), but not how it would be done. The leaders of the three major parties all came up with the same response, 'democratically' when asked how the list MPPs would be determined. Democratically how? Will it be the biggest loser (most votes but unsuccessfully), party favourite, or party leaders' pals? Any of the 3 are hardly democratic, when the highest vote getter for the Greens (in 2003), was 4th in his riding, so 90% of the riding didn't want him in office. Also can't support an additional 36 pigs at the trough ($4M in MPP salary alone), which hits us for about $12M (staff, expenses, and offices) each of the first 4 years, and rapidly rises with increased pensions there after. Lastly, 39 MPPs that are not accountable to anyone but their party.....no thanks.

As for the election, neither the Conservatives or Liberals have a track record that they should be proud of, and neither have learned from their past. Tory has attempted to buy votes with over $8 Billion in promises, while promising to cut taxes. He cites the problems in healthcare, education, social services, and cost of living... forgetting it was his party that capped MD wages, cut nurses, and drastically cut funding to healthcare. It was only after SARS, that they started putting cash back in the system..... right around the last election (sound familiar?). Harris/Eves also decimated education, in their attempt at getting control of teachers. They cut money to boards, who cut services, but not wages. They then bragged at how they put $250M into education in 2002 (leaked when? during the campaign...hmm). Tory is so supportive of autistic kids, but it was his party that made such drastic cuts to social services that it put hundreds of thousands under the poverty line. Harris' minister of Community and Social Services, David Tsubouchi, told these people they could get buy with dented cans of tuna. Harris made drastic cuts to TAs, who are their to help kids in need. As for our cost of living, selling off our assets (at a loss of money), such as the 407 and Ontario Hydro, tends to cause a loss of income.....and now an extra $35 per hydro bill to cover it. Be proud of selling power to the USA at $0.03/kW, and buying it back at $0.10/ kW. Harris spent millions of our money helping his buddies build golf courses, and around election time in 2003, Eves did the same thing with the Arts.
McSquinty is promising $10 billion in extra cash to education, etc. after he stated they had just managed to balance the budget and couldn't afford to lose the health tax. McGuinty is actually bragging that they are heading in the right direction, blaming Harris for taking 4 years to do nothing.

Tory is vowing to cut $1.5 B from public services as well, so while voting Liberal is another 4 years of inaction....voting PC is another 4 years of Walkerton, Aylmer, etc. Heck I'd vote green, if they didn't want to add another 2% tax to fuel. Plain and simple, they all lie, they all take care of themselves when in office, and they all buy votes during their campaigns.

 

[tone.def]

Thankfully my riding is a stronghold for neither of those 2 losers being discussed. We're NDP here and while my values are not necessarily NDP, we have a fantastic MPP (Rosario Marchese) who acts in the best interest of those in his riding.

In regards to the referendum... I'm voting no. Lack of information on this topic is appauling and they want us to vote on it!

 

[Newcastle]

My problem is that I can't vote for the party that I like because there is no way in heck that they will win in our jurisdiction. I'm stuck with voting for the lesser of two evils.

 

[briarberry]

Everyone is entitled to their opinions based on their experiences. I am a teacher and I could never vote for a party that literally crippled Ontario public schools the last time they were in power. We are just starting to see some recovery now and if the Conservatives get back in we will see further erosion of our public system. I have taught many years and when the Tories made all those cuts it was devastating to the system. In the end it was the kids who suffered - do we want a repeat performance?

 

[Skywalker]

Definitely voting Conservative.

As for the referendum, I am so confused. Guess I'll vote for the status quo this time, just because I can't seem to find out enough information.

 

[Tantor]

conservatives and first past the post

Apparently New Zealand voted in the MMP system and hate it and are trying to get it back to what they had, That should tell you something.

 

[eeyoremum]

I love election day.....can't wait to vote. I am actually voting for the person in my riding this time around, not necessarily the party. I don't care for any of the leaders. I am so not voting liberal for so many reasons....Caledonia ( I am not a resident but live close by), children with Autism (I don't have a child with Autism but I think they have been treated unfairly), coal burning plants, safe schools???, I have a son who is bullied and had to call my MP (not liberal) to get something done !!! I know the Liberals will win but I hope they don't get a majority.

as for MMP I am voting no. I didn't even get a flyer. If they don't provide the information needed to make a decision then they must be hiding something. Our system is not perfect but I would rather stick with the system I know.

Happy Election Day all

 

[SandraC]

Conservative and FPTP

 

[adamsloco]

As the polls close here in S. Ontario, I must say how happy I am that this thread both existed, and contained thought out opinions on both the parties an on the FPTP vs. MMP referendum. SUCH a far cry from work, where any attempt at discussion turned into a shouting match between two equally loud hot heads on each side.

Thank you, everyone.