Well That's Disappointing.

[digskat]

Perhaps the person who's name you checked off on your ballot has integrity, but if you voted for Dalton McGuinty, you voted for a liar and a thief. He made promises to get elected, and broke them almost immediately. That makes him a liar. He took $32 Million dollars (that we know about) and gave it away to groups who either didn't ask for it or who asked for less. As far as I am concerned, he stole that money from the taxpayers of this province. He stole it from the sad faced children he put in his ads who he claimed needed the funding for their education. He stole it from the sick who are waiting for family doctors, nurses and more equipment. He stole it from the families of more than a 1000 autistic children who are currently waiting for treatment.

Lets take a look at how these people got to where they are; in 1996, Harris slashed $800M from public school boards and post secondary schools and okayed a 20% rise in tuition fees. These boards were told to slash and burn, so instead of administrative cuts, they slashed programming and funding for supplies. In 2001, he cut a further $325M, putting the education budget at $2.4B down from 1994. These cuts meant fewer teachers, fewer TAs, larger classes, and reduced programs for kids with learning problems. At a local school, there are up to 3 kids sharing 1 textbook. At the same time, he downloaded geared-to-income housing (1998) and other social services to municipalities, and cut $500M to the municipalities that provide them. He also cut $600M to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 2001, and cut welfare by 22%, hitting the people in need directly. Harris attacked Medicare, put a hiring freeze on nurses, and cut the Healthcare budget by almost $2B. Between 1995 and 1999, 35 hospitals closed, and several had to stop offering certain services. Expectant mothers in this area, travelled 150 km, past 3 hospitals, in order to deliver, because OB wards were closed (our local Ward recently reopened). Cancer patients were forced to go to the USA, because there weren't enough treatment beds. Harris put a hiring freeze on Police Officers, eliminated public labs, eliminated public meat inspectors, reduced Probation and parole officers, and privatized our sole sources of income beyond taxation.
As for lies, how about announcing 3 straight balanced budgets, when he clouded the budget with one time assets, from the sale of the 407, Ontario Hydro, Ministry of Transportation Equipment, etc. How about denying tax cuts to Pro-sports teams, while secretly funding them. Theft? Putting thousands of socially assisted mothers below the poverty line, while funding private golf courses, donating millions to a buddy's mining company, and granting yourself thousands in raises.

Not one single Tory questioned his plans, and not one voted against it, even though it was detrimental to their constituents. Each Tory MPP veted for a raise, while their ridings begged for help. The Libs lied, the Tories lied, the Libs helped themselves, the Tories helped themselves........what a difference. That is why neither would get my vote.

 

[FayeW]

While I applaud your diligent research, I do have some comments.

Mike Harris, as a former teacher, was well aware of the waste in the public school system. He mandated the school boards to "slash and burn", as you say, but they chose to cut resources and programs instead of cut administrative costs. Shame on them. As a former teacher, I am sure he was aware of how apathetic and ineffective some of his colleagues has become and so he mandated standardized testing for students so that all Ontario children followed the same curriculum. He also mandated recertification for teachers, and as a parent I was delighted with both of those measures.

The one key thing that stands out from your response is the name Mike Harris. Talking about things Mike Harris did 8-11 years ago is not germain to this discussion, as I don't know if you noticed this, but Mike Harris wasn't actually on the ballot.

John Tory is not Mike Harris. Whether you approve of anything Mike Harris did or not, you can't blame it on John Tory, as he did not enter politics until he quit his job as CEO of Rogers in 2003. Mike Harris was long gone by that time.

 

[digskat]

Mike Harris instituted the slash and burn, and was made well aware of how the cuts were done, and DID NOTHING to fix it, he instead chose to make further cuts. Harris was the leader of the province, and turned a blind eye on the kids, and people in need. Shame on him and his elitist party.
I didn't blame Tory for Harris, I did consequence his party for following the footsteps. While Harris wasn't on the ballot, Tory was promising the same plans Harris had. Tory even went to say he would model his government after those of Bill Davis and Mike Harris, stating "The two of them are what I am about." Tory, like Harris, planned on diverting money from the Public Education System to more separate systems, promoted a two-tier healthcare system, talked on future P4P, talked of further privatization, and planned on more crippling cuts to Public Services (hello Walkerton and Aylmer). Tory, like McGuinty, promissed billions of dollars (and Tory even promised tax cuts), without acknowledging where the money would come from. Tory actually sounded like Dalton, when he said how and when hinged on the Auditor General's report.
I added the Harris years, because they are part and parcel to where we are today, and why certain parts of these platforms pushed some people's buttons. The Tories lied, then the Liberals lied, but everyone is supposed to forget the previous government? You started this post with your disgust at how people voted McGuinty in, but can't hear why many people couldn't vote conservative. There are alot of wounds still healing, Tory's advisors dropped the ball, and McGuinty's carried it. I didn't forget McGuinty's lies, but I also didn't forget the hell the province went through under Harris/Eves, and didn't like the direction Tory was going, so neither party got my vote.

 

[F4disneyfan]

I'll try to say this in the kindest way I can and with all due respect. But..... IMO if you don't vote, you forfeit all your rights to complain about anything that government does.

I completely understand your feeling that there were no competent candidates. My DH and I also felt this way, however we voted for the least objectionable candidate. Is it ideal? Of course not but it is reality.

Beth

Not voting is a stance on how we fewlt about this election and the people running in our area and the parties themselves this time around. Do I have the right to complain sure just as every other Canadian does for our Federal election the Tory party called me umpteen times asking for my support so I asked if they planned on repealing or taking a vote on repeling the same sex marriage laws the answer was as far as I know yes they are. My vote reflected that I was a staunch PC supporter for the longest time. My vote was a wasted ballot. I wrote on my vote after asking if all ballots were counted and submitted even if it was a suggestion written on the ballott and they said yes. My suggestion was for all parties to move away from the fear and smear like the US elections and get back to platforms that matter to people and the people of Canada.

 

[OntFamily]

I am willing to bet that he didn't just grab a microphone and immediately start talking about faith based funding. I would wager he was talking about it because that is the only thing the reporters ever asked him about. They asked him questions and he responded. That's the way interviews work.

So What ????

He still talked about it. If we didn't want it to be an issue, he could have refused to answer the question. And the issue would have died. Happens all the time. Tory kept the issue alive -- because he believed in it.

 

[OntFamily]

The one key thing that stands out from your response is the name Mike Harris. Talking about things Mike Harris did 8-11 years ago is not germain to this discussion, as I don't know if you noticed this, but Mike Harris wasn't actually on the ballot.

John Tory is not Mike Harris. Whether you approve of anything Mike Harris did or not, you can't blame it on John Tory, as he did not enter politics until he quit his job as CEO of Rogers in 2003. Mike Harris was long gone by that time.

Mike Harris (and Ernie Eves) are germaine to the discussion as they ran the province, and put us in the finacial strait we are today. Don't forget Ernie Eves (the PC Premier in 2002) lied about the budget deficit. He said there was no deficit, but it was actually over $5 billion dollars. Part of McGuinty's election platform in 2002 was based on the deficit he'd be inheriting being no more than $2 billion. He (and us the Ontario taxpayers) were faced with a deficit $3 billion more. We relied on the PC's to tell the truth, and they were caught in a lie. Taxes had to be raised -- Eves and Harris left us in a deficit, and someone had to pay.

Also, John Tory was involved in politics long before 2003. He "cut his teeth" on politics. He was a political aide to Bill Davis in the mid 80's (when Catholic Schools were given public funding.....), was a campaign chair of Brian Mulroney, and managed Kim Campbell's disastrous 1993 election campaign. Tory has a deep political history with both the Federal and Provincial PC's.

 

[tone.def]

Mike Harris (and Ernie Eves) are germaine to the discussion as they ran the province, and put us in the finacial strait we are today. Don't forget Ernie Eves (the PC Premier in 2002) lied about the budget deficit. He said there was no deficit, but it was actually over $5 billion dollars. Part of McGuinty's election platform in 2002 was based on the deficit he'd be inheriting being no more than $2 billion. He (and us the Ontario taxpayers) were faced with a deficit $3 billion more. We relied on the PC's to tell the truth, and they were caught in a lie. Taxes had to be raised -- Eves and Harris left us in a deficit, and someone had to pay.

The deficit is in the way parties create their budget.

According to the PC (Eves) budget, there was no deficit and under the way he was managing the province, he was "right". According to the Liberal spending budget in 2002, there was a 5 billion "spending" deficit. See how it works?

If the Liberals had not allocated money to cricket teams and the like in their budget, maybe the deficit might not have been so "bad" and taxes would not have to be raised.

No one is going to solve any political problem here, so debating with each other is a mute point. So we have a liar for a Premier? We have for decades! You want a great Premier? Move to Newfoundland! Danny Williams doesn't even take a salary because he doesn't need it.

 

[OntFamily]

The deficit is in the way parties create their budget.

According to the PC (Eves) budget, there was no deficit and under the way he was managing the province, he was "right". According to the Liberal spending budget in 2002, there was a 5 billion "spending" deficit. See how it works?

The deficit for 2002 was defined according to the Province's auditors, not any politician. The auditors showed Eves' Finance minister "miscalculated" the deficit.

The politican's don't get to decide the final number (anymore). They have to abide by it.

 

[ronandannette]

I guess disappointed isn't quite the right word to describe how sickened I am that 43% of Ontario voters chose to re elect a liar and a thief, instead of voting for a man of integrity. Oh well, you reap what you sow. He will continue to steal our money, lie to us, raise taxes, create new taxes and ignore health care. Maybe he will vote himself another $40K pay increase.

I wish I had some rose coloured glasses. We're gonna need them.

Now you know how Western Canadians felt during the federal Liberal years...

Annette

 

[SplashMountainMama]

Municipal level, right?

I was thinking the exact same thing. Yes, I'm sure there are a couple of politicians who are honest and hard-working, but they aren't the ones who are running for provincial/federal office.

 

[nosnobunny2006]

I was thinking the exact same thing. Yes, I'm sure there are a couple of politicians who are honest and hard-working, but they aren't the ones who are running for provincial/federal office.

Not only do I think it's municipal, I'm pretty sure I can tell you that particular poster's name and address - not that I would, so you can rest easy. It was only a word of warning. You've got to be careful what you put out there on the internet because you never know who's reading.

 

[MouseFaninQueue]

I get a kick out of people who say they didn't vote because there were no good candidates. Or of people who say all politicians are liars and thieves.

Because my next question is usually "How involved are you?" If you don't like what you see - why don't you get involved? We have a political system that is one of the easiest to get involved with and where people can affect change and really see their votes count, but so few actually do it.

Where do these candidates come from? I can tell you that they come from the grassroots of the country. It is everyday people that can put them in a position to be elected.

It is the people who get involved in their Electoral District associations that CHOOSE who the rest of soceity gets to vote for. If you don't like the candidates, get involved in a political party and help choose a better candidate. It's when apathy leads to inaction that is the real crime. If you don't like something, get involved.

I don't like cancer, so I donate money (because I'm not a scientist). I don't like sick children so I donate time and money. I don't like my neighbours house getting flooded, so I help him pack sandbags. I don't like neighbourhood crime, so I join a block watch program. I don't like the lack of services at my kids' school, so I volunteer.

But when it comes to politics, I don't like the candidates I have to choose from, so the reaction of far too many Canadians is to sit back and do nothing and complain? Sorry, but that's not my style. If that's what you do, then you are going to exactly what you put into it. Change means change. If you always do what you've always done, then you will always get what you have always got.

My decision was to get involved. Joined a party, help put together a nomination package of candidates for our party members to vote on who they want to have represent them in an election, and then helped to promote that individual. And you know what, it only cost me a couple of evenings a month - most less than 1 hour per month. Then let's see, I also get to vote on policy items for my party, so I get to help shape the direction the party as a whole is going.

$10 a year and little bit of time and I get to be involved. It's far less "costly" than giving to any other charity or volunteer organization, plus I can help those organizations I believe in by helping mold the party I belong to in those directions.

So if you becry the candidates are ALL bad and choose not to vote, I ask again, what have YOU done to change it? The power, regardless what people think, still lies in the hands of the grassroot people.

[/soapbox]