"Can
it really be a decade since the 2003 election swept Dalton McGuinty and 71
other Liberals to power?
"Three
Tories held a news conference Tuesday to lament the “lost decade.”
"Frankly,
when you look at the gas plant scandal, the Ornge boondoggle and the $1 billion
poured into the pockets of Liberal friendly consultants at eHealth, I don’t
think it’s so much a lost decade as a stolen one.
"It
got me thinking about the Liberals’ 2003 fantasy election platform.
"Most
of their promises could have been written on the back of a napkin.
"It
was only after the election we discovered the civil service pegged the price tag
on McGuinty’s 200-plus promises at a whopping $18 billion. The platform also
assumed a $900-million asset sale in the first year.
"Most
of the promises were laughable. Others were ridiculous. Most were broken -- or
forgotten -- soon after they came to power.
"McGuinty’s
biggest fib was when he looked into the camera during that election campaign
and told us our taxes wouldn’t go up “one cent” under a Liberal government.
"The
following year, without blushing, he and finance minister Greg Sorbara
introduced the hated health-care levy that dinged most families $1,000 a year
and raised around $2 billion for provincial coffers.
"What
were the other pledges? Well, they said they’d shut down coal-fired electricity
generating plants by 2007.
"They
delayed it to the end of 2009. The last two should shut by the end of this
year.
““We
will balance the budget.”
"No,
seriously. Stop laughing. That’s what they said.
"In
fact, they increased spending from $80 billion to $128 billion and doubled the
debt to $273 billion. [Emphisis mine.]
"They’ve
had credit watches and credit warnings from rating agencies.
"Our
annual deficit is sitting at $11.7 billion -- almost twice what it was when the
Liberals took over.
““We
will fund medically necessary health-care services.”
"Then
they delisted eye exams, physiotherapy and chiropractic.
"“We
will cap hydro rates at 4.3 cents a kWh until 2006.
"In
fact, in May of 2006, the price of electricity was 6.7 cents a kWh. [Now 10.9 cents as of November 1, 2013]
"In
2010, Dwight Duncan announced electricity prices for homeowners would skyrocket
46% over the next five years. That’s before you take into account the cost of
scrapping two gas plants.
That
didn’t include the 10% rebate the Liberals borrowed another $1 billion to give
us. [Emphasis mine.]
"“We
will cap tolls on Hwy 407.”
"The
peak rate for cars was 12.95 cents a km in 2003.
"This
year it’s more than double that -- 26.2 cents a km.
"“We
will stop school closings.”
"Rural
Ontario has been devastated by school closures.
"“We
will offer a pre-paid tuition program to make it easier for parents to save for
their children’s education by guaranteeing them today’s price for tomorrow’s
education.”
"Hello?
Is anyone paying 2003 prices for university?
"“We
will make sure health dollars are spent wisely.”
"Um,
eHealth, Ornge. Need I say more?
"“We
will stop the privatization of the Ontario Northland Transportation
Commission.”
"Too
bad. If they’d actually sold ONTC to a private company, northern Ontario might
still have rail service. Which they now don’t -- because the Liberals shut down
ONTC.
"“Reduce
private consultants.”
"Right
now, 31 committees are probing various aspects of government. Just two weeks
ago, Premier Kathleen Wynne announced another group of 13 consultants will look
at ways to hike taxes to pay for transit. The leader of the pack, Anne Golden,
will make $900 a day -- to a maximum of $90,000 for three months.
"And
finally, among the dross, I found this gem:
"“We
will govern with honesty and integrity.”
"Hmm.
Cancelled gas plants, deleted e-mails.
"You
decide."
***
Source: CHRISTINA BLIZZARD | QMI AGENCY
