2014 Ontario Provincial Election

[jje1000]

Nah, spider's told us many times that he doesn't really care for programs that he doesn't use. Things like streetcars are nothing but a hinderance to him, and heck, he's even followed a bus around seeing how many passengers use it during the day.

Now, for my values:

Personally, I think the Liberals almost deserve to be booted from power as Wynne's government almost seems to be rudderless and directionless in the face of the massive problems Ontario faces.

I do like Hudak's idea of keeping hydro low for manufacturers (where is Wynne on this issues?), doing something about the Green Energy industry, and the idea of trimming the bureaucracy down and making our province more business-friendly.

BUT, he buries these things in a heaping pile of neo-conservative crap that will ruin our province for years to come. Reducing our corporate tax rates when we need any sort of revenue? Potentially selling off profitable agencies of the government, likely for a dime? Potentially enacting right-to-work-for-less rules (he will no doubt try if he gets a majority)? Cutting transit expansion when we desperately need it? Uploading the profitable bits of the TTC? Potentially removing the Greenbelt and allowing more of our agricultural land to be developed? Burdening students with more debt?

No thanks. I will hold my nose and vote Liberal this time, in hopes that the PCs can turf Hudak and reinvent themselves as the Old Blue Machine that was both fiscally and socially responsible.

 

[doady]

I've compiled a list of things Hudak wants to eliminate/cut/privatize and I'm sure I'm missing some:

30% tuition grant
Student loans for those who don't maintain a certain grade
100,000 public sector jobs
Almost all LRT projects in the province
LCBO
OLG
TVO
Ontario Power Authority
Ontario College of Trades
Drive Clean
Green Energy Act
Greenbelt
Healthy homes renovation tax credit

In the UK they have started privatizing police service, and in the US they have privatized prisons. Perhaps Ontario should consider these options as well.

 

[BurlOak]

I will hold my nose and vote Liberal this time, in hopes that the PCs can turf Hudak and reinvent themselves as the Old Blue Machine that was both fiscally and socially responsible.

In 2007, Liberals voters had to hold their noses after the broken promises of not increasing taxes, of de-listing health-care services, of breaking autism funding promise, etc., etc.
In 2011, Liberal voters had to hold their noses after the broken promises of coal fired power plant shut-downs, the $200M gas plant cancellation, the faltering economy, etc., etc.

I think the problem is that Liberals voters have held their noses for so long that they are preventing oxygen from getting to their brains.

 

[jje1000]

Unfortunately, the PC party have been drinking the tea party moonshine for too long, and as a result, we get this half-aborted mess of a platform.

Sorry, I judge both by platforms and past behaviors, and I find certain things in this platform too harmful to Toronto's health to support.

 

[nfitz]

In 2007, Liberals voters had to hold their noses after the broken promises of not increasing taxes, of de-listing health-care services, of breaking autism funding promise, etc., etc.
In 2011, Liberal voters had to hold their noses after the broken promises of coal fired power plant shut-downs, the $200M gas plant cancellation, the faltering economy, etc., etc.

I think the problem is that Liberals voters have held their noses for so long that they are preventing oxygen from getting to their brains.

Given your pro-transit views, and Hudak's promises to gut transit, I can only assume you are supporting the NDP. (if not, the oxygen must have gotten to your brain with cynaide-laced Kool-Aid).

You're telling me that there's no nose-holding voting for the NDP?

 

[WislaHD]

The NDP is as bad as the other two parties with their complete lack of a platform, seemingly unwillingness to support transit (I wish they'd release a platform) and their blatant populism and pandering to the middle class and non-GTA voters. Not to mention passing up a Liberal budget that catered to NDP principles and forcing this election in the first place. Sorry, I don't trust the NDP or Horwath anymore than the other parties.

 

[BurlOak]

Given your pro-transit views, and Hudak's promises to gut transit, I can only assume you are supporting the NDP. (if not, the oxygen must have gotten to your brain with cynaide-laced Kool-Aid).

You're telling me that there's no nose-holding voting for the NDP?

Transit is one issue in the election. In every election, economic issue are always the most important. People need jobs to pay taxes and to no be on welfare roles. We need to control debt so we do not leave the next generation with an unmanageable burden.

And when it comes to transit, the Liberals spent 4 years telling us that SRT would be LRT and that the only way to fund transit was new sources (taxes). Last year, they flip-flopped on that first statement and then at this budget they flip-flopped on the second statement. Based on the past 7 years or so, the general public has become cynical of all government spending, including the transit planning. The PC transit plans may not be perfect, but I think at this time the most important thing is to regain some confidence in government spending so that the public will again accept that money earmarked for transit will be spent wisely.

 

[nfitz]

People need jobs to pay taxes and to no be on welfare roles.

Yes, you've made very clear your anti-Tory.

We need to control debt so we do not leave the next generation with an unmanageable burden.

Deficit has fallen dramatically in the last 3-4 years, and should be gone in 2-3 years. Instead Liberals have chosen to not return to surplus for a couple of years, so as to advance the transit/infrastructure deficit. The deficit would still be lower than it has recently though.

And when it comes to transit, the Liberals spent 4 years telling us that SRT would be LRT and that the only way to fund transit was new sources (taxes). Last year, they flip-flopped on that first statement and then at this budget they flip-flopped on the second statement. Based on the past 7 years or so, the general public has become cynical of all government spending, including the transit planning.

So you believe that taxes should be increased to pay for transit expansion?

The PC transit plans may not be perfect, but I think at this time the most important thing is to regain some confidence in government spending so that the public will again accept that money earmarked for transit will be spent wisely.

That's an understatement. The PC transit plans may not be perfect? No kidding. Deferring the Eglinton line indefinitely until after the deficit is under control AND promising huge tax cuts is not a solution. You can't back such moronic tea party thinking and pretend to have any interest in transit.

And their promise to eliminate all remaining provincial funding to TTC and every other local transit agency in the province? How does that help? You've blown your cover. Your anti-transit.

 

[Tewder]

I really hate the mud slinging. For those of us who are non-partisan and who are not ideologues it just bogs down the discourse... is it any wonder so many tune out? Cutting a tax doesn't make one a tea partier and raising a tax/user fee doesn't make one a communist. Both are entirely reasonable things to do under certain circumstances.

For me, transit and infrastructure are major concerns for our city and region and will only get worse if not addressed (and should have been addressed with a plan years ago). Like many voters i am not an expert on these things and would love to hear a balanced and objective comparison of both the liberal and conservative plans. Does such an analysis exist?

 

[innsertnamehere]

The conservative plan is so bad that its incomparable. It's literally "cancel everything we can, make marginal improvements to GO that are going to occur anyway, and continue on with the DRL study at a regular pace, with funding for it maybe coming in 5 years. Oh, and spend a ton of money on highways while we abolish the greenbelt and places to grow acts" The liberals are the only ones really with a strong transportation plan, The conservatives have a highway plan with a subway line attached.

 

[christiesplits]

So much for "no negative advertising" as per Wynne. This was dropped in my mailbox in Trinity Spadina:

 

[King of Kensington]

It may be "going negative", but a lot of progressive people in Toronto feel that way.

 

[WislaHD]

I wouldn't call that negative - it's the truth!

 

[Silence&Motion]

We need to control debt so we do not leave the next generation with an unmanageable burden.

What about the unmanageable transit, pollution, and economic burden that was left to my generation by decades of Ontario Progressive Conservative governments that encouraged limitless suburban sprawl and car dependency while investing next to nothing in sustainable infrastructure. It's a legacy that Hudak plans to continue by building more highways and opening the greenbelt up to be paved over for more suburban subdivisions and outlet malls.

 

[BobbyS]

So much for "no negative advertising" as per Wynne. This was dropped in my mailbox in Trinity Spadina:

How do you know it wasn't the PCs that distributed it?