sixrings
Senior Member
I think MetroMan just doesn't like Wynne. That doesn't mean she can't win an election.
I think MetroMan just doesn't like Wynne. That doesn't mean she can't win an election.
That's not true. I like her policies and at first, I thought that she was a fresh face for the province. I was thrilled to have a female premier. Having one who is gay was a bonus which I think advances equal rights and tolerance for diversity in Ontario and Canada.
But I've seen so much hatred towards her, even amongst life long Liberals. I've lost my appreciation for her too. I think that her lack of charisma and inability to connect with people plays a role. A leader should possess both of those qualities. Given her unpopularity, I don't think that she can win. I want Liberal policies to continue so I feel that replacing her would be the best chance.
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But I've seen so much hatred towards her, even amongst life long Liberals. I've lost my appreciation for her too. I think that her lack of charisma and inability to connect with people plays a role. A leader should possess both of those qualities. Given her unpopularity, I don't think that she can win. I want Liberal policies to continue so I feel that replacing her would be the best chance.
I think one of the themes where Wynne is vulnerable is in the general sense that her and the previous Liberal government have driven up costs to prohibitive levels. At first these costs were targeted at a few unlucky groups like small businesses; however, with each policy move it just keeps impacting more and more of the population. From energy policy, to pension reform, to public sector contracts, to WSIB legislation the net result has been a huge increase in costs to households and businesses. This same general sense is why David Miller had zero chance of re-election in this city and some just hated the man while others couldn't understand why.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about regarding costs keep in mind I'm not even talking about taxation, I'm talking about costs driven by legislation. Pity the poor tradesman who now has to pay WSIB rates so high (I'm talking about above 10% of total income) there is no more point. Pity the small business owner who has seen on-peak hydro rates climb to levels where she is on the fence about just shutting down her operations, pity the young person who can't find work because the costs associated with his labour (I'm talking about costs not the salary or wage itself which on it's own his employer would be happy to pay) have risen so dramatically.
Any thoughts on today's Throne Speech?
hydro rates will be lowered (HST coming off) until after the election. There will be the regular and way above inflation yearly increases which will gives the government back their money they lost by the forgone taking HST never mind the new cap and trade charges consumers will be faced with for the "change in climate" storyShe had to tackle the hydro issue.
From a policy wonk perspective, I don't think its the right answer (removing provincial HST through a rebate, plus rural distribution subsidies). Its cumbersome, rewards higher-energy users more etc etc.
However, from a political point of view, its quick (comes in January 2017), people will see it on their bills, its an understandable choice.
It also happens to mirror the NDP promise, which undermines them a tad. Politically astute.
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The suggestion that will cut wait times for medical specialists is a bit rich, considering after doing just that during the early McGuinty years they've allowed waits times to balloon.
MRIs, at one point, were down to about a 55 day wait for the least-urgent cases; they are now up near 100 again. Not strictly a case of more machines either, though some are needed; its been a political decision not to fund the operating hours.
They may be able to cut waits a bit, but there is quite a backlog, can they make enough of a difference for people to 'feel' it, between now and fall 2018? An open question.
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Childcare expansion is a swell promise; however, even the promise suggests spaces will be ramped up over, I believe it was 4 years.
That means the political or 'felt' impact will, at best, be 1/2 complete in time for the next election. That's a gamble, politically.
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I previously outlined some of things I think they need to address.
They need to boost incomes, particularly at the lower, and lower-middle end of the income spectrum. That means minimum wage and social assistance.
Its a separate debate at to how much those numbers need to move, but it has to be enough that people 'feel' better off.
I also think they have to deliver on new transit service (at a level that not only throughly pleases the transit user, but eases up on car traffic some).
For me those stand out as the two big omissions.