I just got off the phone with EKOS, asking me all sorts of leading questions about the current provincial government. Damn, I have to say my "Strongly Support" levels for hypothetical government policies was through the roof with some nice "Strongly Oppose" thrown in, thankfully so I didn't come off as a stooge.
Of course it started with the obligatory "Would you say, generally, that the province is headed in the right direction or would you say it is headed in the wrong direction?"
Among other things being thought of are: various versions of enhanced public support of tertiary health insurance for Ontarians (they had various, redundant options); increasing GO train service now while previously introduced service upgrades are being implemented over a longer period of time; increasing access to primary healthcare practitioners during evenings and weekends; many, many ideas about increasing home care; increasing pharmacare to include more people (again, they presented various age groups); a (bullshit, in my opinion) 37K$ loan to first-time home buyers to use for down payment with the terms including no interest and no payments for five years; a ridiculous moratorium on auto insurance increases for a year that would lead to higher costs after (is this their new maths?); pre-school for all children from age 2.5; childcare costing no more than 10% of a family's income; 4 week increase to a second parent for parental leave; hot lunches for all elementary school students and on.
Apparently the Liberals are cooking up an election platform by way of phone committee. They forgot to ask if I would vote fore them (no). I guess they only wanted to know if I supported their policy proposals.
Some of the questions made me laugh. Like the one about if "creating" jobs would improve my view of the government to which I replied with a laugh and "Governments don't create jobs, bud."
I also felt kind of stupid describing myself as working class to a guy who makes maybe half my wage with that question being right after the question about my income range, but I'll always consider myself working class as long as I brave the elements and break my back working with my hands so that people with too much money on their hands have somewhere nice to live.
Edit: I just realised that I'm a bit simple with my statement about government not creating jobs. Government can create jobs in a command economy but also in a free market economy by hiring public service employees. Having a government that creates jobs though is bad joo joo.
On the policies in question, my thoughts;
1) Pharmacare expansion is desirable and makes sense; but no one is going to propose a full-out rollout unless they propose new taxes to go with.
As such, incremental expansion is likely. For me, what makes the most sense are coverages that pay for themselves, or come close; or which clearly reduce an economic barrier.
My prescription on a 2-year basis, cover out-patient cancer drugs, as this keeps people out of hospital for chemo. Cover contraception, the payoffs are obvious. Reduce or remove the deductible ($100) for seniors drug coverage, as that is a much larger barrier than small co-pays spaced throughout a year.
Further expansion as monies, and political courage, permit.
2) Auto Insurance freeze. Nonsense, and I say that as someone with a clean driving record who pays too much. The answer to excessive costs is to better tackle fraud (replace cash w/care wherever possible, and that care must be delivered by licensed health professionals); plus eliminate arbitrary criteria from insurance calculations, out w/sex, age, location. Limit it to driving record, car type, years experience.
3) Loans to prospective homeowners. Nonsense. So they can get deeper in debt and buy what they can't afford? Plus nothing for renters (ie. folks more likely to need the help). Pfft.
Work on reducing costs and taking the heat out of the market. Forbid companies from buying (residential) condominiums, prohibit anyone from owning more than 2 single-family dwellings in the GTA, raise the down payment to 10% across the board, eliminate minimum parking requirements for apartments/condos.
4) Parental Leave, I'm all in favour of higher income replacement levels; California is moving to 70%, Quebec is at 75%, as well as greater access to the program for part-timers. BUT, its a Federal program, leave it to them.
5) Hot lunch program, not really a fan, I admit I've seen the French (France) program and its great, but pricey and requires kitchens and chefs at every school. There are simply better investments for health and poverty reduction. The U.S. program is abysmal serving unhealthy crap; that's the last thing we need for kids.
6) Expanded access to childcare, sure. I'm iffy on income-contingent caps, seems convoluted, but I'd keep an open mind. I think a uniform rate for everyone, or a higher rate for upper-middle income earners and higher is probably simpler, but more families could use help and it does recover at least some costs through higher labour-force participation.
7) Transit: By all means make some investments in GO, the most practical short-term ones being extending LSW to Hamilton, and finishing as much rollout as is feasible for hourly, 2WAD service on the K-W, Barrie and Stouffville corridors; But.....Relief Line, Relief Line, Relief Line
8) Pre-School; in a word, 'no'. Expensive, and based on studies I've seen, utility vs cost. Childcare for those who need it, but let's not extend academics to toddlers.
*****
Strictly on the politics:
Pharmacare is polling very well; expanding it plays well.
Other Healthcare: really need to match the Tory platform of expanding medical device coverage and raising reimbursement to 80% (from 75) and offering low-income dental care to seniors. Can't have the PCs running to your left.
Congestion/Transit: Remains and issue, the challenge is that the long timelines on past promises have created many cynics. This makes what you can get out the door between now and June 1st or so, critical. If I can't touch it /feel it now, not sure I buy what you're selling is very big w/the electorate.
Kill Drive Clean: Doesn't achieve anything anymore, its just a hassle, people will like this one.
Childcare: Will sell well, but limited demographic, hard to deliver quickly.
