Make sure to look both left and right because the Ontario Budget is driving right up the middle of the road.[briefbreak]
To the government’s credit, when it comes to deficit-busting, they aren’t speeding anywhere too fast. That is smart. It is good for economic growth, it’s good for jobs and for maintaining important programs. And despite the endless deficit focus of the media, it is not a problem when it comes to Ontario’s relative standing in a world where most governments are completely awash in far more serious debt scenarios.
For once, a go-slow approach is just what we need.
There are other provisions that look positive particularly in education where the promise of expanded post secondary opportunities for Ontarians and the creation of more jobs in education by selling foreign students on our schools, seems a smart way to fuel economic growth and prosperity. And a big phew for saving daycare funding from obliteration.
But the cost looks like they will be extracted from our environmental hopes literally through the “Ring of Fire” initiative which aims to amp up mineral exploration and figuratively through the omission of any plans for promised transit funding.
Not exactly consistent with the Mr. Green image, that McGuinty has been hyping.
But with implementation of the unpopular HST around the corner and an election looming in the fall, the government is pinning its hopes on a nod in all directions and prayer (like the rest of us) that the economy will continue to pick up a speed.
QUICK GUIDE TO THE LIB BUDGET
STUFF THAT RATES:
- 20,000 new spots in colleges and universities, by way of an annual investment of $310 million, though notably no help for debt-burdened students.
- full-day learning for four- and five-year-olds benefiting up to 35,000 children in nearly 600 schools.
- funding to replace money the feds reneged on, keeping 8,500 Ontario children in child care.
- changes to Ontario’s drug system to lower generic drug prices.
- establishment of a Ring of Fire Coordinator to further a chromite mining expansion on James Bay. Check out Mining Watch to see how nasty this will get.
- slowdown of Metrolinx which many are translating as a gutting of Transit City. Toronto Environmental Alliance’s Jamie Kirkpatrick says, “the so-called ‘delay’ will essentially kill the proposed Finch West LRT, drastically reduce the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, leave the redevelopment of the Scarborough RT in doubt, and bring into question the possibility of building the remaining 4 Transit City lines.”
- increase of Ontario Disability Support Program limited to one percent increase in basic-needs allowances and shelter allowances. Not exactly what all those Raise the Rates demos have been asking for.
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elimination of the Special Diet Allowance for those on social assistance with medical conditions. Sure, the budget replaces this with a new nutritional supplement program but details aren’t forthcoming and poverty activists have been warning of moves towards a cutback.(Compiled by Ellie Kirzner)
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