Welcome to the Nanny State* of Ontario

Free. Free. Free. Whenever you hear that word in politics you should run away. Fast. Fast. Fast.

However, given that the Liberals have clearly demonstrated that a party can win elections, and then hang onto power for 15 years, by creating more and more expensive government programs, all three major parties are bending over backwards to give you ‘free stuff’ (NDP/Liberals) or equivalent reductions in taxes (PCs). Both approaches ensure that our world leading debt, which already consumes $1.1 billion each month just in interest payments, will continue to mushroom out of control.

The NDP promise free child care, free dental care, and free pharmacare. The Liberals have already created free tuition for low income families, propose free prescription drugs for seniors and of course have implemented the blatant bribe of a 25% cut in hydro bills using borrowed money that is projected to cost $21 billion in interest charges alone! Now, I am not against all of the above programs, only, I propose that we follow the agreement that my wife has with me: if I bring something new into the house something old has to be removed. While we’ve come to expect the above from the NDP and Liberals for this election the PCs seem to be no better.

As a matter of fact, Don Drummond, the former head of TD bank, said: “The PCs under Doug Ford would increase the deficit and debt more than any of the three main parties.” Furthermore, according to Tom Parkin’s article in the Toronto Sun, May 27: “The PC party cares so little it doesn’t even have a financial plan. It’s all funny-money magic. Doug Ford promises to give away billions in free money while increasing spending. He says his big tax cut for wealthy people won’t hurt health care. And somehow the budget will balance itself. “

It seems that the citizens of Carleton who still want a socially AND fiscally responsible government have nobody to vote for. The voters in Guelph are similarly frustrated but rather than whine they are making a bold choice in choosing to vote for the leader of the Green Party of Ontario, Mike Schreiner. He is, according to the polls, in first place in that riding! Perhaps it’s time for the voters in Carleton to shake the complacency of the ‘big three’ and protest similarly. Take a look at the Green Party’s platform at www.gpo.ca  and see if it delivers what you, the voter, wants: good public services that don’t increase our debt, and most importantly, don’t create a Nanny state, because remember folks, nothing is for free.

*The term Nanny state is a derogatory term of British origin that conveys the view that when government or its policies are overprotective or interfering unduly with personal choice they are treating their citizens like babies and have thus becomes the caregiver or nanny of its citizens.