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May 12, 2005
McGuinty government delivers snoozer Budget
Budgets are usually big deals. There is hoopla and fanfare to play up the government's new initiatives. Yesterday, as Finance Minister Greg Sorbara presented his government's second Budget, there was hoopla and fanfare, but nothing really new.
Certainly the government has elected to spend oodles of dollars on post-secondary education, but there was virtually no mention of Ontarians' number one priority: Health Care. Sure, there were no tax increases, but there was only scant recognition of the fact that the "improved financial position" of the province was accomplished by last year's introduction of the single largest tax increase in the history of Ontario.
There is nothing in this Budget to keep businesses from leaving to province. Nothing to help farmers devastated by the international bans on Canadian beef or the unfair trade practices of foreign governments (in fact the Liberals cut funding to the Agriculture Ministry by nearly 25%). There is no real plan for infrastructure other than to encourage the private sector to get involved (the Liberals promised end this Conservative policy because they said public-private partnerships are but, as it turns out, that is just another broken promise).
It looks like the Liberals are trying to turn a corner. After a disastrous first year-and-a-half in which they have been disorganized, had no agenda or plan and used distraction tactics to hide their lack of direction, they have decided to deliver an inoffensive Budget that doesn't make anyone angry.
And judging by the media coverage, they may have accomplished their goal. Reporters were looking for the big story yesterday and in reporting on the education spending spree missed the story the Liberals were trying to hide:
The Budget does not signal an end to the government's disorganization, it does not present any direction or plan, and it used education funding as distraction tactic.
Posted by maxthecat on May 12, 2005 at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)
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