A Brief Comment by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper
“Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here.
Here comes the sun. …”
– from a song by George Harrison
One might say that this past winter has been a long and brutal one, and as much as many of us across Ontario might just want to enjoy the unfolding of spring, it is now obvious that we face a provincial election.
Ontario’s minority Liberal Kathleen Wynne government tabled a budget this May 1st and it was clear, before the budget was fully unveiled, that the opposition Tory party of Tim Hudak would vote against it.
That left Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath and her caucus in the position of pulling the trigger on Wynne’s government and this May 2nd she did.
We are having an election in Ontario this spring with recent public opinion polls so far showing Wynne’s Liberals and Hudak’s Tories more or less tied for first place and Horwath’s NDP several significant percentage points behind.
So Niagara At Large is wondering where you stand. Who do you want to see form the next government of Ontario and why? Before you weigh in, here is the media release from Horwath’s NDP that spelled the end of this term of government for Wynne and her Liberals.
Horwath says Ontarians have lost confidence in Liberals and deserve government that makes sense
Queen’s Park, May 2nd, 2014 – Andrea Horwath, Leader of Ontario’s New Democrats, says she has lost confidence in the Liberal government amid mounting scandal and waste and that it’s time for change.
“The Liberal budget is a mad dash to escape scandal by promising the moon and the stars,” said Horwath.
“It is time for a government that stands up for middle class families. It is time for a government that respect’s people’s tax dollars. It is time for a government that makes sense,” she said.
The Liberals this week introduced a budget containing more than 70 new promises in a desperate bid to keep their sinking government afloat in the midst of a criminal investigation into the gas plants scandal and cover up.
“This government has no plan to get the basics right, like creating jobs, lowering hydro rates, and making life more affordable,” said Horwath.
The last-ditch budget comes after the Liberals failed to deliver results on a series of promises made in the previous year’s budget, including reducing auto insurance rates, cutting home care wait times, and setting up a Financial Accountability Office.
“The same government that couldn’t fulfill three promises over the last year is making more than 70 new promises this year. How can Kathleen Wynne build a ship, when she hasn’t managed to build a raft?” said Horwath.
The Liberal budget contains a new round of no-strings attached giveaways for corporations, and includes no plan to get sky-rocketing hydro rates under control or create jobs by rewarding job creators.
“For the last year Ontarians have been telling me they want to see results on jobs, hydro bills, affordability and accountability, and the Liberals haven’t delivered. It’s time for a change. It’s time for a government that makes sense,” said Horwath.
“Ontarians deserve action, not just aspirations. Families deserve a government that will respect people’s tax dollars, make life more affordable, create jobs, and stand up for the middle class. People deserve a government that makes sense.”
(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)
Niagara At Large 
I live in the Ancaster, Dundas, Flamborough, Westdale riding in Hamilton. I am honestly hoping that there will be a good independent candidate that I can vote for. Sure, some people will say I am wasting my vote. But if enough of us were to rally behind independent candidates in our own ridings, we might actually get the message through to Hudak, Wynne and Horwath that we, the voters and taxpayers, are mad as hell and not going to take any more!
Personally, I lean to the right on the political spectrum – but there is no way in Hell that I will ever vote for the Ontario Conservative Party while Tim Hudak is the party leader! On some issues I lean to the left, but there is no way I will ever vote for a liberal … I don’t care who the leader is! And the NDP attracts too many who are too far out on the left — the Marxist-Leninist types.
So we face a provincial election – with basically the same options open to us as last time. In other words – no VIABLE option for an actual change that will benefit the taxpayers!
Therefore, my decision to look for a good independent … one who will put the wants, needs and aspirations of the people who voted for him/her first. We have already seen what happens when we vote for a candidate from a recognized political party – they put party and self before anything else.
There are some (probably many) reading this who will think I am a nutjob – so be it. But I will question those who will blindly vote for a political party (any party) because they think that party will put the person doing the voting first.
If you think that way, you were probably born with that party’s logo tatooed on your buttock.
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A lot of Pierre Trudeau’s initiatives were considered off the wall at the time , in retrospect, his thinking was a generation ahead of the feelings of most Canadians , he was an outdoorsman, loved canoeing and fishing , the much despised idea of a two tier price for energy would have meant a boom in jobs for Canada, one cheaper price for energy inside Canada and a world price for our oil exports, at the present we get $30 dollars a barrel less for our oil, exported to our neighbour USA which does little for our economy. he said a Free Trade Deal with the South, would be a job killer, all of his predictions came true. Pierre also said , that the Asian market would be huge, and we should cutivate that market, which we didn’t, we voted in Brian Mulroney,the guy who never went to jail for corruption. Me I joined the Green ,Party they will be a formidable and strong alternative to the others someday,as the young people like them, in Europe the Greens are a large voice and hold the balance of power in many German States.
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The greatest problem I see with Hudak and his flock of raving idiots is his Ego and his almost hysterical need to emulate Harris. The Liberals? What the hell can on say about unadulterated Corruption. Who is left the NDP? I wish and hoped they would have turfed the Liberals out way back when but No!!! It looks like they were afraid of losing seats and for this the corporate media has and is making hay.
Do I respect the NDP? Yes and No……. certainly not as I Respected Tommy Douglas or a David Lewis
There is NO free press in Canada anymore and I happened to see data lately that should scare hell out of people “Seven large Corporation in the USA own and/or control 95+% of all media in the USA where as in Canada about the same percentage is owned by three or four corporate interests, Bell, Shaw and Quebecoer.
The control by corporate interests is NOT for the good of the common people but to forward the in many cases the corrupt agenda of Corporate NORTH AMERICA.
They, through brain washing the masses control elections with scripted messages that border on lies and in many cases are lies to facilitate their hidden agendas, agendas and ploys that will assure prosperity for them and to hell with the pawns’
FDR must be turning over in his graves caused by the so called Presidents who have dismantled all the safeguards he and his economists (Canadian born Economist Galbraith) had instituted to assure and protect the rights of the Citizens of the USA.
Even Pierre Elliot must be looking down with a frown at what has become of Canada, especially at the hands of Progressive as well as the “NEW” MacKay Conservatives under the dictatorial agenda of Emperor of Harper…
Often I say God “HELP” Canada and at this time we certainly need prayers for we are being forced down the road to total and abysmal destruction and for what and why? psychopathic disillusionment or what? Yes!!! We do need answers if we are to survive?
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Premier Wynne’s biggest problem is that just like Dalton McGuinty before her is that she does not listen to the people who live in the Province. It is her way or or the highway.
Why does she not communicate with the people who live here in Niagara?
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