The McGuinty government today received the report of the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services. Feb. 15
Don Drummond delivers his bitter pill
As part of its commitment to eliminate the deficit by 2017-18 while protecting education and health care, the McGuinty government lowered growth in program spending to about four per cent from about seven per cent last year. This was accomplished through modernizing the delivery of public services and creating administrative efficiencies to achieve better value for money for Ontario taxpayers.
Recognizing that this new era of slower global economic growth requires lowering program spending growth further, in March 2011 the government established the commission to provide additional advice on how to make long-term, fundamental changes to the way government delivers services.
The report will inform the 2012 Budget. The McGuinty government will decide how to move forward.
QUOTES
“The McGuinty government remains committed to putting Ontario’s finances on a long-term, sustainable path. I thank the commission for the hard work it has done to provide advice on how to help us achieve our goal of a balanced budget by 2017-18.”
– Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance
QUICK FACTS
The Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services was formed to examine the way government delivers services to people, including:
-
- programs that are no longer serving their intended purpose and could be eliminated or redesigned;
- areas of overlap and duplication that could be eliminated to save taxpayer dollars; and
- areas of value in the public sector that could provide a greater return on the investment made by taxpayers.
- As part of its mandate, the commission was not allowed to make recommendations that would increase taxes or lead to the privatization of health care or education.
- Reforming public service delivery is part of the plan laid out in Ontario’s 2011 Budget – Turning the Corner – and reflects the government’s continued commitment to attack waste, find savings and ensure the best value for public money.
- This year’s pre-budget consultations – in person and virtually – have already reached more than 100,000 Ontarians, who have had an opportunity to provide input into the forming of the 2012 Budget.
LEARN MORE
Read the Report of the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services. Click on this link for Drummond report – http://http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/reformcommission/index.html
Read how the McGuinty government continues to make smart investments to encourage economic growth and create jobs.
See Ontario’s plan to support job creation.
Read Ontario’s 2011 Progress Report.
Niagara At Large 
This budget is a lot like locking the barn door after all the horses have escaped,.looking after the taxpayers hard earned money was never on the radar of Dalton (Gang) McGuinty, now we will throw the baby out with the bath water.He made all his cronies millionaires at our expense.I feel ill about this whole government,. there is no honor amongst this crew.
– an NAL note – This is not a budget. It is a list of recommendations from an appointed commissioner for reducing the province’s deficit. Whether the McGuinty government adopts any or all of the recommendations remains to be seen.
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Protecting health care? Like George said, The horses have left the barn.
Everyone needs to know that this government is using the common strategy of “fear factor” so that they can make cuts to the 99% and protect the 1%. The fact that they aren’t proposing to raise corporate taxes should raise red flags for everyone except maybe the Libertarians.
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What about going after the ORNGE people, the eHealth people, the OLG people and corporations that fail to pay the comparatively tiny amount of taxes they actually owe, rather than making the rest of us pay THEIR debts?
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You deserve the government you elect !!
Don’t blame them – blame yourselves
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That’s true Mr. Snyder but just who do you vote for when they’re all the same? (ie self enriching, self aggrandizing) At least some of use did vote. Perhaps the numerous people out there who didn’t vote should smarten up as well.
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We do share complicity in this.
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As I already said, I want to ask Don Drummond if my bank gives me $100,000 to buy a home or a business or whatever, who is responsible to pay that money back, myself or my neighbours down the street? I ask again, why are WE being made to repay this deficit that was neither created by ourselves, or benefiting any of us?
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