02.08.2012 07:49 AM

Tut tut

Viscount Simpson has popped down to the colonies, to warn us to amend the error of our ways! How good of one of our betters to notice us, however briefly!

15 Comments

  1. Marc L says:

    Sorry, but Simpson is right. But no matter — McGuinty still has the blinders on even with the Conference Board Report and will probably choose to ignore the bulk of Don Drummond’s assessment as well. What gets me is that the same Liberals that criticize the federal government’s fiscal management and praise their own record under Paul Martin seem to have no issue whatsoever with the McGuinty government’s fiscal record. This is arguably one of the most fiscally incompetent governments ever — a pure product of the reckless free-spending mentality that got the federal government in such a mess two decades ago. But no matter — if it’s McGuinty it’s OK becaue he’s a Liberal and anyone who says the contrary deserves to be mocked. Funny how the partisan mind works.
    Unfortunately, as the Drummond report will make painfully clear, there is no easy way out.

    • Warren says:

      Conservative concern troll alert!

      • Marc L says:

        Yeah right, And, I suppose Simpson is a Conservative supporter as well? The Conference Board? Don Drummond?

        • Warren says:

          Hey, Marc, let me let you in on a little secret. You are a conservative. You come here, consistently, to defend conservatives and attack liberals. That’s what you do. That’s all you do here, in fact.

          For you to suggest that other people’s partisanship is clouding their judgment is beyond laughable.

          • Ottawacon says:

            Sure, but Simpson’s article was hardly complimentary to either of the other parties. The underlying themes his column is addressing are deeply troubling. The Liberals in Ontario are not taking up the challenges, and frankly neither the NDP nor the Conservatives appear to be run by adults.

            What would Chretien be doing as Premier of Ontario? Mathematically, Ontario is somewhere around 1990 in terms of the scope of the debt/deficit problem. In just a couple of years, we will be facing a hole the size of the one the Liberals dug us out of in the 90’s. Admirable as that was, it was not pretty, and this time it is on services that strike closer to home. As a parent, my worries are spiking.

          • Marc L says:

            Very selective memory Warren. I don’t defend everything Conservatives do or say — I am actually not a great fan of the Harper government and think Hudak is a complete disaster at every single level. If I was still in Ontario, I would probably have held my nose and voted McGuinty at the last election — Hudak is outright dangerous. But on fiscal issues, I am conservative and happen to know what I’m talking about most of the time (which is why I think Chretien and Martin did a great job on that front). As for partisanship, I won’t go to the point of criticizing Harper for something he does and then defending McGuinty for doing the same thing. That is what I mean by blind partisanship.
            Whatever….

  2. W.B. says:

    Comparing Ontario to any other province except Quebec is ridiculous.
    A little exercise I like to use in this regard is to rank the cities of Ontario by population.
    Then take the OTHER PROVINCES and put them in where they fit according to population.
    It used to be hilarious when Danny Williams was ranting and raving. NFLD, the whole damn thing doesn’t even make the top 10. Then there is PEI.
    I’m not going to bother doing this again. But figure it out.
    Anyone wants to start an Ontario independence movement, I’ll sign up.

  3. W.B. says:

    Honda Toyota Cami etc in Ontario are not unionized. But our workers do have choice in a binding democratic vote just like shareholders in a corporation or voters in a democratic government.

    • W.B. says:

      These are signed agreements or contracts. Workers at a particular location have the right freedom of assembly and freedom of speech or do you intend to take those away too?
      There is no third party. The workers are represented by their majority elected executive. That is a corporation. The employer corporation can pay the lawful worker corporation which represents the workers.
      There is a word for the system you want in force. We had it in Dicken’s time across the early industrialized world in the 1800’s. It wasn’t so great for your great great Mom and Pop. It lasted into the 30’s. It started as a sort of might makes right system hundreds of years ago called feudalism.
      Anyway you should read progressive conservative thinkers such as Philip Blond or Jonathan Kay, or even David Frum who recognize that RTW as you call it, (slavery also covers it) and the subsequent decline in wages will destroy the buying power of the middle class, and in the end destroy capitalism as you know and love it. People have to have money to spend!

  4. Neil says:

    Simpson is mostly right. You mat be proficient at the political game Warren but economic facts tend to become even “more factual” as time passes. Whatever comparisons you wish to make or not make, the facts are the facts. Ontario has an enormous debt and deficit problem and its wealth creation capacity has been seriously reduced. It’s domestic energy policy is very troubling. The economic future of Ontario is not rosy. How one argues with Simpson’s basic premise is mind boggling. He points out some basic truths. Undeniable economic truths Let’s try and do less BS spin and more problem solving … Ontario is currently in the crapper…get on with solving it. FYI I am life long Liberal.

  5. Neil says:

    no-one spoke about cutting taxes, that was your addition Justin. Simpson says Ontario is on the economic toilet. He is correct. But everyone wants to argue other issues than the most painful obvious problem – the economy is struggling. Someone please argue that that Ontario economy and fiscal state is OK, Please make an argument. I like a healthy economy because then it is far easier to fund education and health care.

    • Justin says:

      So do I, but most of the solutions coming from the other side seems to be that an increase in the tax rate would be akin to political suicide. Therefore all the solutions coming from the PC party seem to be tax cuts cure all.

  6. Mandos says:

    The long-term necessity is to prevent Canada from becoming a Petro-State. There’s a direct relationship between economic reliance on ancient dead dinosaurs (really plants but whatever) and the ability to construct a value added, skilled prosperous economy. Oil is crack.

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