John

1) How much goes to health care transfers in the federal budget? Cut that amount and cut taxes with it. 2) The provinces should allow full competition for health care services. People should be free to either stay with government health care or use a private system. There's no reason why we can't have both.

Do you have any examples?

Not really. I wouldn't want to get elected on false premise. What would I do? I'd steal a couple of pages from the Freedom Party of Ontario's playbook and lower/eliminate a whole bunch of taxes to start things off. Privatize the utilities. Sell the LCBO.

Is anyone else bummed out about the choices we have in the next provincial election? As a candidate with the potential to win, let's just right Howard off right now. That leaves John and Dalton...they may as well be clones! One responds to the challenge of improving our lives by turning a little bit to the left...the other by turning a bit to the right -- with no REAL change in the end. Neither are going to do anything...they just manage things in slightly different ways. BORING!!! Where's the vision???

Check out this link: http://www.ncwcnbes.net/htmdocument/report...03/WI2003_e.pdf Welfare isn't that much more in the eastern provinces. Depending on how much you want to cut welfare, you wouldn't get a huge amount savings. I saw the title of the paper(boring), and then that it had 109 pages(swoon)...sorry I couldn't even start to look at it... Anyway, it's not just welfare though. It's the amount of money being pumped to those provinces. If the federal government would just cut taxes and stop meddling with the provinces they just might be able to do something that would make them competitive. Iceland and Ireland both have kick-ass economies. How are they that much better than our maritimes (I'm not even going to get in on Quebec here)?

I know you guys pay a lot and have a right to complain (Ontarians pay out almost $2000 while Albertans pay almost $3000, going by what Ralph said last year). The fiscal arrangement in this country needs to be reworked to give the people more of their own money. John, I agree. My problem is the "give the people" part. They shouldn't be taking it in the first place, and I equate it to theft. You're right...I think we're on the same page though...lower, much lower, taxes for all.

I know you guys pay a lot and have a right to complain (Ontarians pay out almost $2000 while Albertans pay almost $3000, going by what Ralph said last year). The fiscal arrangement in this country needs to be reworked to give the people more of their own money.

Here's some more ideas... Privatize the liquor/beer stores...spend the yearly savings on education. Spend any future income from liquor licenses on education. End no-fault insurance...it's such a sham. Why should my premiums go up if I'm not at fault? I'm being penalized for driving my car!?! Withdraw from the CPP and set up an Ontario version. That money should stay and be invested in Ontario. Withdraw from EI and set up an Ontario version. The program is overfunded by $40 billion which is used to fund other programs nation wide. Bring it home, where it can help pay off our debt and then cut the premiums people are forced to pay for it. I'd also be willing to fight for Ontario's share of that 40B. Simply put, Ontario has 40% of the population, so we should get 40% of 40B -- that's 16B. Doubt we'd get it though.

I'd like to see the elimination of the property tax. What kind of society is it where I'm paying the bank my mortgage with after tax income, but if I don't pay more tax I lose my house??? Home ownerhip is only a theory. The government owns it all and we're all just renters. Mortgage interest should also be tax deductable, if it's not already. Bring in a flat tax for all taxpayers, something low, like 5%. People who make a lot of money already pay more in taxes by the simple fact that they earn more. They shouldn't be taxed at a higher rate on top of that. Also, why is anyone earning under 35k-40k taxed at all? Especially one income families? The corporate tax should also be slashed. I should be free to pay for my own health care if I choose. If I want to pay for health care with my after tax dollars in a private clinic I should be able to do so. De-regulate electricity markets. Competition should eventually bring in lower prices, and solve the energy crisis in this province. I heard the Ontario government pays $15 billion a year to subsidize electricity. Annually, that's about $1,250 in pockets of every man, woman and child in this province or $5,000 per 4-person household. My family pays about $1,000 per year in electricity. I'd like the difference please! Renewable energy generating products should be tax deductable. That's all for now...but not all there is. I'll submit more sooner or later.