Progressive Conservatives would win Ontario election says New Poll

[Michael Hardner]

And I just don't agree that McGuinty has stuck with Harris' agenda.

McGuinty was worse than Harris. He got into office by portraying himself as the anti-Harris, who cares about the poor, then waited years to raise welfare rates. So cynical...

[Evening Star]

He was left with a $5.6 billion hidden deficit by the outgoing PC government. (As far as I can tell, this seems to be the present-day conservative strategy: Cripple future governments' abilities to effect progress by leaving huge deficits, whether through stupid tax cuts, stupid spending choices, or both.) Despite this, he has managed to make some steady if modest social progress without driving business away. In fact, the TD Bank's chief economist, who I have to assume is not a left-wing ideologue, stated in 2008 that McGuinty has improved the business climate:

Don Drummond, TD Bank's chief economist, noted that while Ontario's business taxes are high, particularly the 14 per cent corporate income tax, the provincial Liberals have done much to improve the business climate.

He noted that the Liberals' progress has come despite the province being handed a $5 billion deficit in 2003 by the outgoing Conservative government of former premier Ernie Eves.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/03/24/flaherty-mcguinty.html#ixzz12Xqwr8Sk

[Michael Hardner]

McGuinty was worse than Harris. He got into office by portraying himself as the anti-Harris, who cares about the poor, then waited years to raise welfare rates. So cynical...

I want to modify my original statement. I think Harris was worse, but McGuinty was more cynical in that he kept the Harris cuts in place while fostering a caring image.

[Evening Star]

I mean, a raging ideologue who promises massive cuts and delivers massive cuts is not cynical at all. I just don't want him running the province. (Mind you, making huge cuts and still leaving a deficit could suggest cynicism.) Someone who attempts to make modest improvements, with concern for pragmatism and balance, could be seen as comparatively cynical, I suppose.

[Wild Bill]

I mean, a raging ideologue who promises massive cuts and delivers massive cuts is not cynical at all. I just don't want him running the province. (Mind you, making huge cuts and still leaving a deficit could suggest cynicism.) Someone who attempts to make modest improvements, with concern for pragmatism and balance, could be seen as comparatively cynical, I suppose.

We should keep in mind that it was McGuinty who claimed that the PCs had left him with that 5.6 Billion deficit. Eves people didn't agree. There are different ways of totaling up the numbers and when McGuinty made that claim the conservatives were very irate and swore that he was fudging the books!

Seems for the past few years every new government has made the same claim about being left with a deficit from the previous guys. Since none of them are a trustworthy bunch I see no reason to believe McGuinty anymore than I believed Mulroney...

[Evening Star]

Do you not believe that Trudeau left Mulroney with a deficit?? I didn't even think that Trudeau denied that.

[Evening Star]

By the way, it was Don Drummond (chief economist for a major bank) who noted that the Tories left McGuinty with a $5B deficit in the article I linked, not anyone connected to the Liberal party.