Prov. gov't

[Parrothead]

They must be happy that the legislature rose last week and will not resume sitting, until mid-February. There was a devastating report on wasteful spending, tabled by the auditor-general last week. Today the provincial police made some serious allegations, surrounding the gas plant scandal and the wiping of gov't hard drives.

Story from the Global news website.

[brite]

If it would help, we could send Ted Cruz back....

[Parrothead]

They'll resume sitting next week. Another police investigation has opened up, regarding their actions during a recent bye-election. The allegations being they may have offered a job/position to someone not to run. The person recorded conversations and the tapes may be damning.

On another front, they are talking about introducing a carbon tax, which they did not mention at anytime during the provincial election last year. Not sure if it will be a cap and trade or tax. Scary part, some reports state they looked to the EU for how to set up the system. I hope that it was for how not to set up a cap and trade system. IIRC, the EU model was rife with problems and has not led to a reduction in emissions. The province is in serious need of cash, as they still promise to balance their books (currently $12b deficit) by 2017-18.

[Swift]

They'll resume sitting next week. Another police investigation has opened up, regarding their actions during a recent bye-election. The allegations being they may have offered a job/position to someone not to run. The person recorded conversations and the tapes may be damning.

Did you mean "bye-election" or "buy-election"?

[Parrothead]

Not sure which it is. The Prov. elections chair came out with a report yesterday, basically saying that the file has been sent on to the Provincial Attorney-General, the allegation being bribery to get someone to decide not to run, in favour of another. Next step will see if there is reason enough or a case to lay charges. This has never happened before, so we are in new territory.

[Parrothead]

Provincial budget came down last week. They will be bringing in a cap and trade scheme, details in the fall. They'll join Quebec and California in this effort. Funny how they didn't mention any of this during the election campaign, last summer. Can't wait to see how poorly they implement this, given their track record of screwing up program implementation. They did say we will be able to buy beer in some grocery stores, but they will only be able to sell beer during the same hours as the "beer store" and not be able to undercut the prices. Many have joked that we will now be able to buy beer in an easier manner, but due to the amount of recent (and often) increases in hydro costs and billing, we may not be able to afford to pay the costs of keeping the beer cold.

[Parrothead]

Latest boondoggle by the Provincial gov't. To settle issues with teachers unions, that were in a strike-position, it came out this week, that the gov't agreed to paying $1m each to two school board unions and $500k to another, to cover expenses incurred while bargaining, no receipts required. Uhm, don't the unions collect dues to cover these expenses? One union is still holding out. If no receipts required, how do they know how much to pay? So we pay teachers salaries through taxes and now tax dollars are also being spent to pay the other sides' bargaining expenses. WTF!

At the same time they are cutting doctor's wages. They have also announced cuts to the numbers of new doctors allowed. The last time they cut the number of doctors allowed (early 90's) , within 10 years, there was a shortage of family doctors. Given the number of boomers set to retire in the near future, I can see even a worse doctor shortage coming.

[Parrothead]

Latest A-G report showed lots of wasteful spending. Basically, ratepayers have overpaid by $39b for hydro, over the past 8 yrs, due to mismanagement by the gov't. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of $9b was lost, during the same timeframe, selling hydro from green projects at a loss to neighbouring jurisdictions, due to excess power generated.

The gas-plant scandal, the OPP laid charges against a couple of former aides to the former premier, alleging breach of trust and mischief, due to the deletion of gov't e-mails and having gov't computer hard drives wiped clean. The hard drives and e-mails may have contained information on the gas plant scandal. We'll see what comes out when the matter eventually goes to trial.

[geonuc]

If y'all need some crack investigators to look into this scandal, may I recommend the US Congressional Benghazi committee? They're still busy uncovering 'new facts' about that deal but I'm sure they'll wrap it up this decade or the next and be available to help with your deal.

[Parrothead]

The two were to appear in court, a federal one, to avoid appearances of conflict.

Provincial budget came down yesterday. Earlier announced, the provincial retirement plan is being held off for a year, now to be implemented Jan. 2018. Interesting since they ran ads on it during the federal campaign (costing Ont. taxpayers 600k), then decide to delay implementation, so consultation can be done with feds and other provinces.

Cap and trade is coming to the province Jan 2017. Prov. gov't stating 4.3 cents/litre will be added to fuel costs, $5/mo for natural gas. Funny how they don't mention the likelihood of the cost of everything going up, once this scheme is implemented. They are figuring it will bring $1.9b a yr into provincial coffers. Promise revenues will go into a dedicated fund for green energy projects. I'll take that with a grain of salt, as in most cases a portion ends up going into "general revenues" whenever any gov't introduces "dedicated" taxes. Seniors will pay more for meds. Wine, cigarette and gas taxes going up. Low income students (parents earning less than 50k annually to get free tuition (upfront grant covering tuition), dependent on some funding from the feds. By the end of the year some grocery stores will be allowed to sell wine. A minimum price for wine will be introduced. The gov't is projecting a $4.3b deficit and are promising to balance the budget 2017-18. Prov. debt is now over $300b, up from $150b when they took office 12 yrs ago. Third largest expense is interest payments on the debt.

[Parrothead]

Yesterday in the Pres. debate thread, I mentioned being weary of green energy policies. The shoe dropped, yesterday afternoon. The prov. gov't announced they are not moving ahead with LRP2 (Large Renewable Procurement 2). They recently lost one seat, in a by-election, where energy prices were the hot topic. Since losing that seat, the gov't has announced an 8% rebate (prov. tax) on energy rates, to come in Jan 1/17. They then had yesterday's announcement, stating the province already has enough energy to supply current demands, so they will cut future plans to expand. This expansion would have added 1000 megawatts of power to the grid, costing $3.8 b in renewable energy contracts. The Liberals are spinning it as savings on future costs. Heaven forbid, they should admit they came up with a poor plan to start with.

They have now announced these "savings" to the ratepayers. They fail to mention, there will be another hydro rate increase kicking in Nov. 1 and on Jan. 1 prices will likely rise again with cap and trade kicking in. I doubt these announced savings will match the planned increases. One caller to a radio station did wonder, if the Liberals lose another by-election slated for December, would they kill the planned cap and trade implementation.

[Parrothead]

Well one good thing, the previously announced hydro-rate increase for Nov. 1, was cancelled.

[Parrothead]

An election is a year away. The prov. gov't has been busy announcing all sorts of new spending:

A hydro rate decrease of 17% on top of a previous announced 8% prov.tax rebate. Rates will increase at rate of inflation for the next 4 years, then annual rate increases of 6.8% for 6 years. Rate payers will see total of $24B in savings, prov. gov't renegotiated a long term payment, basically borrowing $45B to pay for this decrease. In 2028, the shit will hit the fan, when repayments have to start being made. The financial accountability officer has stated, the province will need to keep it's books balanced for the next 30 years and no uptick in interest rates, otherwise it could cost anywhere from $60B - $90B. Given the track record of the provincial gov't on the electricity file, since the Liberals came into power in 2003, I don't see the books being balanced. They have been selling assets, just to get the books balanced this year and next.

The next announcement - Jan. 1, 2018, the minimum wage will increase from $11.40 to $14/hr. On Jan. 1, 2019, it will increase to $15/hr. Once a person is employed by the same employer for 5 years, paid vacation gets bumped from 2 weeks to 3 weeks. If an employer fails to give an employee 48 hours notice of a shift cancellation, the employer must pay the employee 3 hrs wages for cancelling. The consensus seems to be that the prov. gov't has made no cost-benefit analysis, of these changes.

The first announcement is "the fair hydro plan", the second "the fair wage plan". Why the word "fair" keeps getting used is beyond me.

[Sigma_Orionis]

The first announcement is "the fair hydro plan", the second "the fair wage plan". Why the word "fair" keeps getting used is beyond me.

For the same reason the government in this Banana Republic calls everything "Socialist" and "Communal" or the US Republicans sprinkle every legislation they write with the words "American", "Freedom" and "Choice" to make it sound that whatever they're pushing is good for you.

[Parrothead]

Prov. election is in June. Progressive Conservatives are already imploding. Leader, Patrick Brown was turfed from caucus over allegations, which he is fighting, of misconduct, while he was a federal Member of Parliament. The PC's are now holding a leadership race, to replace him. Brown has entered the race to replace himself.

The Liberals should be easily defeated after being in power for over 10 years. The turmoil within the PC Party, is just fodder for the Liberals and the Public Sector unions. The unions have formed a PAC in the past running negative ads against the PC's, allowing the Liberals to claim they don't run negative ads. Last time around the PC's were promising cutting 100,000 public sector jobs, through attrition. The unions were running ads stating they were going to "fire 100,000 workers".

The Provincial Legislature resumed sitting yesterday, as their Christmas/Winter break came to an end.

[SciFiFisher]

I am sorry to hear that Canada may have been taking lessons from the U.S.

[Parrothead]

A few politicians at different levels of gov't and across Party lines have been hit with allegations of misconduct.

Re the PC leadership race, the ousted leader has one thing going for him. He put out a fully costed platform. The candidates running to replace him are all in favour of dumping a proposed carbon tax. This leaves a fiscal hole to be filled. Revenue from the tax would fund some infrastructure projects, other programs and a tax cut. The plan was to replace the "cap and trade" plan the Liberals joined, with a straight carbon tax. The fears under the cap and trade system is the provincial gov't would be spending tons of money buying credits and that money would end up in California. The cap and trade deal is signed with California and Quebec.

The feds have also promised to force a carbon tax on provinces, that don't come up with their own plan.

Currently the provincial Liberals have come up with a number of programs: pharma care for those 25 and under, partial coverage of tuition fees, hydro rebates and a few others, that have been funded through heavy borrowing. Once these funds have to be repaid or interest rates start rising, worse both, things ain't gonna be pretty.

ETA: The provincial Liberals have also raised the minimum wage from $11.60 to $14/hr as of Jan. 1st, with another announced raise to $15/hr next Jan. 1st. A "fair wage" policy, announced increases to vacation time and paid leave to labour policies is also hitting employers.

[Rommie]

Who was the dude falsely accused of giving underage girls alcohol again? That was a provincial party leader, right?

[Parrothead]

Yeah, that's the former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader. He has stated he will sue the tv station that ran the original story, the station has stated it stands by it's story.

[Parrothead]

Brown dropped out of the race. Out of the four remaining candidates I hope either Christine Elliott or Caroline Mulroney win the leadership race. If they choose Doug Ford or that other woman, I have no idea what I'd choose to do come the Prov. election in June.

ETA: Fixed a typo Mulroney's first name. Voting gets underway today for the new PC leader.

[Parrothead]

It's Provincial election Day! The leader of the Liberal Party conceded she would not be Premier come the results. Too much clamour for change. At one point in the campaign, she was "sorry she wasn't liked more, but not sorry for the policies they have implemented during the last 15 years of Liberal rule. The strategy for them now is get enough vote out and hope the votes for the Progressive Conservatives and NDP are spilt enough, that the Liberals will hold the balance of power in a minority gov't. The other two parities can't be trusted with the taxpayers purse. The PCs will cut programs and the NDP will spend recklessly. The current Prov. debt sits at $360b, $200 b accrued under the Liberals. Interest on the debt is the third largest gov't expenditure at $12 b a year. The biggest mistake the Liberals made was selling off 60% of Ontario Hydro after the last election, without mentioning they might consider doing so, during the campaign. As hydro rates increased, the gov't just over a year ago, had the provincial hydro distributor (arms length entity) borrow/restructure a 30 year loan for $30 b to go towards paying for a 25%, cut to hydro bills. In a few years, rates will start increasing by 6% annually, to help start paying back this loan. The provincial auditor had an issue with the gov't borrowing money in this manner, as this does not show on the gov't books, but on the books of the hydro distributor. There is a line on the bill that calls it a 25% provincial rebate.

If the PC's win, Doug Ford (Rob's brother) will be Premier. They never put out a fully costed platform, only listed the costs of all the promises made on their website, not really stating how they will be paid for. He claims they can find 4% efficiencies across the gov't depts. The Libs and NDP had a field day, as they just applied a 4% cut to education and health care and would state during the campaign Ford will fire x amount of teachers/nurses, close x amount of hospitals ...

If the NDP wins the Premier will be Andrea Horwath, who stated earlier this week, "under no circumstances would an NDP gov't invoke "back to work" legislation to end a public sector strike. It would be against the constitutional rights of the workers for the gov't to do so. That comment is reason enough, not to vote for them (IMO). One of the universities has had TA's and other staff (IIRC) on strike since March. The NDP refused to agree to allow the Liberals to order them back to work, before the writ was dropped a month ago.

Basically it is a lose, lose, lose proposition. I don't think Ford will be as bad, as made out to be. IMO, the people can't afford having either of the other two, in power. I really wish the PCs would have picked Christine Elliott as their leader, it would have made my voting choice a "no-brainer" for the PCs.

[SciFiFisher]

Never assume a bad politician won't be as bad as he is made out to be. Look where that thinking got us in 2016.

[Parrothead]

They tried comparing Ford to Trump, as well. Ford was elected leader of the PC Party a couple of months ago. The 4% across the board cut would total approx. $6 b, it doesn't necessarily mean cuts would be made where the opponents say/fear monger where cuts will be made. Last time around, the PC leader promised cuts to the public sector through attrition, not always making new hires when others retire. The Liberals and NDP were stating PCs will fire public sector workers. This time around, finding efficiencies mean cuts to the public sector, but when people in the private sector lose jobs due to gov't raising the minimum wage and changing labour policies, it is the fault of the business owners. The gov't raised the min. wage to $14/hr in January, promise to raise to $15/hr Jan. 1, 2019. They also introduced legislation to automatic increases in vacation time after so many years at the same place (3 weeks paid, after 5 years), equal pay for full and part-time employees, doing the same work. Approx. 50,000 jobs were lost, due to these changes, but according to the Liberals, the prov. gov't was blameless in any jobs lost. The PCs stated they would hold off on the raise to $15/hr min. wage, Libs and NDP state PCs will claw back the min. wage increase, but PCs stated they will keep the min. wage at $14/hr, just delay implementing the raise to $15 by a year or two. Ford's political career, consists of one term as a city councillor and a failed Mayoral bid, 4 years ago.

What will be interesting, as after every change of power, eventually hearing what the "true state of the finances are", after the transition has been made.

It is an election about change, but figuring which form of change will hurt the least. If Liberals win fewer than 8 seats, they will lose "official party status" which will cut the amount of funding the party will get. In a minority situation, those fewer than 8 seats could conceivably hold onto full funding, if they hold the balance of power. If PCs win a minority, there will also be the worry/fear mongering (depending on POV), that the Libs and NDP could form a coalition and try to gain power. Any minority usually has a shelf-life of approx. 18 mos.

After going through all this, come Oct./Nov. we have municipal elections!

[Parrothead]

We have a PC majority gov't (whew) .

As things currently stand, vote share in parenthesis: PC win 76 seats (40.1 % ), NDP 39 seats (33%), Liberals 7 seats (20.5 % ), Greens 1 seat (4.6%).

The Liberal leader held onto her seat by less than 200 votes. She has resigned as Party Leader. Results may or may not change, there will likely be some recounts. Liberals stand to lose official party status.

Should be interesting, among promises by the PC Party: to pull Ontario out of the Cap and Trade deal with Quebec and California, to fight the imposition of a carbon tax from the feds (if no provincial carbon tax in place), joining a couple of other provinces. Cut business tax rate, cut the prov. fuel tax by 10 cents, finding 4% efficiencies across the board, end the per vote subsidy*.

* In 2016, the Liberals banned corporate and union donations, introduced a $2.71 per vote subsidy. As long as a Party gets more than 2% of the vote, they will receive $2.71 for every vote cast for them. Basically, voters are paying (out of tax dollars) $2.71 to the Party they are voting for.

[SciFiFisher]

We have a PC majority gov't (whew) .

As things currently stand, vote share in parenthesis: PC win 76 seats (40.1 % ), NDP 39 seats (33%), Liberals 7 seats (20.5 % ), Greens 1 seat (4.6%).

The Liberal leader held onto her seat by less than 200 votes. She has resigned as Party Leader. Results may or may not change, there will likely be some recounts. Liberals stand to lose official party status.

Should be interesting, among promises by the PC Party: to pull Ontario out of the Cap and Trade deal with Quebec and California, to fight the imposition of a carbon tax from the feds (if no provincial carbon tax in place), joining a couple of other provinces. Cut business tax rate, cut the prov. fuel tax by 10 cents, finding 4% efficiencies across the board, end the per vote subsidy*.

* In 2016, the Liberals banned corporate and union donations, introduced a $2.71 per vote subsidy. As long as a Party gets more than 2% of the vote, they will receive $2.71 for every vote cast for them. Basically, voters are paying (out of tax dollars) $2.71 to the Party they are voting for.

A lot of the PC Party promises sound like the GOP here. Cutting taxes is usually a bad idea when you are trying to pay down debt. Our debt is expected to grow like crazy thanks to the tax cut they passed this year. The good news for you is that by banning corporate and union donations you probably are going to be able to keep the special interests from having as big an advantage as they currently enjoy here in the U.S.