Hugh Mackenzie
Huntsville Doppler
Beware of Restless Voters
Did you get your hydro bill this month? I sure as hell did and it has gone up by 50 per cent! Enough already! It’s time to take our eye off whatever is going on in the United States and take a hard look at what is happening on our own turf. Maybe some of our politicians need a good kick in the rear end as well because, in a nutshell, we are getting royally screwed by many of them.
Take our Provincial Government for instance. Never in all my years as a political activist have I seen, on either side of the aisle, a government that is so incompetent, so self serving, so financially irresponsible as this one. Hydro costs are only one example, but an important one. They are higher in Ontario than almost any jurisdiction in North America and our hydro infrastructure is largely antiquated and in poor repair. The Wynne Government has not only done little to improve the cost and efficiency of electric power, they have messed around with it and made it worse. There is simply no excuse for the incompetency that has led to such an added financial burden on taxpayers and the Liberals have been in power in Ontario too long to be able to blame anyone but themselves for this fiasco.
In addition, the Wynne Government has been spending this province into oblivion. Taxpayers are being hit with a payment of a billion dollars a month, just to serve provincial government debt. In the past nine years, all under a Liberal government, Ontario’s net debt has approximately doubled from $157 billion to $308 billion! They can now proudly boast of having the largest debt of any sub-national government in the entire world! And to make it worse, the Wynne Government has no credible plan for getting us out of this mess.
The Liberal Government in Ontario has had no problem in looking after themselves, as witnessed by spending almost a billion dollars of our money on cancelling gas plants in Mississauga and Oakville in order to save their butts during the last election, or bulking up their party finances by promoting numerous pay-for-play fundraisers before banning them for future governments. Add to that paying Unions with more of our money to negotiate with them, not to mention the election offences senior Liberal officials are currently facing in Sudbury. The Liberals have certainly looked out for their interests and so it is fair to ask, what they have done during their time in office for everyone else? Frankly, I can’t think of much.
Although the Trudeau Government in Ottawa has only been in power for a year, they too, in my view, have a great deal to be accountable for. Take their deficit. They told us during the election campaign that with all the programs, including infrastructure initiatives, they had in mind, they would run a deficit of $10 billion. Now they have told us it will be $30 billion this fiscal year, three times what they said and no evidence of improving the economy or creating jobs. Sometimes, as I look at what Justin Trudeau has done since becoming Prime Minister, I fear he has spent or pledged more of our tax dollars outside of Canada than in it.
Further, the so called Senate reform is a joke. Justin Trudeau has stacked the Senate, let there be no doubt about it. In a way, I don’t blame him, as he is only doing what many of his predecessors did. I do blame him however, for pretending he isn’t. Almost every one of his so-called independent appointees to the Senate are left of centre in their political thinking. They may not have been Party bagmen, but they share his ideology. He will have no trouble getting his legislation through the Upper Chamber. In order to be independent, one must be bi-partisan. These senators are not, the committee that recommended them is not and for the Prime Minister to suggest otherwise is simply an attempt to pull the wool over our eyes.
During the past year or so, voters in Canada have voted for change, voters in Britain have voted for change and voters in the United States have voted for change. There are real signs that voters are also ready for change in Italy, Germany, France and South Korea. This, in my view, is not as much about political ideology as it is about people being fed up with lies, broken promises, entitlements and dysfunctional governments, perceived or otherwise, run by their politicians. They just want to “throw the bums out and damn the consequences”.
Although the Trudeau Government is early in its mandate, it is showing serious signs of entitlement, irresponsible fiscal decisions and broken promises. Kathleen Wynne, in Ontario, is of course so far down that path she is almost out of sight. It is clear to me that people over much of the world are no longer content to put up with bad government. They want results and they want them quickly. In Canada, we must ask ourselves why extremists like the Ford Nation, Kellie Leitch or Kevin O’Leary are gaining attention and indeed traction in Canada.
Justin Trudeau has time. Kathleen Wynne is likely out of it. But both governments need to beware. Voters have lost their patience. Honeymoons are short. One need only look across the border to see what happens when they have had enough of the status quo. Too much debt, too much entitlement, too many broken promises and out you go. And then, you may be surprised at what you get!
There now. I have managed to say all this without mentioning the ‘T’ word once. Proud of myself!
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Financially, contractually and technologically stupid times three energy policy for past 15 years. And I think using the word stupid is putting it too mildly.
Yes, we are going green power, since we can no longer afford to pay the bills to use the power.
A taxpayers’, or in the case of Hydro, a ratepayers’ revolt might be the best way forward. Yes, very difficult to orchestrate and a concept foriegn to the laid-back attitude of most in Ontario but something has to be done. Even if only 20% of Hydro customers got together and withheld payment for two months it would create a crisis to which the government would have to respond.
How they would respond is anyone’s guess but they could hardly disconnect hundreds of thousands of households. In the unlikely event that 50% of subscribers decided to get on board it would make headlines around the world. If we had any backbone this is exactly how we would respond to the mess the Liberals have made. I won’t hold my breath.
The Liberals sold Ontario’s voters a stinking bill of goods with their green energy dreamland economics and even worse, sold it to us more than once. This, in spite of many expert analysis showing it to be not viable here at home and in spite of easy observations of disasters in Europe where their green energy experiments have all lead to disasters for the ratepayers.
The shame is that none of it was necessary. It was all done to demonstrate a supposed environmental conscience which has backfired disastrously here as everywhere else it has been tried.
Someone earlier mentioned Sir Adam Beck, arguably the founder of Hydro. If only our politicians of every stripe had lived by Beck’s founding ideal that the mandate of Hydro should be THE PROVISION OF HYDROELECTRIC POWER TO THE THE PEOPLE OF ONTARIO AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST. Good grief, how that notion has been utterly destroyed. It is enough to make one weep.
I wonder if a court might find the current government to have criminally mismanaged their duty to the public trust?
Unfortunately it would take some deep-pocketed person or organization to find out.
It is pointless for Mr. Davis and myself to enter into an exchange of political ideologies: We have both made some valid points, and neither of us will ever budge the other one iota to the right or left. It is interesting, however, in that it is illustrative of the inherent problem for Mr. Trudeau (and in fairness for any other Prime Minister) in appointing a bipartisan Senate. Even the most apolitical citizen has a political leaning. It is enough, I feel, to be extremely thankful for having the right to a free exchange of ideas; without persecution.
I just want to remind Mr. Millman what his Liberal leaders said when Mr. McGuinty road his winning wave into power in 2003. Mr. McGuinty said “they’ve rejected fear and chosen hope.” Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Stephane Dion said “It’s very exciting to think that the biggest richest province in Canada will have a government that shares our own Liberal values.” He also said, “Yes, things have been prosperous under Chretian and Harris, but there have been a lot of headaches trying to reconcile the two different approaches. Ontario is no longer the richest province in Canada, fear is at its highest level ever in this province and hope does exist except for change. Their are more children and families living in poverty in Ontario. Can you imagine just how much worse things in Ontario and Canada would be, had Premier Mike Harris and Prime Minister Stephen Harper not been elected? Premier Dalton McGuinty and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion were both disasters. Our education in Ontario is poorer, our DEBT IS RIDICULOUS, hydro costs are crippling our citizens, our industries and even our health care. Some would think Mike Harris, Ernie Eves and Stephen Harper are sitting back smiling but that surely isn’t the case. These are men who lead their Province and their Country, not to benefit themselves but to advance the prosperity of its citizens. They will be just as fearful of our future as most Ontarion’s and Canadian’s are with the present Liberal Leadership. They will have hope, that change is in the air and that the electorate will come to their senses sooner rather than later.
After over three years of ludicrous energy rate increases approved by the Ontario Energy Board, the issue is FINALLY getting some equally ridiculous results?? Where exactly has everyone been? In a cave?? People have lost their homes, been disconnected and had to resort to our health care systems to control the stress this has created. Kathleen Wynne is failing us miserably and continually. Too bad she can’t live our restricted lives to know how it really feels to have to decide whether to eat or stay warm. Yes, a lot of us have electric baseboard heaters that came with the houses we purchased, and were not difficult to pay for then (as well as a wood stove to keep these costs down if electricity prices increased in future). Unfortunately the numerous electricity increases overtook our ability to afford to have alternate means of heating purchased and installed, and the decision often has to be made whether to stay warm, pay the mortgage, or buy groceries. Whether Mike Harris is responsible for the rolling of this ball or not – IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED BY THE LIBERALS, possibly because we have a narcissistic man-child as a Prime Minister, futilely attempting to convince us he knows what he is doing, and a Premier who has even less smarts about energy, (costs versus output abilities) and is content to dangle a few ludicrous $$ carrots under the noses of Ontario residents. Facebook is full of hard working groups (Hydro One – Enough is enough, etc) outlining hundreds of horror stories currently being lived by Ontario residents, and they are organizing events and actions (turn off your main breaker for one day, Queen’s Park rally in Toronto – travel assistance to get there, available). Wake up all and become a “squeaky wheel” part of any and all solutions NOW – we still have over a year to go before our voices can be heard loud and clear at the Provincial polls.
Mr. Caswell, you will never stop hearing about Mike Harris being blamed; as he was responsible for so many irresponsible acts during his time in office. He was a bully (replete with a large coterie of bodyguards), whose first act was to pick on the largely disenfranchised. He lowered welfare payments by approximately 25 per cent (although they were none too generous initially): It was only last year that they returned to pre-Harris levels. Would any of us wish to live on our pre-Harris salary today?
He also reduced the MOE and MNR inspection budgets by approximately one-quarter. The Walkerton crisis (with the infamous and incompetent Kebel brothers) followed almost immediately. Many subdivisions were approved and built in environmentally sensitive areas; as MNR was unable to send out any inspectors to warn of potential dangers.
Does anyone remember the push by various united groups (representing persons with disabilities)? Probably not. But Mike Harris’ response was to actually stand up at Queen’s Park with what could charitably called a “brochure” and identify it as his government’s response to the situation. It took the Liberals to pass the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act), 2005; intended to make the province accessible by 2025.
It has been so long, and trust me, I have fervently attempted to forget the Harris years. Simply understand that he made many other egregious transgressions. I do, however, remember being consistently embarrassed to have him representing our province. He once, as a former high school principal, no less, referred to “kindergarten” as “kiddie garden”. Enough said.
I have to agree with Mr. MacKenzie . The current operation of Ontario Hydro is not only unfair but borderline fraudulent. You only have to compare the ridiculous increases compare to our other provinces. The Wynne Government is selling off Hydro because it has been mismanaged not only by people at the top by Ontario Hydro but also the Liberals as a result of the numerous scandals during the McGuinty rule and also by the Wynne Government through the waste of billions of Ontarian taxpayers money as well as the mismanagement of their Green environmental programmes they have brought about.
The average taxpayer has been overcharged by Hydro and by selling the remainder off, the Liberals now wants to pay down the debts of our province that they have incurred. The average taxpayer can barely make ends meet to heat or even provide food because of the outrageous tax increase that The Wynne Government has inflicted on its taxpayer. Shame on Wynne and her Cabinet Ministers on the way they have mismanaged the programmes they have introduced.
Remember the Provincial Liberals when you go to vote at the next election. God Help Us !!!
I agree with David, how long can people keep blaming Mike Harris for their own failures. While I’m at it, I keep hearing radio ads telling us that the provincial government is doing this that and the other, at the end of the ad they say “paid for by the government of Ontario” it should read “paid for by the taxpayers of Ontario”
I can not stand it that Mike Harris is still being blamed for problems in Ontario. If he was so bad how come a number of Liberal governments have been unable to fix things. They have in fact just exacerbated Ontario’s problems.
Regarding the power cost. This has directly affected manufacturing in Ontario. Do you not think that the cost of electricity directly affects the cost of running the motors that power a production line in an Auto plant or for that matter any manufacturing operation?
I agree. Get Wynee and the liberals out of here. If I have children I would love to not leave them debt to their eyeballs. Although Canada has always been a shining star when it comes to aiding other countries, maybe it is time we take some time to worry about ourselves. Then we can rebuild, pay off our debt and in the future continue to help others. Shouldn’t be giving away money we don’t have. That is just stupid!!!!!!
Bill, a large part of our outrageous hydro prices are the result of the Liberals’ green energy boondoggles. They signed long-term contracts with solar producers, guaranteeing them as much as 80¢/kWh for as much electricity as they are capable of putting out (even though the market value of electricity was about 3¢/kWh), and wind turbine producers were guaranteed about 13¢/kWh. So now these producers are generating much more electricity than we can use … no surprise there at those rates. We’re selling off our excess electricity to New York and Michigan, but they’re only paying the market value of 3¢/kWh. Last year alone our government sold over 22.6 billion kWh of electricity at a loss of $1.7 billion, which Ontario consumers had to make up for. That, I think, is the biggest part of the problem.
As a four month a year resident of Huntsvile, I share your pain. Here in GA, i pay Ga Power roughly one third what I pay Hydro One. And this includes significant charges for cost over runs on three yet to be operational nuclear plants. Please keep the pressure on for lower rates. It has to be hurting the economy and the quality of life for the good people of Ontario.
Dear Hugh…
Your initial thrust was the outrageous hydro prices in Ontario…May I remind you that this is the result of Mike Harris, and the Cons, who decided to make the public corporation, previously known as Ontario Hydro, a profit making venture, with the sole shareholder as the government of Ontario, The one corporation is now 4 entities, with resultant duplication of executive management……Sir Adam Beck is currently [pardon the pun] spinning in his grave at 60 hertz {we were converted in the 50’s..] “Dona Naturae Pro Populo Sunt” , Not anymore!