Friday, June 30, 2006

The Thin Red Book

Ontario Minister of Invented Porfolios, former Ottawa mayor and perennial rent-a-mouth Jim Watson was on CBC this morning explaining the Ontario Liberal response to complaints about the property tax assessment system and MPAC, the corporation that adminsters tax assessments in Ontario. The government is suspending tax assessments for two years and there will be no re-assessment in 2006/07. Doing nothing, in other words.

It struck me that this strong and decisive move is similar to the Liberal plan to deal with many other issues. Let's recap:
  1. Health: The Liberals have introduced a health tax; number of Ontarians without a family doctor continues to rise. Access to health care for rural residents in particular is getting worse and worse. Net Liberal action: None.
  2. Education: The Liberals have bought off the teachers unions and given school boards the extra money for the cave-in. Net extra money for things that actually matter, like books, for example: None. No matter. With falling standards in Ontario schools, fewer people will be reading anyway. Net Liberal action: None.
  3. Electricity: The Liberal plan: Close coal fired power stations. Net Liberal action: None.
  4. Caledonia: Criminals take over private property, commit assaults, vandalism, intimidation, etc. Net Liberal action: None.
  5. that's enough Liberal inaction - Ed.

If they plan on keeping up this record, the next Ontario edition of the Red Book will be pretty thin.