Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Farewell, Dalton

Couldn't let the moment pass without chiming in, although most that can be said has already been said. From the Liberal side of the fence, we're hearing what a great man he was, and how Ontario is a better place after nine years of McGuinty-ism. And if you come from that perspective, why wouldn't you say this? He's been an absolute poster child for the nanny state. He garnered many many Liberal votes, and if you are a Liberal, then that's what matters. The price of those votes doesn't matter, because it's just taxpayer's money - not their own. They'll never have to pay.

And in the end, this is the McGuinty legacy in a nutshell. He's not changed too much on a practical day to day level, except to turn Ontario from a manufacturing province to a welfare one. But he has changed the culture of the province. Ontarians now expect their government to tell them what to do and what to think - and their government to pay for it as well - to a far greater extent than we did ten years ago. He's proved that promises count for nothing - first on taxes, then on Caledonia, and most recently by even turning his back on the Big Labour that brung him.

The tide of socialism has washed large over the province and it will take a very long time and a lot of hard work to reverse it.

Tim Hudak is emphatically not the man for that job. The Ontario PCs should take the chance they've now been offered to get a new leader, a new team, some new discipline, new policy and new message. There's a chance for the amateur hour to end now, and they should take it.