Provincial Budget Manipulation

The Ontario Liberals this week gave the people of Ontario a lesson in political manipulation that was so cynical, it became an example of why we should boot every one of them out of office (as well as all those like them).

They showed us they would sacrifice the good of the province in a heartbeat for political gain. I have little or no respect for politicians that make decisions for political expediency, and this week's announcement that a surprise budge surplus of $298 Million was found when originally there was supposed to be a $2.8 Billion deficit speaks speaks volumes about where the true passion of Dalton McGuinty lies, and it isn't in the interests of the people of Ontario.

Just to be clear, the difference between - $2.8 Billion and +$298 Million is $3 Billion. So, somewhere the Liberals mis-judged to the tune of $3 Billion. Does it not sound convenient that this windfall comes a year before a planned provincial election? It is just in time to announce a series of spending initiatives leading up to that election of about, oh, say, $3 Billion.

This kind of manipulation is what really ticks people off. How can you trust anything they say when it comes to finances. When they came to power, the Liberals claimed we had a $6 Billion deficit because of the way in which the Tories had used "creative accounting" to show that we were running a balanced budget. So now, Minister of Finance Greg Sorbara says that "changes" in the way the province represents its books, combined with higher tax revenue and an unexpected drop in spending, has come together to provide a surplus. How convenient. Why didn't they implement these "changes" back in 2004?

The coming spending announcements as a result of this "surplus" (read overtaxation) ahead of the 2007 election will try to deflect the true challenge facing the province: keeping the province's manufacturing sector on life support while investment flows to China and India. Look for more "investments" (read corporate welfare).