Throne Speech
Nov. 30, 2007
This week, Ontarians were treated to a flashback. On the occasion of Dalton McGuinty’s most recent throne speech, Ontarians could be forgiven for thinking that little has changed since his first throne speech in 2003.
While talking to reporters, Dalton McGuinty was asked by what his priorities would be in the Throne Speech. Without a trace of irony, he said climate change and poverty.
As Ontarians will remember, these were two of his so-called priorities when first elected in 2003. It’s very strange that after four years in government these could still be his priorities. What this is, is a tacit admission by Dalton McGuinty that he hasn’t done anything in these two key areas areas.
In the 2003 general election and in his first throne speech, Dalton McGuinty promised to take real action to stop climate change. McGuinty promised to close the Nanticoke Coal Fired Generator by 2007, he promised to bring in real conservation measures that would reduce our ever-growing demand for energy and he promised to adequately fund and greatly expand public transit in Ontario.
Well, Nanticoke is still running, his conservation measures have amounted to press conferences and gimmicks and when it comes to public transit he has failed to return money to the municipalities and has only promised to start funding infrastructure in three years -- by which time he will probably have announced it in another throne speech.
Though his failure to keep his promises when it comes to climate change are important. Just as important and disappointing is Dalton McGuinty’s complete and utter lack of any concrete action to address the growing scourge of poverty in Ontario.
A recent report by the United Way of Great Toronto in fact demonstrated that child poverty is on the rise. Toronto, in particular has become the poverty capital of the country. While the incomes of some at the top continue to rise, it’s getting harder and harder for low-income families to make ends meet. They’re paying more for housing, more for child care, more for food, more for for transportation and their incomes or Ontario Works or disability benefits are not keeping up.
At the same time, good-paying manufacturing and resource sector jobs are being lost and more and more Ontarians are finding themselves out of work.
From the way that Dalton McGuinty has just announced that poverty is one of his priorities you’d think this was news to him.
On November 24, 1989, the House of Commons, at the instigation of NDP leader Ed Broadbent voted on a resolution to end child poverty by the year 2000. In the immediate aftermath provincial governments across the country made similar statements and passed similar resolutions. Despite some early progress however, child poverty, and poverty in general has increased in our country and our province.
Over the last four years the NDP has continually raised the issues of climate change and poverty and called for immediate action.
On climate change, we have called for the closure of the Nanticoke coal plant, real conservation programs with financial incentives and adequate funding for transit operations and infrastructure.
We have also put forward a number of positive ideas to make sure everyone shares Ontario’s prosperity. That includes measures to sustain good-paying jobs like an industrial hydro rate, a government Buy Ontario plan and a Jobs Commissioner. It also includes measures like a $10 an hour minimum wage, more affordable housing, more child care spaces, a public dental care plan that provides care to everyone without coverage (unlike a proposed Liberal plan which leaves huge gaps in coverage), among other measures.
We have also stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Ontario First Nations, and a deal that that would allow First Nations to benefit from the natural resources they control. Ontario’s First Nations, especially those in the North, have access to substantial mineral and resource wealth but the standard of living on many First Nations is among the lowest in Canada. The McGuinty Liberals need to start treating First Nations fairly – starting with a fair revenue sharing, so they can benefit from the mineral wealth on their traditional lands
After four years it’s nice to see Dalton McGuinty at least paying lip service to these kinds of ideas. But right now, the Throne Speech is “just words.”
