Ontario NDP leader and local MPP Howard Hampton called last Thursday’s throne speech a “vague and vacuous” document that proves the Liberal party will not live up to its campaign promises.
“Basically, the throne speech is all about the promises they’re breaking,” Hampton said yesterday from Toronto.
“Before the election, they talked about hiring 8,000 new nurses, about helping municipalities, about extending the hydro rate cap. None of those things are mentioned,” he added.
The throne speech outlined what the governing Liberals plan to do for Ontarians during their term in office.
“Your new government will ask its partners in health care, education, and the broader public sector to temper their requests for more with the realization that what we have now is at risk,” the speech read.
Hampton charged the Liberals will break many of their campaign promises, citing the $5.6-billion deficit left by the Progressive Conservatives.
“The Liberals knew in June and July there was at least a $5-billion deficit,” said Hampton. “[But] even though they knew, they made a whole bunch of promises they knew they couldn’t keep, and it appears now they never intended to keep.
“And that’s why the throne speech has this vague and vacuous tone to it,” he added.
Among the first promises to be broken was the hydro rate cap, Hampton noted.
The Liberals introduced legislation yesterday to raise retail electricity rates. And the costs involved in this are not limited to private individuals.
“Schools are among the biggest users of electricity. Costs will go up significantly, yet they will have no additional money to pay the bills with,” Hampton said.
Local educators also expressed some concern about what would be in store for public education as the throne speech did not address funding for schools.
“We don’t know what the funding level may be next May or June,” said John Madigan, director of education for the Northwest Catholic District School Board.
“It’s kind of like being on a fixed income,” he added.
Warren Hoshizaki, director of education for the Rainy River District School Board, also expressed hesitation at what the new government will do for public education.
“We still want to wait and see what it will mean regarding programs and support from the grant structure, and if that is going to change,” he remarked.
But both directors also found encouraging signs in last Thursday’s throne speech.
“A strong commitment to stability and peace in education is very important to all of us, whether in the classroom or the boardroom,” Madigan said.
The throne speech talked about “bringing respect back to professional educators, and I think that’s encouraging,” he added.
Hoshizaki noted the new government under Premier Dalton McGuinty promised to initiate an anti-bullying program—an issue that’s been on the local public board’s agenda for some time.
“That’s a very positive component of the throne speech,” he noted.
Hampton also said the Liberals promised not to reduce the number of seats in Northern Ontario from 11 to 10, as the federal government may do if the legislation on electoral boundaries is passed early next year.
“It’s the right thing to do,” Hampton said. “The ridings are already too large.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
