Liberal, NDP Platforms a Joke

This election is turning into a three ring circus. There are no strong leaders and even weaker platforms. All three major parties have successfully managed to outrage me. The Liberals themselves are up to their usual antics. Dalton once again claimed he would not raise taxes, but according to CTV, when pressed by reporters he refused to make that promise on camera. This is a major red flag. He says he will review the controversial health tax, but has already refused to reduce or repeal it, making a review pointless cajoling of the electorate. For the spending McGuinty is doing, tax increases are very likely in the near future. I expect the same round of broken promises as we say last time around.
The liberals also plan a province wide ban on cosmetic pesticides. Products which are safe and legal according to the federal government. Such a ban would put hundreds of landscapers out of a job. Most of the other pledges are attempts to buy votes. $300 for university and college students for text books. A little too late for me. Another $3.1 billion by 2011 to an already well funded education system, likely for the sole purpose of increasing teacher salaries. I expect very little of that would actually end up in the class room. Also a ban on trans fats in school cafeterias. Also he plans to cut the PST on bicycles and helmets. Why not cut the PST on necessities instead like say food and clothing? Many US states don't pay sales tax on those items. From the looks of it, this platform seems to be targeting a specific group. It's heavy on the environment and social services, stuff that's only important too... you guessed it, the City of Toronto. Well not so much the city itself but the crunchy granola types that live there. Interestingly enough, there was no word of a financial bail out for the city, perhaps the only smart decision McGuinty has made. However, like so many Liberal election plans, Ontario ends at the Toronto city limits.

Now for the NDP. They're big on the environment. I've been repeatedly questioning why this is even an issue. One NDP plan is good, rapid rail on busy routes, though I expect only for Toronto. Howie also wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions by closing all coal power plants. One thing missing is new power plants. It's amazing that in such a society that it totally dependent on electricity that anybody would even consider reducing supply. Also he want to cut emissions on the road. I'm not sure what that means. The news report on CFRB didn't go into depth about it. In my opinion, the environment is not an important issue considering all the other crap that's been going on.

I still hold onto my 10 things I would like to see that I wrote back in June. So far no party is offering anything close. I have to say that the 2007 Ontario election is offering up the worst crop of politicians since the Peterson/Miller/Ray days. Unfortunately the alternatives to the big three don't have a snowball's chance in hell so it leaves many big questions of who to pick, or whether to vote at all. I cannot bring myself not to vote but I expect low turn out this time around. On that, I say this to McGuinty: a low voter turn out does not mean you're doing a good job.