Ontario and its Environmental Future

What do you do when you have a country without a climate change policy but because its a federation, certain provinces can break from the national stance.

This is exactly what you see with Premier McGuinty vs. The Federal Government. In recent days there has been much discussion as to why Prime Minister Stephen Harper is not following the rest of the G8 in going to the UN climate change summit. Harper has repeatly refused to state the nations position on the climate change issue, noting that in a time of economic recession when Canada must do what is necessary for its citizens to get jobs and succeed, it would be reckless and irresponsible for him to make a promise that would cost the country billions.

Yet what is the federal governments deal with interfering with the provinces trying to go green or participate. Basically in my opinion the federal government doesn't want to be upstaged by the provinces who are trying to make a commitment to be green. In the following Toronto Star Article its clear that this is what harper is trying to do.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/730017--don-t-steal-ontario-s-green-gains-mcguinty-warns-ottawa

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/730233--ontario-must-get-to-keep-emissions-credits-mcguinty

Also Mcguinty is in a fierce argument with the federal government over its ability to keep emission credits and if its a viable system. Again my opinion is that any attempt to be environmentally friendly and move towards a green economy should be used and tried and what ever is found to work will eventually work.

We must be doing more to green our economy and find viable alternatives to the current pollution making energy systems that are in place today. and we must do this soon.

Ontario PC walk out over HST

So, last night the Ontario conservative party walked off the legislative floor, the main reasoning of Conservative Leader Tim Hudak? The government has not listened to Ontarians concerning the proposed Harmonized Sales tax, Hudak is asking for full public meetings which allow the public to participate, Premier Mcguinty is pushing forward.

First of all to all Ontario politicians, grow up all of you! That was the most immature thing i have ever seen, the Leader of the Opposition and his party leave in a PRE PLANNED walk out. Note to self Tim: Pre Planned is note a walk out, its a PUBLICITY STUNT. I can see the point of the entire party walking out, especially if they are asking questions and then they get a bad answer or none at all and there is a spur of the moment leading of the party out. That is fine and acceptable but to plan a walk out, in my opinion a walk out on democracy then thats just ridiculous. You were elected to represent the people of Ontario. Sit your ass in your seat and represent.

To the Premier. I am as Liberal as the rest of them. Your letting Tim use lies and fear to bring the people of Ontario against you. Public hearings are sorry to say the truest form of Democracy because of the fact that it again brings the electorate in to the process. Yet there is a key issue, just like one that is with the voter assembly. When you move to ask the opinion of the general electorate in a move to be more open and democratic. You then open yourself and your issue up to manipulation and attack by those who on the far end of the other spectrum severely oppose them.

I can totally understand why Mcguinty does not wish to hold public hearings, because as much as Tim is a good man, as a politician I know he could not bite his tongue at the opportunity to smear McGuinty and the liberals rather then let a real process of discussion happen to determine if the people of Ontario really do support an HST without the manipulation and slander of the opposition.

This is greater to politics today. Rather then doing real research or investigation and putting

Dalton Days and Legitimizing Bob Rae 16 years later.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/mcguinty/article/721403---dalton-days-premier-likes-the-sound-of-that

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In 1993 the people of Ontario choose to intrust Bob Rae with the first NDP government to the west of Sask. ever. Partly out of anger with rival parties, but at the same time, there had to of been some reason as to why Rae was successful. Today Rae is considered a Canadian diplomat and Statesman. He is internationally recognized and respected for his ability to solve foreign affair issues.

Rae had some very interesting ideas, only problem....a recision at the end of the 1980's that dragged into the early 1990's put a unique twist on how and what was to now be implemented by the new NDP government. With a rising deficit and rising costs, Rae choose to go the route of freezing public sector pay and setting certain unpaid leave days aside that those workers would be required to take. Rae was met with a major backlash, his planned "Rae Days" being the core of the animosity in the province. And eventually in 1994 Mike Harris swept to control.

Here we are though 19 years later in similar circumstances. We are just bottoming out a medium level recession. Unemployment is at a high and Ontario is facing a ballooning deficit. The Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty is looking for any and all solutions to the rising government spending and to reign the deficit back into control. Ontarians are making less, yet the Public Sector workers of the province are in there own bubble, making the same as they typically would while others are suffering. The Premier has not begun to suggest that he is highly considering resurrecting the tactics of Rae. McGuinty is now suggesting that a pay freeze is required and unpaid days off are the solution to our money troubles.

If this happens, as it seems it will, in my opinion will totally legitimize Bob Rae and his actions back in the 1990s. You know what i think its time just to let this whole hate for Rae die. The people of Ontario have railed and bitched about Bob Rae for the past 16 years cracking jokes and belittling a Canadian patriot. Even when Rae was premier he was more liberal then NDP so when he joined the liberals it was abundantly clear that he would fall easily into place.

The issues of governing a province are vast and many, and by singling out a single solution that is again now being suggested as legitimate shows its time to let this hate for Rae go. McGuinty knows that we are in major trouble financially and in his mind its only fair to bring the Public Sector inline with the rest of the provincial wages. Thats fine. The reason you see this backlash is because, the backlash is coming from those whose wages are getting cut. If your a public sector employee...look your paid with our taxes, so take a breather and relax, take your days off and do something fun, you deserve a vacation.

We have to control government spending and reign in that deficit. If freezing the wages of those paid with tax dollars is a solution, then CONSIDER IT. The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, and many Ontario citizens are suffering financially, we must fix this.

With McGuinty considering and more then likely instituting a policy that was fashioned by Bob Rae I can no longer see any reason for anyone to bitch and complain about those Rae Days from the 1990s, it was a long time ago lets move forward. As for McGuinty, trust the man he is an elected official with vast experience and maybe he does know what he's doing.

Its time we move away from the issues of the past and look to the future for solutions of how we can fix the problems. They affect all of us and we must work together to fix them.