Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Andrea Horwath gets $200,000 of your tax dollars for nothing?

According to this report, the corporate fundraising arm of the ONDP has received $200,000 of your tax dollars for upgrades for making party HQ more accessible for Ontarians with disabilities, yet the party has seemingly sat on the money. This story, and Horwath's fuzzy math surrounding her billion dollar math mistake on education draw serious doubt on her party's commitment to progressive causes like advancing post-sec education and making Ontario more accessible.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Either Andrea Horwath and the ONDP can't do math, or they are misleading Ontario students

Greg Sorbara writes an open letter to the CFS over Andrea Horwath's fuzzy math in the ONDP platform in regards to post-secondary education funding

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Leadership on Healthcare



From a PC government that closed dozens of hospitals (with Tim Hudak personally playing a role as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health) and didn't even bother tracking wait times, to a Liberal government that has gotten results like the shortest wait times in Canada, opening 18 hospitals, hiring over 11,500 nurses and delivering almost 3,000 new doctors meaning 1.3 million people have a family doctor, Ontario's public healthcare system is on the right track.

Ontario Liberals will moving Ontario's healthcare system forward by creating home health care, to help every Ontarian, particularly seniors, have better access to healthcare services. Liberals are supporting families who work together to get through tough times with the new Family Caregiver Leave, allowing paid leave to hard-working Ontario families who need to support ill family members. We'll fight the battle against cancer with the creation of the Personalized Cancer Risk Profile system, help more Ontario families win the battle against cancer.

Liberals are also dedicated to improving child and mental health, so all Ontarians feel like belong.

A serious issue like healthcare needs a serious plan, and leadership to see thing through. Dalton McGuinty has that plan and that leadership.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

"Thanks for the jobs"


That's what one man who worked for the solar company next to the Ontario Liberal tent told me today at the International Plowing Fest. From providing the way forward to tomorrow's economy with the Green Energy Act to protecting and growing Ontario's agricultural economy, Ontario Liberals are standing up for farmers and the economy.


Over the last eight years, Ontario Liberals have made rural Ontario and its farmers a priority because Ontario's farmers put healthy, locally grown food on Ontario tables.

Agri-food provides 700,000 jobs and also contributes $33 billion to the provincial economy every year. To support farmers, Ontario Liberals created a risk-management program for grain and oilseed farmers four years ago. Now, we're making it permanent and expanding it to other sectors. Liberals worked with Ontario farmers to create a program that meets their needs, providing predictability, bankability and stability.

Both the PCs and NDP voted against risk management.
The Hudak PCs have flip-flopped on risk management, refusing to stand up to the federal Harper Conservatives who oppose it. And the Horwath NDP barely mentions agriculture or farms in their platform. Only the Ontario Liberals have a plan to keep building a strong and prosperous rural Ontario - one that will continue to support farm families for generations to come.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Ontario Liberals protecting the environment and moving Ontario forward




Ontario Liberals are taking the next steps to safeguard our environment for Ontario families. Liberals are protecting precious water resources for future generations with a Great Lakes Protection Act that will be the next chapter in clean water for Ontario.


The Liberal $52 million program will ensure that Ontario keeps its edge as a world leader in clean-water protection.


Ontario Liberals are clean up pollution hot spots identified by Great Lakes scientists and bringing these bays and harbours back from environmental decline so people can enjoy them again.


Ontario Liberals are working to prevent runoff such as phosphorous from getting into the Great Lakes by building the links between communities, farmers, industry and others so that everyone understands what they can do.


Ontario Liberals are reconnect Ontarians with the Great Lakes in their communities by promoting recreational opportunities, improving beaches and supporting community programs.


Dalton McGuinty is leading the way with environmentally progressive governments in North America, stronger drinking-water standards, endangered-species legislation and pollution laws — and we'll continue moving forward.


Under the last PC government, Ontario was one of the worst places in North America for environmental safety. The Hudak PCs would take us backwards — their $14 billion hole would mean deep cuts to environmental protection.

The Horwath NDP has turned its back on the environment — their priority would be to subsidize gas-guzzlers and they have consistently failed to support our progressive environmental initiatives like the Endangered Species Act, the Far North Act and the cosmetic pesticides ban.

Only Ontario Liberals will provide the strong, steady environmental protection that will ensure our children and grandchildren fully enjoy the beauty of our province.

Here's a video of Premier McGuinty talking to David Suzuki about the Ontario Liberal commitment to the environment:

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Dalton McGuinty leadership on education praised in The Economist

http://www.economist.com/node/21529014



Great article in The Economist about education reform and progress around the world, and Ontario is right at the top:





“Ontario really is impressive,” enthuses Sir Michael Barber, former head of global education practice at McKinsey (now at Pearson). The Canadian province has a high proportion of immigrants, many without English as a first language, yet it now has one of the world’s best-performing schools systems, after bringing in what one of its architects calls “reform without rancour”.

When Dalton McGuinty was elected Ontario’s premier in 2003, he embraced “whole-system reform”. Instead of directing reforms from the centre, the government encouraged schools to set their own targets and sent experienced teams to help them get there. Schools with large numbers of immigrant children could apply for special help, and could choose whether to extend the school day to do this, or work longer with the slower pupils.


With continued investment in education for families, from full day kindergarten to tuition cuts, Ontario's education system is on the right track.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Leadership on the economy



Premier Dalton McGuinty has said the tax rate on new investment by small businesses will be reduced by 55%. Ontario's economic strength depends on the strength of our businesses, large and small. That's why Ontario Liberals are working with small businesses to free up some of their resources so they can invest back into themselves and grow even stronger.

When the changes are fully implemented, the tax rate on new investment for small businesses will be reduced by 55% — good news for employers such as farms, retailers and smaller manufacturers. When small businesses succeed, we all succeed. They bring a lot to Ontario communities — good jobs, and great products.

The Ontario Liberal platform, "Forward. Together." includes the next steps to help small businesses. Ontario Liberals will:

-Triple the number of successful start-ups in the next five years by providing incentives for risk capital

-Enhance and increase support for young entrepreneurs, and for small and medium businesses to access new trade markets

-Create a new Southwestern Ontario Economic Development Fund and make the Eastern Ontario Development Fund and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund permanent.

Ontario Liberals have already cut the business tax rate from 5.5 per cent to 4.5 — which will fall to 4.0 per cent under the Ontario Liberal Plan.

The Hudak PCs $14 billion hole would also mean deep cuts to education, depriving us of the highly skilled workers who attract new business to Ontario. The Horwath NDP would introduce a crushing $9 billion in job-killing taxes. Both would take Ontario off track at the worst time.

Ontario Liberals are working to make Ontario the place to be when it comes to building your business. Only Ontario Liberals have a plan to keep Ontario moving forward, together.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Premier meets with first responders on 10th anniversary of 9/11

http://www.ontarioliberal.ca/NewsBlog/NewsDetails.aspx?id=Celebrating+Ontario%26acute%3bs+First+Responders


“Whether it’s responding to a call or volunteering in our communities, they make a real difference in our lives. Our police, our paramedics, our firefighters have all been there for us. Ontario will continue to be there for them.”

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Leadership for Ontario

"You want the politics of anger, resentment and division? That makes you feel good? Then Mr. Hudak is your guy. If you want to do things so that we can grow stronger together, build something better together - then that's what we're putting on the table."