This week, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak came out with a swift policy decision in the light of the newly imposed Stewardship Ontario “Eco Fee”. Hudak announced that an Ontario Government with him as Premier would eliminate the Eco Fee; and it only took 13 days for him to decide this.
This begs the question, why has it taken so long for Tim Hudak to make a clear policy decision on the HST? The HST was announced 15 months ago, Hudak was there and aware of it. For those 15 months, as more details came out on McGuinty’s deal with the Reformatories, Hudak has had ample opportunity to state what he would do different about the HST. Would he scrap it, would he lower it? Would he do nothing? As recent as last week, one of his local deputies, Nepean Carleton MPP, Lisa MacLeod responded to a posting by your’s truly saying that “platform’s are released closer to the election” and that I was invited to take part in the discussion at a website. Funny. 15 months to “study” one of the largest tax grabs in Ontario that hits every service we use. One that hits us on how we heat our homes and get to work. That takes “thought” and “discussion” and “time”. However slap a “fee” on 9000 products that amounts to a few cents here and there and Tim Hudak has a clear action plan.
This does re-affirm something to me about politics in Ontario; we don’t have real leadership in this province. Take Dalton McGuinty, if you have half a brain you cannot believe a word said by him. He signed a pledge not to raise taxes but instead of cutting money to administration and special interest groups, he raises a “fee” on health care just to ply that money into Roads and Bridges. At least we’ll be able to drive to those hospital wait lines with minimal potholes, thanks Dalton.
Then look at Tim Hudak; With this leadership track record, I fear that unless some clear policies are announced while the electorate is still upset about the HST, the voting sheep of Ontario will continue to have the wool put over their eyes and vote Liberal.
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