Nanny State Knows Best

By now my readers outside of Ontario must be sick of my constant harangue against the Ontario government. I apologize and hope to soon expand my tirades to be more inclusive of all Canadians.

However, Dalton McGuinty just keeps providing fodder. What else can I do?

And when you think about it, our problems become your problems by extension. If McGuinty buys up land to appease native reclamation conflicts and spends a fortune on policing, all he has to do is whine loud enough and then you guys have to help pick up the tab.

Now I'm not sure how our being forced to buy booze only in government-approved unionized venues affects you, (other than if you happen to visit this bastion of state-controlled socialism), but our underlying malaise will no doubt manifest itself in a self-fulfilling prophesy of increasing dependence on anyone other than ourselves. That means you guys out west.

Anyway, Dalton McGuinty obviously thinks that convenience store clerks and owners are some kind of subhuman species that can't be trusted:

"It's much easier for us to maintain security through the (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) and the Beer Store than to give that power to thousands of convenience stores," Mr. McGuinty said in response to a question. "Just look at the business with the OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.)"

Dave Bryans, president of the Ontario Convenience Stores Association is not amused:

Mr. Bryans said it was "unfortunate" that Mr. McGuinty linked the proposal to the lottery scandal because it involved a minority of retailers. Convenience store clerks regularly sell more adult products than any LCBO clerk and ensure they don't end up in the hands of minors, he said.

But never let facts get in the way of a good obfuscation, Dalton.

Meanwhile, the stink is leading us ever closer to the Big Cheese, with John Tory releasing ads of an alleged coverup, and confronting Dalton in Question Period about secret meetings:

For a second day in a row, Conservatives released information they say implicates staff in Premier Dalton McGuinty's office.

Mr. Tory said someone tipped him off to a meeting between Wilson Lee, chief of staff to the minister responsible for the OLG, and David Caplan, months before Mr. Caplan says he learned of the problems.

Representatives from the Premier's office told Mr. Caplan's representative that the insider wins issue was a public relations issue, "essentially saying, 'Don't worry your pretty little head about it,' " Mr. Tory said.

Mr. McGuinty did not acknowledge the meeting when it was raised during Question Period...

Well, obviously whatever actually happened was done for our own collective good. No doubt these issues are far more complex than our little minds could appreciate.

Now I'm waiting for the first state-regulated, heavily-unionized Popcorn Control Board of Ontario to be opened. I just hope it's near the Beer Store.

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Update: McGuinty fights back.

More at Jack's Newswatch.