Mr. Tory announced that if elected, a Progressive Conservative government would establish a 5% annual cap on property assessment increases for as long as a person owns their home.
"Dalton McGuinty has failed seniors" who still live in their own homes, Mr. Tory said.
This is another issue of fairness. Seniors on fixed incomes should not have to worry about exorbitant property tax increases. Feeling independent for as long as possible is a crucial issue for seniors. It is a matter of pride and respect. Failing health is enough of a worry. They don't need to be taxed to death before they actually do die.
On a tactical level, this is brilliant. Boomers are entering their retirement years now and they are looking for advocates.
Meanwhile on the election front, all three major parties seem stuck according to SES president Nik Nanos:
With only 14 days left in the campaign, the poll shows the Liberals with 41-per-cent support of committed voters, the Progressive Conservatives 33, the New Democrats 18 and the Green Party eight.
Nanos observes that with Tory at 31 per cent and McGuinty at 29 per cent, "they are in a statistical tie for best premier"and that "no one really has the upper hand on the leadership front". This could be a problem for Tory with his slogan "leadership matters."
Nanos suggests that the Conservative campaign has failed to attract female voters:
The campaign has focused more on issues that appeal mainly to men, such as promise- breaking, taxes, nuclear power and cracking down on what the leader has called "illegal occupations" by native protesters.
Well, I think that's a fairly sexist comment. Keeping your word is important to women too. I'm not at all sure that the issue of integrity only matters to men.
I don't think Toronto mom Fiona Marshall would agree with Mr. Nanos either (Lying to 'mom' could be costly on election day):
I'm definitely not going to vote Liberal," said Fiona Marshall, the leader of the outdoor fitness class for new mothers, and a former teacher herself.
As her eight-month-old daughter Ailie plays on the grass, Ms. Marshall explained that while she voted for the party in 2003, she cannot do it again.
"This is a 'mom' thing to say, but we don't lie in our house. You don't make promises you can't keep."
Ms. Marshall said the Liberals' problem clearly went beyond the financial problems they inherited after taking office. Mr. McGuinty cannot lay the blame there for the many promises he did not keep, she went on.
"Wherever my politics lie, morally I can't support a party that has done basically nothing that it promised to do around education," Ms. Marshall said.
"I'm normally left of Liberal. But for the first time in our house, we're talking about voting right."
The Society for Quality Education appears to support Ms. Marshall's viewpoint - McGuinty hasn't delivered on his promises.
Former BC Liberal Education Minister Christy Clark also berated Dalton McGuinty for his broken promises and hypocritical attitude on Faith-Based funding.
John Tory can only hope that there are many more Fiona Marshalls out there; especially in Toronto.
22 comments:
Oh my gosh! Could we offer B.C. a trade? We give them McGuinty and we get Clark!!!
What a forward and fresh-thinking Liberal Ms. Clark is. Clearly, I'm betting that all parents, not just those of autistic children are wanting to move west where they'll be respected and supported for their choices.
Could we offer B.C. a trade? We give them McGuinty and we get Clark!!!
Yeah, no kidding! If that happened, I could see myself changing parties.
I have a student teacher in my family who is being pressured by the teacher unions to "vote Liberal". He told us that many younger teachers simply "don't want to". Many support other parties and intend to speak for themselves and ignore their union calls.
I feel really bad for new young teachers being indoctrinated in this way.
If teachers are such week-minded individuals who can be bullied and told who to vote for, that's doesn't leave me very confident for our students.
Sad. Then again, with union contracts coming up for renewal and the ETFO already in campaign for more money, fewer responsibilities, I'm figuring that should McGuinty win he'll simply bend over for the teacher unios like he did before.
Then, he'll move to ONE SYSTEM.
TangoJuliette sez:
sidetracking Dolt'n.
Some years back -- up North, near Owen Sound, aged family members were part of a local grass roots initiative movement that raised $13,000,000 [thirteen million dollars Cdn.] for a new and improved local hospital, funds to be matched by the then Mike Harris Ont PC's.
McGuinty "killed" that program. Thriteen Million now locked away and untouchable, as the money was specifically raised for "The Hospital Project."
Relatiaves in their ninties have to be brought down to Kitchener Aterloo or th London, for eyecare, Cancer tretment and the like. The ancient local hospital, through its limited ER hour of operation, and limited staffing levels, now is the only source of medical care for most of the thousands of residents in the region.
John T gave Dalt a great football for diversionary purposes -- and McGuinty has deceived most Ontarionians with the ruse -- including the PC MPP in whose riding this hospital problem exists. But aall he's concerned about is Faith Based Schooling? Thanks John. Thanks Dalt. Thanks dumbass local PC MPP.
My elderly and dying relatives, all in their nineites, have harsher words for all of you.
I{t surre looks like publicly financed [RC]faith based schooling does harm the minds of the students -- if "segregationist" Dalton's caring for truth and the elderly is any measure to judge by.
Hey Hey
Ho Ho
dear old Ontario -
vote team HoJo
Not team Pinnochio!!
tj
t.e.&o.e.
Dolton McGuinty is Teacher's Union pet - there has been no progress in education outcomes under these Liberals, just positive marketing spin from the Unions because Dolton is giving them our $600 'health' tax.
Tango, are you talking about Bill Murdoch? Yeah, he fell for the diversion alright. So apparently did his constituents.
It sure looks like publicly financed [RC]faith based schooling does harm the minds of the students -- if "segregationist" Dalton's caring for truth and the elderly is any measure to judge by.
I was thinking the same thing.
Hey Hey
Ho Ho
dear old Ontario -
vote team HoJo
Not team Pinnochio!!
That's catchy! I think we should run with that one!!
TangoJuliette sez;
Yup. Bill Murdoch [and his ilk] and easily mislead Ont PC supporters, disgustingly distracted and confused, swallowing the hate-mongering tripe doled out daily like communion for the easily-confused by our segregated/segregationist Premier.
Dalton McGuinty is an obfuscating dissembler of truth, and a denier of reality. He shall ruin this province, and shall undermine the health of the country, if he retains power here.
tj
sorry about the typos in myprevious post.
I find that sort of bad "typing" distracting when I read it in other writing - therefore, read my lips! I promise not to raise the typo count in future missives.
Hey-hey!
Ho-HO!
Premier Pinnochio
has got to go.
The "concealed deficit" Dalton claims to have been saddled with. Much of the Harris-era upheaval was set in motion by Fed Liberal Paul Martin Trnsfer of Payment cut backs. Whenever Harris raised the issue, complained about it, asked for more money from Ottawa, Dalton was right quick to call it all "Conservative Fed-Bashing."
Obviously, Harris didn't "fed bash" hard enough. John Tory, better start pounding the tar out of Dalton -- for the next 14 days or so. And if Dalton, smirking, smarmily states, "My, John sure sounds angry and negative..." that's probably because that's a reflection of how most tax-payers of Ontario feel about McGuinty. we ARE angry! We ARE negative.
Premier McGuinty is not anything to be happy and positive about.
tj
I despise that, Unions directing members how to vote and pressuring them. Can you image the up roar if my Base Commander was to suggest to military members how they should vote. Sweet posies, the outcry would be enormous.
TJ, you're on a roll today. ;)
Kingston, yeah. It's disgusting. If the teachers buy into this type of coercion, I have no respect for them.
As Anonoymous said, If teachers are such week-minded individuals who can be bullied and told who to vote for, that's doesn't leave me very confident for our students.
Bang on.
I have a question related to teachers . I have heard that the teacher shortage in Ontario is now over and that one of the teacher unions has actually asked teaching faculties to cut back on admissions. Is this true?If it is why is the education premier telling students this truth?
Also, I'm hearing that lots of new teachers aren't getting teaching jobs in Ontario. Same deal as in the 1970s. Local new, young teachers in my area are leaving for Austrailia, Europe or out west, BUT, there's a new deal where already-retired principals/teachers can fill in and take jobs ahead of the new grads. What nonsense is this? Why are we paying off teachers to take early retirement and then let them take jobs away from young, new blood.
I don't know the answer to above anon. question but I do remember Cam Jackson raising this in the house last year with Bentley. Seems that parents were complaining because an education faculty over-accepted 200 more students than they could accommodate, so they had to relocate a bunch. I think that the response from the Liberals was to deny it was happening under their watch.
It's likely in hansard. I remember the discussion only because a local parent who has a kid in Laurier(1st year)had found a room-mate in Brantford who was relocated from Nippissing because of lack of accommodations.
I had heard that the only hiring of new teachers is as fill-ins for short/long term absences or mat. leaves. Also, that the issuing of registration numbers was so slow this year that it prohibited new grads from landing work.
I heard that male elementary, French and Computer Techs teachers are in demand, but few others.
What with a declinine enrolment in most of the province, I think that the news of a teacher shortage being over is long overdue. As is an explanation to new student grads.
Jo -- Regarding Anon's comment regarding voting Liberal. In both my husband and my experience, what is probably happening is that teachers are being bombarded with flyers and notices galore in their mail boxes and by their school union rep.in staff meetings, over lunch, etc.
The peer pressure must be tremendous!!!
The bottom line is,however, we have a secret ballot in this country and no one will REALLY know who anyone votes for.
So, tell all your readers if they know a teacher, new or otherwise, tell them to listen and say what they want BUT vote as they please. And, then, be surprised when John Tory wins!
Regarding the Owen Sound hospital money that was raised and now frozen, the best persons to check with would be Bill Murdoch or Tim Hudak. Just get Anon to google one of those MPP's and ask them for an answer to that question.
Hello Joanne - If what anons. saying is true and new grads aren't being hired in Ontario, how can McGuinty have claimed to have hired "new teachers"(could these be recycled retired teachers, or ones already in the system?)
Wouldn't this amount to another promise broken and a twisting of the facts according to the governing party?
How to we find out if this is true or not? Know any good investigative journalist?
K.
Jo -- Having taught in teacher education with close friends still in the field, I need to clarify that there is still a teacher shortage in some geographical areas of Ontario as well as in some subject areas.
Given that it is a free country, it is hard to shut out some applications. We are always behind the curve and in a few more years, there will no doubt be another shortage. Then, it's very difficult to catch up.
What really happens is the job search becomes VERY competitive. But, boards like the choice and hire the best.
Prospective student teachers also have a responsibility to research the market in their subject area and decide whether they should apply or not.
Remember, the gov't shut down med school applications ten years ago and now is desperately trying to catch up. But, to catch up it takes years.
One of the problems with limiting enrollment is you end up with the students with the highest marks. And, sometimes the best teachers don't have the highest marks. It's a tough call.
Re Anonymous -- K
Retired teachers cannot be hired back into the system. There are pension rules. They can teach 1/2 time for three years. And, that is it. In fact, some boards, won't even allow retired teachers to supply. The "unions" won't allow it.
If any of your readers know a recent graduate who still doesn't have a teaching job, tell them to be mobile and be ready to move. There are jobs out there. Also, they can look to those "faith-based" schools. My "retired" husband is teaching his 3 years at half time in one of them.
Thanks for helping us out here, Sandy. I appreciate it.
Replying to Anon. and K and Sandy.
With all due respect Sandy, we here in middle Ontario, have principals who have been retired for years back in the system.
We have no full-time teaching jobs(according to the board director).
I recall reading something in a newspaper recently about what anon. said about the unions advising post-secondaries to cut enrolment numbers.
the union lemmings like to believe that all educators are lemmings too. They're naive to think that. Harris would not have got backtoback majorities if that were the case.
Joanne -- Regarding retired teachers teaching after retirement. If they are found to teach more than allowed by the Ontario Teachers Pension Board, their pension will be cancelled immediately. There is no leeway here. They can't even teach on contract. In fact, the unions are so strict, a retired teacher cannot even go back and do something else, like custodian, in a publicly funded school board.
There are some minor exceptions if a retired teacher is in a private school. But, in terms of teaching. No exceptions.
95 days or the equiv for three years.
However, because of the teacher shortage , there was a window from August 2001 to 2006. Once that window closed, the three years apply unless you retired before 2001. In a case like that you had to count whatever you did before the window. So, even if you only supplied for 15 days in a year before the window, it is counted as a full 95 day year.
Being on pension, my husband and I know the rules only too well.
The bottom line is it is the unions who don't want retired teachers. They can only be half-time and don't pay full union fees. They want the young ones.
They want the young ones.
Thanks, Sandy. It's amazing they can get away with that. It's like some kind of age discrimination.
Good read here from the Post:
Failed education reform: don't blame the unions.
On the Post article:
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Getting the fox out of the hen house -- indeed!
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