The recent convention of the Provincial Progressive Conservatives (PC) was at a convention centre near the airport and the keynote speech by the leader Tim Hudak was well protected from anti PC demonstraters by many well costumed Japanese animators. Hudak spoke:
"Under (Premier) Dalton McGuinty, Ontario has become a have not province," said Hudak.
"Under a Tim Hudak goverment, health and education will be protected, but wasteful gimmicks will be junked. Dalton McGuinty has inflated Ontario's government by 77%.
We will lower taxes on middle class families: 5% on the first $75,000 of taxable income. That’s two hundred and fifty-eight in tax relief for a person earning $70,000."
"We'll allow income sharing, over $400 in tax relief for a two-income family earning $70,000. We will double the caregiver tax credit. We're going to cancel Dalton McGuinty's sneaky eco taxes. These taxes do not improve the environment. They just add to the family burden. Ontarians pay high electricity prices. We will remove HST from home heating and hydro bills. We will remove the Debt Retirement Charge (DRC) from your Hydro bill. The charge was imposed in 2002 to pay off Hydro's residual stranded debt. All of the debt principal was paid in full by 2010. But the charge was not removed ? It was extended to 2018."
"Almost the first thing the McGuinty government did back in 2003 was hike the basic rate of corporate income tax. Can you imagine a more job killing policy ? We'll cut the basic business tax to 10%. We will make it the law that the provincial government cannot raise taxes without a clear mandate from the people."
"Education spending will rise too, each and every year of our mandate, with a $2 billion increase in year four. Ontario has almost 630 different agencies, boards and commissions.
I believe in paying public servants what is fair. But I also believe in taxing Ontarians no more than is fair."
"Unions spend more money in Ontario elections than any of the political parties, but with much less transparency. Which means that public-sector bargaining in Ontario often puts union leaders on one side of the table, and politicians elected by union money on the other side. Who's looking out for the taxpayer? Dalton McGuinty can't do it. Ican.I will."
"We will end the Liberal indifference to victims of crime. Dalton McGuinty sat on the $31 million fund for victims of crime. A Conservative government will compensate victims with the money intended for them. Lawbreakers will use their time in provincial prison to repay society: picking up litter and raking leaves."
The motto of the convention was "Change". The public seems to agree this far, the latest Nanos poll shows the PC's at 41%, Liberals at 34%, NDP at 19%, Green at 5% and undecided at at 13%. The election is on October 7.
