The official campaign of the Ontario provincial election which now takes place at a fixed time, every four years, began on September the 10th, 2007. Voting will take place October 10th. Mind you, the campaign has been going on for almost a year already, the official start means commercials and signage are allowed after the starting flag is dropped.

The Conservative leader, John Tory is either slightly ahead or slightly behind the Liberal leader and Premier Dalton McGuinty depending on which polling organization one listens to. In either case at this point if the election were held tomorrow it would result in a minority government.

Premier McGuinty is giving away piles of money with the look on his face like we should be adequately grateful, forgetting that it is our money to begin with. Tory is countering with the question, "why is the premier making these gifts before the election and not in the almost four years previous."

The most curious discussion comes from Tory's promise to provide funding to religious based schools. This includes the schools other than Roman Catholic schools, which were provided funding by at that time Progressive Conservative Premier Bill Davis, for whom Tory was an assistant. It is a hot potato, which lost the Progressive Conservatives the government.

One of the arguments against is that it will cost the government extra money which will be taken from public education. If the students that are in faith-based schools would be in public education would they not cost the same amount of money, which their parents pay out of their taxes?

McGuinty's comments in an advertisement, on the education issue are "You know what I love about our public funded schools? They're public! Whatever their race, creed or cultural background, our kids attend the same schools. Together. They learn together. Play and laugh and sing together. Help each other with algebra..." The irony is that McGuinty himself went to a Catholic school, and his wife taught at a Catholic school. I wonder if that means that he plans to get rid of Catholic schools entirely and revert everything to the public school system.

The Progressive Conservatives have no seats in Toronto, the capital of the province, which they feel is a sort of a black eye. They are trying to break into the city and that starts with Tory giving up his safe seat in Caledon and running in the riding of Don Valley West, where he grew up. He has taken on a tough challenge against the very popular minister of education, Kathleen Wynne.

Let’s not forget the other two parties: the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Green Party (GP). They are emphasizing their commitment to the environment by downsizing their campaign vehicles. While the PCs and the Liberals have buses, the NDP are going around the province in a SUV and the leader of the GP on a bicycle.

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