I too keep wondering what McGuinty has done so wrong. Someone want to remind me?
With the Ontario Provincial Election coming up in October, and with Liberal Organizations like the "Working Families Coalition" out there spreading their pro-Liberal pro-Union agenda (see: Disgraceful "Working Families Coalition" Defines Anti-Family in Ontario...), I though it absolutely necessary to pull together a list with supporting details of 30 Dalton McGuinty Ontario Liberal Scandals that have taken place over his 2 terms as the Premier of Ontario (from 2003 to 2011).
Without a doubt, Dalton McGuinty is the most scandal-plagued, tax-spend-and-waste, unethical, integrity-deficient Premier that Ontario has ever had in its entire history. And even though this should be obvious to all Ontarians, McGuinty's gift of being able to talk his way out of anything often leaves Ontarians questioning their hurtful experiences and falling for his "Premier Dad" routine of manipulation. McGuinty could literally get away with murder by convincing Ontarians that "though this was not the easy thing to do, it was the right thing to do".
Given this gift of his, even I find myself sometimes caught up in his rhetoric about being responsible and taking our tough medicine even if it tastes awful, only to find myself later waking up in a proverbial hangover with my head pounding realizing that he got me once again! This is why I compiled this list of many of Dalton McGuinty's more publicized scandals (along with links to applicable news stories from reputable news organizations that have reported on them). Now every time I find myself questioning my disgust with Premier McGuinty, I simply just review this list and remember everything that he has done to Ontario and Ontarians.
Though this list has many Scandals, Broken Promises and New Taxes/Fees that Premier Dalton McGuinty has plagued Ontarians with since being elected, in no way is this a complete list. If you find that I have missed any Scandals, Broken Promises or New Taxes/Fees, please feel free to add a more posting and note them along with any supporting websites.
Without any further delay, here is the list. (Please note that this list is not in any particular order related to importance or timelines or etc.)
1. The McGuinty Ontario Health Premium - The highest tax increase in Ontario's history, implemented months after Dalton McGuinty was elected in 2003 on a promise to not increase taxes (even after signing a contract with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to not increase taxes). McGuinty justified his healthcare tax increase on Ontario's Working Families by saying that he inherited an unknown deficit from the previous Government, yet here we stand today in Ontario with the highest deficit that Ontario has ever had, literally multiplied by the McGuinty Government and Ontario's Unions. This was the first tax of many new taxes and user fees that Dalton McGuinty has imposed on Ontario's Working Families in order to support his Union Boss buddies and allow the scandalous corruption to continue. (See: Globe and Mail: The health care premium).
2. The McGuinty Delisting of OHIP Covered Necessary Health Services - Where after Dalton McGuinty promised not to decrease any health services covered by OHIP, and also not to raise taxes, he did both on the same day by implementing the Ontario Health Premium and delisting coverage of Optometry (Eye), Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Services for Ontarians. (See: Canadian Cancer Care Society: Mixed reaction to McGuinty government’s budget and Toronto Star: Hampton pledges to pay for delisted health services.)
3. The McGuinty eHealth Scandal - That cost Ontario's Working Families a Billion dollars in wasted tax dollars (and unprecedented delays in the computerization of Ontario's health records), and is a true definition of "gravy", a term that also defines McGuinty's wasteful mismanagement of the Ontario Government. Here we stand years after this initiative started and Billions of dollars in the hole, and still it is not completed. The eHealth failure was famous not only for its complete lack of progress, but also for its constant usage of sole-sourcing and untendered contracts to Liberal friends, along with scandalous expenses logged by useless consultants, eHealth Executives and Upper Management. "eHeatlh" has now become a term that is synonymous with scandal, waste and boondoggle. (See: Toronto Star: EHealth operation bled $1B and Toronto Star - Coverage of eHealth Ontario.)
4. The McGuinty Slush Fund Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty's Government gave $32 Million to Liberal friendly groups (in the form of Government Grants) over a 2 years span with no formal application process and no accountability for how the money would be spent. Just, "here you go, vote Liberal!" (See: Toronto Star: Insults and accusations fly in Ontario 'slush fund' affair and Toronto Star: New charges fuel 'slush fund' scandal.)
5. The McGuinty Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) Scandal - Where on the McGuinty Government's watch, there were multiple accounts of catastrophic corruption related to Lottery Winnings being stolen from Ontario families by Lottery Retailers, countless OLG insider wins, Ontario family tax dollars being corruptly given out via sole-sourced untendered contracts to Liberal friendly firms, and massive Ontario family tax dollar waste via the horrifying expenses by OLG staff again allowed by the McGuinty Government (in exactly the same way it was allowed in eHealth). (See: CTV: Ont. gov't scrambles to control OLG scandal damage and CTV: OLG: Billions in profits, but lots of headaches.)
6. The McGuinty CancerCare Ontario Scandal - Yet another eHealth-style scandal costing Ontario Working Families millions of dollars. (See: CBC: Cancer Care Ontario broke rules: audit and Toronto Sun: A 'scandal behind another scandal'.)
7. The McGuinty Municipal Property Assessment Corp. (MPAC) Scandal - Where on the McGuinty Government's watch, Ontario Families had their homes either significantly undervalued or significantly overvalued by the MPAC, resulting in either a huge loss of their home's value, or them being significantly overcharged for property taxes. When provided the auditor's report, the MPAC rejected investigating into the issue. In addition to their failures in providing the basic service for which they are employed, they also were caught in yet another eHealth-type expense scandal. (See: The Ottawa Citizen: Ontario auditor-general says MPAC shortchanges homeowners, hospital wait times not improving and National Post: Ontario's Audit.)
8. The McGuinty Children's Aid Society (CAS) Scandal - Where on the McGuinty Government's watch, Ontario working family tax dollars that were supposed to go towards vulnerable children in Ontario, were instead squandered on Luxury Vehicles, All-Inclusive Luxury Resort Vacations to the Caribbean and other vacation destinations, Gym Memberships and Executive Allowances for CAS Management. (See: CBC: Ontario children's aid societies misspent money, auditors allege, National Post / The Ottawa Citizen: Children's Aid funds misused, auditor says and Toronto Star: Opposition slams Ont. Liberals over CAS.)
9. The McGuinty Tire Tax - Yet another blatant lie by Dalton McGuinty where he said he would not implement a tire tax, and then went right ahead and implemented one (calling it a fee and not a tax, as to act like he didn't lie yet again). (See: Toronto Sun: Tired of all the taxes and Toronto Star - Wheels.ca: Costly tire recycling plan will replace one that only needs tweaking.)
10. The McGuinty Ontario Ministry of Health, Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN) and Ontario Hospitals Consultant Hiring & Expenses Scandal - Where under the McGuinty Government, yet again another eHealth-type of fiasco took place, where untendered contracts were awarded to consultants and lobbyists, in addition to lax expense controls leading to lavish world-wide vacations in thousand-dollar-a-night hotels, expensive lunches and boozy dinners all paid for by Ontario's Working Families. (See: Toronto Star: Ontario tightens lobbying rules after scathing report and Global TV: Ont. auditor general says rules on health consultants still not followed.)
11. The McGuinty Tax Collectors Getting $45,000 Severance Packages for switching their job titles from "Provincial" to "Federal" Scandal - Where when Dalton McGuinty implemented the HST in Ontario, he overlooked the severance packages that would be rewarded to Ontario's Tax Collectors who, though they would not be losing their jobs, would still get this massive payout from Ontario's Working Families (many of which can only dream about making $45,000 a year) for moving from the Provincial Ontario Government to the Federal Government. (See: Toronto Star: Tax collectors get $45K severance, keep jobs.)
12. The McGuinty Niagara Falls Commission Scandal - Yet another eHealth-type fiasco, where countless tax dollars from Ontario's Working Families were blown on fancy dinners, nights out, expensive hotels and countless other unethical expenses by Management at the Niagara Parks Commission, not to mention the usual untendered contracts and sole-sourced deals given to Liberal friends. (See: The Hamilton Spectator: Niagara Parks exec ran up $400,000 in expenses and Toronto Sun: Call in the auditor!: Blizzard.)
13. The McGuinty General Motors Auto Pensions Bailout - Where Dalton McGuinty, after rejecting for years that Ontario taxpayers wouldn't be expected to bail out the GM Pensions (as many Ontarians don't have pensions themselves), Dalton McGuinty like usual, went ahead and broke that promise and provided Ontario Working Family tax dollars to GM to bail out their auto pensions. (See: National Post: Canada may hold stake in GM until 2018.)
14. The McGuinty Nortel Pensions Bailout - Where again, Dalton McGuinty for years said that Ontario taxpayers shouldn't be expected to bailout the pensions of private companies, as many Ontarians don't have pensions themselves, went ahead and bailed out Nortel's workers' pensions in an effort to buy votes for a by-election. (See: CityTV: McGuinty Shrugs Off Accusations Of Vote-Buying With Nortel Pension Guarantee.)
15. The McGuinty Workers Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) Tax Increase - Where Dalton McGuinty's Government allowed the WSIB to mismanage itself so horribly, that after years of lax controls, the WSIB had to increase rates on Ontario Businesses in order to recover from its failures. (See: CTV: New Year brings hydro rebates in Ontario plus higher EI and CPP premiums and Northbay's The Bay Today: CFIB blasts the WSIB’s hike in payroll taxes.)
16. The McGuinty Nanticoke Coal Power Plant Shutdown Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty, in the election in 2003, promised then to shut down all Coal Power Plants by 2007, and then later admitted to breaking that promise, and instead said they would all be shutdown by 2009. Now, in prep for the 2011 election, McGuinty is saying that all Coal Power Plants will be shutdown by 2014! Yet another blatant lie and broken promise by Dalton McGuinty against Ontario Working Families. (See: CBC: McGuinty takes blame for broken promise on coal plant closures and Toronto Sun: Dalton McGuinty’s mind games: Goldstein.)
17. The McGuinty Caledonia Scandal - Where the McGuinty Government has been turning a blind eye to an illegal protection racket run by militant natives who have assaulted citizens and police officers, and Dalton McGuinty has prevented them from taking back control of Caledonia, all for the fear of another Ipperwash type scandal (see: Ipperwash Crisis - Wikipedia). McGuinty has once again turned his back on Ontario Working Families, this time those living in Caledonia. (See: National Post: Caledonia redux and National Post editorial on Dalton McGuinty's Caledonia policy: 'The coward at Queen's Park'.)
18. The McGuinty G20 Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty implemented illegal regulations to enable the police to detain people during Toronto's G20 summit without cause. Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin said in regards to the McGuinty Government's G20 actions, "For the citizens of Toronto, the days up to and including the (June 26-27) weekend of the G20 will live in infamy as a time period where martial law set in in the city of Toronto, leading to the most massive compromise of civil liberties in Canadian history". (See: OmbudsmanOntario.on.ca: G20 law was 'massive' breach of rights, Marin says (Toronto Star) and Toronto Star: Report details ‘shocking’ abuses at G20 summit.)
19. The McGuinty Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN) Review Delay Until After October Election - Where Dalton McGuinty purposely delayed the Auditor's review of McGuinty's much-loved LHINs, who via freedom of information inquiries has been found to be yet another eHealth type fiasco. The LHIN scandal is different in that many of the findings from the report happened after McGuinty implemented regulations to stop further eHealth type fiascoes. Where McGuinty has been protected before by saying these scandals happened before these new regulations, the LHIN scandals happened afterward, proving the continued complete lack of oversight and mismanagement by Dalton McGuinty of Ontario Working Families' tax dollars. (See: CBC: McGuinty says LHINs can do better and Newswire.ca: McGuinty Blocks LHIN Review to Hide Another eHealth-Style Insider Scandal.)
20. The McGuinty Government has made Ontario Tuition Fees the highest in Canada - Ontario College/University Tuition fees have skyrocketed under Dalton McGuinty to become the highest in Canada, again making life extremely hard for Ontario's Working Families to send their children for post-secondary education. (See: CP24: Ontario university students paying highest tuition fees in Canada.)
21. The McGuinty Foreign Scholarships Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty, after continuously raising College/University Tuitions for Ontario students and making Ontario Tuitions the highest in Canada, then goes and gives free scholarships to foreign students. (See: Toronto Sun: Don't send our scholarships to China: Zimonjic and Toronto Sun: PCs would flunk plan to fund foreign students.)
