I Agree Ian.....

But based on voter apathy and mental retention I wouldn't bring in the heavy guns until the ninth inning so Tory has a better picture of the fiscal picture and the voters will remember the broken promises made by the fiberals.

Tory offers little new as election approaches
March 26, 2007
Ian Urquhart

With just six months to go before a provincial election, an opposition leader has to start answering the "what would you do" questions.

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory recognizes this.

"It is fair for you and all Ontarians to ask me: `John, what would you do different?'" said Tory late last week in a speech to the Economic Club of Toronto. But his answers left us wanting.

The angry rhetoric was there about scandalous government "waste" and about the need for relief for the taxpayer from "punishing" taxes – although Tory never really sounds genuinely angry in delivering such lines.

But, with one or two exceptions, clear alternative policies were hard to discern.

One might have expected, for example, that accompanying his rhetoric about wasteful spending in last week's provincial budget there would have been some specific proposals for spending cuts. Not so. Instead, there was a pledge from Tory to identify $800 million in cuts "through efficiency," with a quickly added assurance that this would be done "without compromising any public services."

No echoes there of the 22 per cent cut in welfare benefits promised by the last PC opposition leader (Mike Harris).

Indeed, asked after his speech whether he would reverse any of the welfare or other spending initiatives introduced by the Liberal government in the budget, Tory said: "I can't think of one."

And in his speech, Tory lamented the absence of any new spending in the budget for long-term care facilities and farmers.

One might also have expected that, while bemoaning the plight of "the good, old-fashioned, hard-working taxpayer," Tory would have made a firm commitment to reduce taxes substantially. Instead, he limited himself to pledging to "begin to" eliminate the $900 health tax.

Again, that pales in comparison to Harris's promise of a 30 per cent income tax cut.

Some other examples from Tory's speech:

# On business taxes. Tory welcomed the budget measures to accelerate the elimination of the capital tax and to remove the inequity in business property taxes. But he added that he would "look at" implementing both measures more quickly.

# On municipal finances. Noting that the government has set up a panel to review the downloading of provincial programs onto municipalities, Tory said he would insist that its report be completed "not later than Dec. 31." It is now scheduled to report in February 2008, or about two months after Tory's deadline.

# On property taxes. Tory would cap assessment increases at 5 per cent a year. The budget would phase any increases in over four years. Neither measure challenges the basic principle of market value assessment.

# On gridlock in the Greater Toronto Area. Tory said he would "work with" other governments to come up with a plan. That is essentially what is being done now by the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority, established by the Liberal government.

# On tourism. Tory said that his government "would actually produce a tourism plan."

# On the financial services sector. Tory said he would "work with" the business community to ensure that this sector remains a world leader.

This is pretty thin stuff.

Of course, more details could be forthcoming as the Conservatives roll out their platform in the coming weeks and months. But, with the notable exception of funding for private schools (where Tory has yet to spell out his proposal), I doubt we will see much that sharply differentiates the Conservatives from the Liberals.

Instead, Tory will appeal to voters by promising "real leadership" in place of Premier Dalton McGuinty, whom the Conservatives will attempt to portray as weak and untrustworthy.

And that might be enough, for Ontarians have generally preferred centrist governments with managerial styles. The Harris regime was an aberration in this respect.

So the public might buy a leader who says he will maintain roughly the same policies as his predecessor but do the job better.

For voters looking for real change, however, it will come as a disappointment.

A footnote: One real difference between the Conservatives and Liberals was highlighted by the picketers who greeted Tory on his way into last week's speech. They were protesting his stance in favour of a private clinic proposing to do knee replacement surgeries. "I will embrace proposals like that," said Tory in his speech. The Liberals have rejected the proposal.


Ian Urquhart's provincial affairs column appears Monday, Wednesday and Fiday. iurquha@thestar.ca.