The Star's Campaign Against Poverty Is A Farce

OR their editorial on the accomplishments of McGinty is......you be the judge. Personally I find McGinty's accomplishments lacking in substance. We hear much about what he is going to do but little about what he has actually done.

Successful session for Ontario's poor
June 07, 2007

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty brought a turbulent sitting of the Legislature to a close Tuesday, signalling the start of a busy summer of unofficial campaigning by all parties ahead of the Oct. 10 election.

For McGuinty, the summer break puts an end to weeks of opposition attacks. First, he was accused of turning a blind eye to security concerns in provincial lotteries. More recently, he had to fend off allegations the Liberals doled out millions of dollars to cultural and ethnic groups, some with strong party ties, with no regard for accountability.

Despite these damaging volleys, the sitting was one of the most important since McGuinty came to power in 2003. In its March budget, the Liberal government laid the groundwork for a sweeping plan to combat poverty, especially among children, by pledging to raise the minimum wage and creating a new child benefit.

Taken together with measures the Liberals have introduced in health, education and other areas, McGuinty's focus on our most vulnerable citizens has pointed the province down a progressive path.

A centrepiece of Finance Minister Greg Sorbara's budget was the government's pledge to increase the minimum wage from $8 an hour to $10.25 by 2010. While the Star argued the rate should have jumped to $10 immediately, this 28 per cent raise over three years will still help pull many of our lowest paid workers out of poverty.

Another key part of the government's anti-poverty strategy is a new Ontario Child Benefit aimed at low-income families with children, whether their parents work or collect welfare. Under the $2.1 billion plan, such families will receive an annual payment of $250 for each child under 18 starting this year, rising to $1,100 per child by 2011.

Combined with the province's long-overdue move to end the clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement from families on social assistance, as well as a 2 per cent increase in welfare rates, the new provincial benefit means many poor children will come out ahead.

The spring sitting also saw the passage of other important measures. The government continued to roll back the excesses of the previous Conservative government by moderating the widely criticized "zero-tolerance" approach of the Safe Schools Act and striking a better balance between keeping schools safe and helping problem students.

It passed a law that will make it easier for patients to find out if health-care providers have been found guilty of malpractice.

The government also cracked down on street racing, and saw through to its conclusion the public inquiry it had called into the 1995 shooting death of native protester Dudley George.

Four months before the vote, the campaign now begins in earnest.

McGuinty's main challenge will be to rebut opposition attempts to paint him as a serial promise-breaker. He also will have to tell voters how he will build on his solid record if they give him another mandate.

For Conservative Leader John Tory, facing his first general election, it will be a time to stake out where he stands on key issues. That process will start tomorrow at the party's convention in Toronto. My advice is not to make too many promises.......

NDP Leader Howard Hampton also needs to set out his agenda, and figure out how to capitalize on momentum from recent by-elections.

But for all the provincial party leaders, one thing is for certain. With a fall election looming, this summer will be no vacation.