Disgraceful "Working Families Coalition" Defines Anti-Family in Ontario...

It looks like the Working Families Coalition, a Union-backed Ontario Liberal Party front (see: Toronto Sun: Using Oscar for special attack: Blizzard), have kicked off their illegal campaign of slander and manipulation against all parties that are not Liberal in Ontario (see: Attack ads paint Hudak as Bay Street stooge), a well known tactic that they became famous for during the 2003 and 2007 Ontario Provincial Elections.

This disgraceful and unethical so-called "Working Families" Coalition has no interest in protecting Ontario's Working Families (as much as they would try to have you believe). No, they more accurately look to protect the corrupt and wasteful Unions in Ontario, with their six-figure-salary-earning Union Bosses, their drastically-overly-high wages for their Union Members, unprecedented pensions and benefits that are far above-and-beyond any kind of industry standard that true Ontario "Working Families" receive, and unfair and unrealistic jobs-for-life contract clauses that are bankrupting Ontario, eroding our services, and were obtained through corrupt workers strikes that withheld necessary services from Ontario's families.

Unfortunately, the truth is that the "Families" that the so-called "Working Families Coalition" are trying to protect, are not the same types of "Families" that include mothers, fathers and children. No, this Coalition is looking to protect an entirely different type of "Family". (And I'll just stop there out of the fear of a violent response from this Coalition's "Family" connections...)

Aside from the obvious reasons to fear this type of Corrupt Coalition in Ontario, another horrifying prospect is the underlying connections between this "Family" Coalition and the Ontario Liberal Party, not to mention their "Family Boss", Dalton McGuinty.

While Ontario's true "Working Families" have been struggling to survive under this scandal-plagued tax-and-waste McGuinty Liberal Government, the Ontario Unions have been living it up on a honeymoon that has been going on ever since he took office 8 years ago. Never has Ontario seen so many scandals after scandals after scandals after scandals, all the while increasing taxes at a record rate to cover these scandals of corruption overseen by the McGuinty Government. The McGuinty Government along with their Union buddies have effectively turned Ontario into a have-not province, and have left true Ontario Working Families starving and out in the cold.

If you live in Ontario, it's been impossible to miss the countless broken promises, scandals and new taxes that Dalton McGuinty has imposed on Ontarians; broken promises, scandals and new taxes that the "Working Families Coalition" is fighting to protect. Here are just a few examples:

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 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. "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.)

22. The Dalton McGuinty Auto Insurance Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty promised to reduce Auto Insurance rates by 10% during the 2003 election, he instead has done the exact opposite increasing Auto Insurance rates in Ontario to skyrocketing heights, and at the same time has allowed the reduction of insurance coverage with those new higher rates. Yet another blow to Ontario Working Families by the Dalton McGuinty Government. (See: Toronto Sun: McGuinty's insurance debacle and Globe and Mail: New auto insurance rules in Ontario.)

23. The Dalton McGuinty Eco-Fee Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty snuck in an Eco Tax along with the HST, and after outrage in Ontario from Ontario Working Families, along with a completely failed implementation by the Ontario Stewardship, he back-pedaled on the new (supposedly necessary as per McGuinty) tax. (See: National Post: Poor communication blamed for failed Ontario eco fee and Toronto Sun: Eco fees recycled.)

24. The Dalton McGuinty Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) - Where Dalton McGuinty imposed yet another tax, this time a massive tax that was applied on almost everything including: Home Heating Costs, Gasoline, Natural Gas, Electricity, Tobacco, Quit Smoking Aids, Newspaper/Magazine subscriptions, Fast Food (over $4), New Homes (over $400,000), Vitamins, Used Vehicles, Internet Access, Airfare, Bus fare, Taxi Fares, Haircuts, Hotels, Legal Services, Gym Memberships, Accountants, Real Estate Commissions, Lawn Care and Landscaping, Dry Cleaning, Snow Removal, Campsites, Audio Books, Home Renovations, Massage Therapy, Green fees for golf, Live Theatre, Hockey Rink fees and Hall rentals, Funeral Services, Fitness Trainer, Esthetician Services, Hunting and Fishing Licenses. This is how Dalton McGuinty helps Ontario's Working Families, by increasing taxes on everything they depend on to survive. (See: Dalton Sales Tax - Dalton's Sales Tax on Everything - HST News and Ontario Ministry of Revenue: What's Taxable Under the HST and What's Not?.)

25. The Dalton McGuinty Smart Meters Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty forced Ontarians to have so-called "Smart Meters" installed which impose Time-of-use pricing on Ontario's Working Families. The Time-of-use pricing is forcing Ontario Working Families to do their dishes at midnight, their laundry at 3am, and ensure to get their kids dressed and off to school before 7am in the morning, if Ontario Families don't want their electricity bills to skyrocket. The Smart Meters have cost Ontarians $1 Billion to implement, and have failed to provide the cost savings that they were touted to be able to do originally (even when Ontarians abide by the time-of-use recommendations). Not only is this hurting Ontario's Working Families, but it is making life impossible and completely unaffordable for Ontario's Seniors. (See: Toronto Star: What’s the return on $1 billion smart meter investment? and Financial Post: Lawrence Solomon: McGuinty’s reality.)

26. The Dalton McGuinty Skyrocketing Hydro Rates and disgraceful 10% so-called rebate Scandal - Under Dalton McGuinty, Ontario's Working Families have seen their Hydro rates skyrocket, firstly because of McGuinty's failed Green Energy experiments, second because of bloated Unionized Workers wages and benefits, and third because again of severe mismanagement by the McGuinty Government. As if the constant increases Ontario Working Families have already seen aren't enough, his Government has provided another low-ball estimate of rates rising another 46% over the next 5 years. Obviously this is just a pre-election number that will most likely increase 10 times over after the election. In addition, Dalton added his HST on top of these increasing rates, adding another 8% on top! Then, in order to manipulate Ontario's Working Families, McGuinty gave back a 10% rebate (for 5 years only mind-you), and made sure to glorify it on Ontarians' Hydro Bills, in yet another disgraceful attempt to manipulate Ontario's Working Families. (See: Toronto Sun: Expect a 46% hydro rate hike and CityTV: Hydro Rates Set To Skyrocket Over Next Five Years.)

27. The Dalton McGuinty Offshore Wind Turbines Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty forced Ontarians to accept that Offshore Wind Turbines would be created, completely dismissing health concerns raised by Ontario Working Families (citing studies that had been done which proved the contrary), and now just before an election he suddenly says that they are postponing it to perform a study on their safety? Typical McGuinty. Not only did McGuinty hurt Ontario Working Families with this flip-flop, he also hurt Ontario Businesses who invested in this technology only to see it scrapped, and also weakened Ontario's Global Reputation as it can no longer be trusted to follow through on its initiatives. (See: CBC: Wind farm decision not election-related: McGuinty and Globe and Mail: Ontario’s wind power ‘flip-flop’ draws ire.)

28. The Dalton McGuinty Green Energy Strategy for Solar Power in Rural Ontario Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty offered Ontario Working Families in Rural Ontario 80 cents per kWh if they implemented small solar power installations on their properties, only to renege on that deal and chop that rate to 58.8 cents, after many Ontarians already invested in the technology... Suddenly Ontario Working Families won't get that return on investment in the time they were told. Now Ontarians are looking at timelines of over a decade, and still after this latest price change, that is not even certain. In addition to the rate slashing, many Rural Ontarians are now being told that their contracts can no longer be fulfilled, after they've invested their retirement incomes into these Solar Power Systems. This is how Dalton McGuinty protects Ontario's Working Families. (See: Toronto Sun: Dalton McGuinty 's solar chop: Woodcock, Globe and Mail: Ontario's search for a solar system and CBC: Ont. goes ahead with large green energy projects.)

29. The Dalton McGuinty Samsung Deal Scandal - Where Dalton McGuinty awarded the Korean Conglomerate Samsung with "the mother of all sole-sourced untendered contracts", a sweetheart deal worth $7 Billion to develop Green Energy Technology in Ontario. In exchange for the deal, Samsung will get Ontarians to pay significantly higher feed-in-tariff energy rates for the next 25 years. Is this looking out for Ontario Working Families? What about looking out for Ontario businesses that could have done the same work that Samsung is being allowed? (See: Toronto Star: Tories seek probe into $7B green energy deal and Globe and Mail: Ontario's green deal raises ire of energy developers.)

30. The Dalton McGuinty Ontario Sunshine List's Skyrocketing Total Membership Scandal - Where under Dalton McGuinty, the number of Ontario Public Sector workers making $100,000 or more has skyrocketed from just over 12,000 members in 2003, to a whopping 63,371 in 2009, or in total, an over 500% increase while Dalton McGuinty has been Premier. And Ontario's Working Families wonder how taxes seem to constantly rise under Dalton McGuinty while the services provided in return are decreasing, because in addition to his Government's countless failures (see the 29 points above), he still finds a way to give them raises and push them into the six-figure salary range. Meanwhile, Ontario Working Families pick up the bill and can't afford to live. This is how Dalton McGuinty protects Ontario's Working Families? (See: Toronto Star Clipping from 2003: Strike overtime helps pad province's $100,000 club ; More than 12,000 on 'sunshine' list; Hospital network CEO highest paid and CTV: AGO gallery CEO is No. 3 on province's sunshine list.)

After these 30 examples of failures by the Dalton McGuinty Ontario Liberal Government, supported by the supposed "Working Families" Coalition, you would think that this would be it. But truthfully, there are many, many, many more examples of failures that have cost Ontario's true Working Families their entire livelihood. I think if I continue, we will all just descend into depression, so I will stop right here.

Now, with all of these broken promises, scandals and taxes, one would wonder how this coalition could be in anyway whatsoever trying to protect Ontario's Working Families. Working Families are not interested in protecting the very people who decrease their health coverage while raising their health care costs, purposely steal their hard earned tax dollars so they can go live it up at luxury resorts, thousand-dollar-a-night hotels, luxury spas, purchase luxury vehicles, have lavish parties, eat expensive dinners with expensive wine and champagne, get massages, manicures, pedicures and facials, buy flat screen TVs, video games, go to Theatre Shows, get Gym Memberships and Weekly Allowances, blow billions of dollars on failed initiatives, give millions and millions of dollars to their friends via government grants and contracts where there was no approval process and no accountability. All the while forcing Ontario's true Working Families to give up more and more of the money that they desperately need for them and their children to survive.

This is not a group of people looking to protect Ontario's Working Families. This Coalition is exactly the opposite of a group trying to protect Ontario's Working Families. The "Working Families" Coalition is the definition of everything that is anti-family in Ontario and they urgently need to be stopped.

The best thing that Ontario's Working Families can do to stop this corrupt "family" coalition, is to remove their "Boss" Dalton McGuinty and his party of greed and corruption from office.

This October's Provincial Election will be Ontario's TRUE Working Families' best and only chance to do so.

Let's finally remove this cancer that is killing our families here in Ontario.

--jackandcokewithalime

PS: Here is a great YouTube video that truly explains what the "Working Families" Coalition is all about, and how they work. Take a look:

This video was a great find from the following site: Ontario's "Working Families Coalition" explained. (Just giving credit where credit is due...)

(Image:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robin24/5034100202/sizes/l/ by Robin_24 on flickr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dalton_McGuinty_Crop_2.jpg by Joshua Sherurcij on Wikipedia
Compilation of the above images and title artwork created by jackandcokewithalime.
)