In a move by Harper that appears to be a step toward actually forming a working relationship with the province of Ontario, money previously promised was released to the province by Harper. The $709million is to be used to boost public transit, hire more police and help workers in industries hit by the high dollar. The timing and the language used in the move seems to indicate that maybe Flaherty has been, at least for now, reigned in from his pugnacious attacks on the province and its elected government.
In a statement, Harper echoed that new feel-good tone, which contrasted with Flaherty’s claims that McGuinty is overtaxing Ontario into an economic slowdown.
“I want to congratulate Premier McGuinty and his government for developing programs that will use these federal funds to strengthen the Ontario economy, improve public safety, and expand the public transit system,” Harper said.
“Working together, our governments are getting things done for all Ontarians,” he said.
“Our government is committed to … an approach to federal-provincial relations that relies on respect for jurisdiction and productive collaboration to get things done for Canadians.”
Harper might agree with his pugnacious little pitbull but he’s no fool. He realizes he wont attract votes in Ontario if he allows Flaherty free reign. Even media from outside of Ontario had recognized the unmitigated audacity of Flaherty’s attacks and had spoken up. That is not the type of media that Harper wants spread too far.
Harper also hopefully realizes that Flaherty is playing with fire. If he keeps up his attacks and does convince business that Ontario is the last place they should be investing then he’s setting up the groundwork for Ontario to become one of the ‘have not’ provinces and thus entitled to be on the receiving end of the equalization payments that we have so long provided the revenue for other provinces. Gee wonder where that money will be drawn from? Wouldn’t have something to do with provinces swimming in black goo would it?
Meanwhile, back on the sidelines in Ontario, the talking head that Flaherty couldn’t manage to beat out for the leadership of the Conservatives provincially is squawking away from the sidelines. He’s on the sidelines because he’s such a winner that not only has he bombed when he tried to become Mayor of Toronto, he couldn’t win a riding and actually sit in the legislature at Queen’s Park.
His latest ranting is an attack on the civil servants of the province. He’s trying to claim that the civil service is bloated and needs to be cut. He needs to remember that his predecessor Mike Harris did that, then when it became painfully obvious that the cuts had gone too deep they then contracted the jobs out to private firms at often two to three times the money that was being paid to a civil servant.
The Liberals have been waiting out some of those contracts and replacing them with more moderately paid civil servants which then saves the province money. So, Tory, I suggest you take note of your federal cousins, and shut the hell up before you end up eating both feet instead of chewing on one.
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