Ontario Vote Countdown – Three more days to go...
Parties Platforms: start with governing party, the Liberals to Conservatives, the official opposition and the New Democrats, the other party in Government. The Green party, although has candidates in every riding is not included as it has to win a seat yet.
Liberal Party Platforms: * Continue levying health tax up to $900 per person.
Begins measuring emergency room wait times.
100 new medical school spaces.
Free PSA test for men and fertility test for women.
Electronic health records for every citizens by 2015.
Progressive Conservatives:
* Phase out Health tax over four years.
Electronic health care records by 2014.
Send out Premier John Tory to the U.S. to lure more than 9000 Canadian Doctors working there. (Come home sis and bro-in-law).
Allow more Private Clinics but only if Ontarians would be able to pay for care with OHIP cards (our health care cards, all residents have one)
Allow private sectors to build more modern Health-Care facilities.
New Democrats:
*Reduce health tax for people earning less than $80 thousands and eliminate it under $48 thousands.
Raise price of cigarettes by 17% to encourage smokers to quit.
Resume health care coverage for optical care, physiotherapy and chiropractic care removed by the current Liberals.
Minimum of 3.5 hours of personal daily care of residents of nursing homes.
Note: the NDP platforms look so good, but chances of winning the government is quite dim.
On Education:
Liberals:
**Expand kindergarten to a full day.
Ban trans fat from school cafeterias and require healthy menus.
Introduce on line Homework help.
$300 “textbook and technology” grant for post secondary students.
$10 Millions to prepare school to deliver Autism Therapy (I like this one).
Review school funding by 2010.
Conservatives: **$400 millions to extend funding to all Faith based schools following the Ontario curriculum and hiring accredited Teachers.
Annual Review of school funding formula.
Frequent standardized testing of students.
Limit homework to TEN MINUTES per grade level each night.
$75 millions annually to expand Autism therapy into classrooms. (Even better).
New Democrats: **$800 million to expand kindergarten to a full day.
$100 million to improve services for children with autism. (much better than the Liberals).
Roll back and freeze University and College tuition to 2003 level.(University and College fees are not fully funded, but subsidized to up to 60 % and student loans are available to qualified post secondary students).
$75 Millions more for School supplies so Parents would no longer to have to hold Bake Sales (True: some parents do hold bake sale to supplement their children school supplies).
I just post the platforms for two of the most important issues in our society. To check the rest regarding the Environment, Poverty, Economy, and download to Municipalities and Cities you may check the complete list at this PDF files..Political Parties Election Campaign Platforms here...
My comments: The polls show that the Liberal is still leading three days going into the polls. Polls survey give the Liberal 43%, Conservative 32% and the New Democrats 18%. The rest are for the Green party and other independent candidates. You may check the complete polls surveys by several polling agencies,surveys here.
The Conservatives going into the Campaign as the favourite to unseat the Liberals. But their Trojan Horse that may bring back the Liberals is the Promise of Public Funding to all Faith based schools that the Public is not quite ready to embrace yet. Although party leader John Tory, did a “wee bit” of backtracking that if elected Premier, he will allow a Free Vote on the issue. Maybe a little too late, because the issue even caused fragmentation within the Party Caucus.
On Matter of Referendum..Note; the parties are not allowed by law to campaign on referendum issue:
The YES VOTE: Allowing Mixed Members Proportional(MMP) Representations in Provincial Parliament. Explanation: if carried, the Parliament will be adjusted to 129 members from l07 by 2012, 90 of which will be elected directly by voters in 90 ridings and the other 39 from the Party List in proportion to their Popular votes..
The NO VOTE: Maintain the Status Quo or First Past the Post ( or a simple majority votes).
My Prediction: the NO Vote will carry the day. Voters, minority of which would like to see other parties, like the Green or even Communist Party get representations in the Parliament, the Majority still prefer the old system where Members are Accountable to both their Parties and the Voters of every riding. Most voters feel comfortable meeting their representatives face to face and talk about the issues of the day and that is not possible for party list members that represent no riding and only accountable to their parties and the chance of representatives nominated by their parties not acceptable to the General Public...I will vote a Big NO.
For Ontarians of voting age, no matter how you vote, Please go out and Vote this Wednesday, October 10, 9:00am to 9:00pm. Plenty of time before and after work. Or make sure to remind your employer that a THREE HOURS window is in effect and it is the Law. And even if not registered go to your polling station, (the list is available from Election Ontario) and register right at the Polls. Bring at least two ids with photo. Do not let others speak out for you... Vote...
