Tuesday, June 05, 2018

Tuesday Morning Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Ed Broadbent examines how Doug Ford's platform (such as it is) would only further enrich the wealthy, while causing catastrophic results for everybody else:
Just imagine waking up on Friday morning and having to hear the phrase “Premier Doug Ford” for the next four years.  His record as an enabler of the irresponsible and chaotic mayoralty of his brother in Toronto, and the clear ethical failings of the Progressive Conservative Party under his leadership, point to dark days for this province should he win the June 7th election.

Mr. Ford has campaigned on a promise to slash $6-billion from the provincial budget but has refused to specify how or where.  The mathematical inevitably of this scale of cuts could involve closing 36 hospitals, firing 28,000 nurses, closing 780 schools, and firing 20,000 teachers.

In addition, Mr. Ford’s commitment to “leave no stone unturned” when it comes to privatization, means all of our health care, schools and other vital public services are at risk.

The result of these cuts and privatization will be a much more expensive life for Ontario families.  Other damaging aspects of his plan include ignoring climate change, giving big corporations a $5 billion tax cut, and providing a huge tax benefit to the richest individuals in the province.

Mr. Ford’s extraordinary support from the most extreme of social conservatives and white supremacists should make us all concerned about any administration he would lead.  I have no doubt that electing Ford as Premier would bring divisive and destructive Trump-style politics to Canada.
- Toby Sanger takes a look at the tens of thousands of jobs which stand to be lost if Ford gets his way. And Tom Parkin writes that the NDP represents the responsible progressive alternative to know-nothing right-wing populism. 

- Daneil Summers discusses how predatory pricing is making an HIV prevention medication developed largely through public research funding inaccessible to the people who need it. And Julia Lurie exposes the lurid manipulations used to push opioids.

- Thomas Gunton highlights the irrationality of the Trudeau Libs' decision to waste public money on a Trans Mountain expansion.

- Finally, Chris Terry takes a look at British Columbia's electoral reform referendum - and its place in the pattern of making electoral results fairer and more proportional.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:22 p.m.

    "Just imagine waking up on Friday morning and having to hear the phrase “Premier Doug Ford” for the next four years."

    I think ON Liberals are liking the sound of this more and more. They couldn't ask for a better opponent to run against in 2023!

    They will probably be in power for 30 years after Ford is done dragging the PC brand through the muck.

    I hate all the ignorant comparisons to Trump. Trump is fighting for workers across North America. Unlike ID-politicking neoprog hippies who've done absolute nothing for workers – ever. Ford is all neocon. He's part of the "Resistance."

    Broadbent was also an enormous failure. He accomplished nothing during his leadership. His flaky institute is useless. Nothing but vacuum left of the 'far-right' neoliberal plutocracy in this crazy British colony. A self-righteous vacuum, but vacuous none the less.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous6:38 p.m.

    I haven't seen any comparisons of Doug Ford's $6 Billion asterisk to Ernie Eves $2 Billion asterisk in the Tories Ontario 2003 budget. Both Ford and Eves claimed that reductions of 'waste and mismanagement' would make up the shortfall. Apparently, during 8 years in power the Tories were quite tolerant of 'waste and mismanagement' until it looked likely they would lose the next election.

    Question: How much 'waste and mismanagement' did the Tories claim to identify before their defeat?

    ReplyDelete
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