A
not so slow downward spiral from our hard won support services here
in Ontario is happening under the Ford regime, almost daily we see
reports of this or that being cut or 'reviewed' (Ford speak for I've
already made the decision but will let the public let of steam for a
bit before I make the cuts irregardless)
Lets
look at just a few of the recent announcements, appointments and
opposition commentary.....
Ontario
is 'reviewing' 82 municipalities, a move that raises the possibility
of amalgamations and comes not long after the Progressive
Conservative government slashed the size of Toronto's city council
nearly in half. The province said that it has tapped two experts to
conduct the review of Halton, York, Durham, Waterloo, Niagara, Peel,
Muskoka District, Oxford County, the County of Simcoe and their
lower-tier municipalities.
Ontario's Environmental Bill of Rights,
requires the government to begin a 45-day public consultation period
as part of what it is calling its 10th-year review of the endangered
species law. The review of the act comes a month after the Ford
government axed its environment watchdog, and is part of a track
record of anti-environment policy decisions, according to opposition
MPPs and environment advocates. The government has also canceled the
cap and trade program — a market-based system to reduce
heat-trapping carbon pollution — and it has taken the federal
government to court to oppose carbon pricing.
The Ford government has decided to cut
approximately $15 million from the Ontario Trillium Foundation's
(OTF) 2018-19 budget.
The OTF is a provincial government
agency that provides funding to not-for-profit organizations and
charities in Ontario to help launch projects and cover costs for
major renovations and upgrades.
The Ford government passed legislation
just before Christmas eliminating three independent officers of
parliament. Claiming that they represented an "unnecessary
cost," the role of Ontario's environmental commissioner will be
transferred to the auditor general, while the functions of the child
advocate and French language commissioner will be moved to the
ombudsman.
https://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/9121888-doug-ford-s-pre-christmas-attack-on-accountability/
The
premier's new Council on Improving Health Care and Ending Hallway
Medicine, a handpicked panel of 11 senior administrators says says
the province "may not have the appropriate number of hospital or
long-term care beds to meet the health needs of the population,"
The council is led by
Dr. Rueben Devlin, the longtime CEO of Humber River Hospital, a
former president of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party and a
Ford confidant. He was appointed to the post the day the Ford
government took power last June but there is no conflict of interest
here eh!.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-premier-doug-ford-health-care-rueben-devlin-1.4997601
Thats enough of that for now, its too
depressing, but it should be noted that any 'consultations' promised
will in all probability just be a rubber stamp from appointees hired
by Ford and paid for with our dollars. The content of these changes
along with the speed and volume of 'cuts' in the name of
'efficiencies' should be of great concern to all Ontario taxpayers.
Beware what you wish for because the cowering Con back benchers sure
wont stop his premiership, they will however be 'efficiently'
silenced if they dare to disagree with his edicts.
Support Democracy - Recommend this Post at Progressive Bloggers
2 comments:
We cannot look to anyone but ourselves to protect the things we value, Rural. Hopefully, people will understand this before it is too late.
Unfortunately Lorne our very ability 'to protect the things we value' seems to be one of the things increasingly under attack!
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