|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Posted on 10/02/2003 8:33:32 PM PDT by Leroy S. Mort
ORONTO (Reuters) - Voters in Ontario, Canada's richest province, turned their backs on Thursday on eight years of Conservative Party rule, handing an overwhelming majority to the Liberal government that promises to roll back tax cuts given by the Conservatives.
The Liberals, led by Dalton McGuinty, captured 71 seats in Ontario's 103-seat Legislature, compared with 25 seats for the Conservative Party of Premier Ernie Eves. The left-leaning New Democratic Party won seven seats across the province.
The Liberal Party's landslide win marked a stark reversal from the 1999 election, when it won 35 seats compared with the Conservative Party's 59-seat win.
The victory is the Liberal Party's second majority in Ontario in 65 years, the other one coming in 1987.
"The people of Ontario have chosen change," McGuinty told cheering supporters in his home district of Ottawa, referring to his campaign slogan of "Choose Change."
McGuinty won favor with voters by promising to stop corporate tax giveaways promised by the Conservatives and spend more on health, education and the environment. He says his spending plans, which include smaller school classes, a freeze in college tuition for two years and investment in cleaner energy such as wind and solar power, will not result in a deficit.
Ontario, with about 12 million of Canada's 30 million people, generates almost half of the country's $820 billion gross domestic product. It is home to Canada's big banks and to most of its auto sector.
McGuinty inherits a province whose economy is slowing and one that will need billions of dollars to build new power plants to avoid expensive electricity imports.
Hurt by SARS and a summer power outage, Ontario looks likely to run its first budget deficit in five years, says the Fraser Institute, a right-wing think tank.
The Liberals plan to replace dirty coal-fired power stations with cleaner facilities. They have given few details about their overall energy policy. The Conservatives tried unsuccessfully to create a competitive electricity market.
The Conservatives took power in 1995 promising a "Common Sense Revolution" that would cut taxes, increase jobs and eliminate the budget deficit.
Eves, 57, a former provincial finance minister, became premier in March 2002, replacing Mike Harris, who resigned.
Eves backtracked on Harris' plans to sell the Hydro One provincial power grid in a $3 billion initial public offering.
Late last year, he capped electricity prices for homes and small business, which is expected to cost the government billions of dollars in the four years the cap lasts.
The month-long election campaign was marked by bitter personal attacks, especially from the Conservatives.
A memo from Eves' office to journalists called McGuinty a "reptilian kitten eater." The Liberal leader responded by posing with stray kittens. He liked puppies too, he said.
On Thursday, however, Eves, who had said McGuinty was "not up to the job," said he wished him well despite both of them having "fundamental differences."
The Liberals plan to replace dirty coal-fired power stations with cleaner facilities. They have given few details about their overall energy policy.
Gray Davis - Coming Soon to a Province Near You
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Too funny!
A memo from Eves' office to journalists called McGuinty a "reptilian kitten eater." The Liberal leader responded by posing with stray kittens. He liked puppies too, he said.
Not for much longer!!
He should have called it the Liberal Shock and Awe Campaign
Only the breathing ones.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.