Won't get fooled again

Catholic New Times, Sept 26, 2004 by Vince Maloney

This morning prompted a feeling of nostalgia when I was presented with the bill for a prescription at my local pharmacy. Effective Aug. 1, instead of paying $6.11, I had to shell out $100. This has been an annual event, thanks to Mike Harris and the Tories. When I total the amount annually for my wife and myself, the dispensing costs exceed $200.

I remember the good old days under the Bob Rae government when all of the above costs were free and were paid for through income taxes, in other words, cost was based on ability to pay. Those people earning very high incomes paid more than those with moderate incomes.

Now, under the guise of the health premium, I expect to be forced to shell out hundreds of dollars to pay for my wife's and my O.H.I.P. It will be buried under the provisions of the Ontario income tax.

However, Dalton McGuinty somehow insists it is not an increase in taxes. Remember the promise to not cut or increase taxes during the last provincial election campaign.? One more example of the governing "Fiberals!" As for fairness and the ability to pay, Frank Stronach, multi-millionaire, pays only 50 per cent more than someone of moderate income. Where is there any mention of the ability to pay?

For those gullible public sector union members, who were persuaded by their leaders to vote strategically for the Liberals in order to defeat the Tories, they now can see the folly of their decision. The decision to relocate the jobs of OPSEU out of Kingston--the stark choice of moving to another city, selling their homes in an emergency situation, yanking their children out of school or taking a severance payment and facing possibility of a call-centre job or flipping hamburgers, makes for a dismal future.

Hopefully, it will become apparent that strategic voting was only beneficial for the Liberals. The old saying, 'fool me once, not my fault, fool me twice, my fault," it doesn't specify what happens after being fooled three times. Personally, I chose to support the NDP at its founding convention in 1961 and I see no reason to change.

Vince Maloney,

Kingston, Ont.