10 Liberal “big ideas,” 10 broken promises

Kathleen Wynne will do and say anything to get elected

This morning, the Wynne Liberals released the top 10 ideas that came out of their policy consultation process. But, the people of Ontario know better. The Wynne Liberals can’t be trusted. They will do, say, and promise anything to get re-elected. The Liberal record over the last 15 years speaks for itself:

Financial literacy and functionality as a requirement for high school graduates

• The Liberals first announced that financial literacy would be a part of the school curriculum in 2011, but today they are still making re-announcements while students are being left behind.
• As renowned Canadian entrepreneur David Chilton said, “Premier Wynne argues we should emphasize financial literacy more in education system. She’s right. And she needs to attend those classes.”

Improve access to post-secondary education

• Under the Liberal Government’s watch, Ontario is home to the highest tuition fees in the country.
• As a result of Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals’ inaction, Ontario college students were locked out for the longest strike in provincial history. That’s not what people would call “access to post-secondary education.”

Charge Nestlé and bottled water distributors more

• Canadian Press reporter Keith Leslie was dogged in his coverage of the Wynne Liberal government’s inaction on this file. 
• Clearly, local Liberal MPP and GO Train enthusiast Liz Sandals didn’t vote for this policy, as she famously said opposition to Nestlé was based on “misinformation.”

Free dental cleaning for seniors

• The Liberals were silent when the Ontario PCs announced a fully-costed dental care program for low-income seniors in November 2017.  

Invest in child care to make it more affordable for the middle class

• The Liberals have been in power for 15 years, and under their watch, young Ontario families have seen child care costs skyrocket to some of the highest in the country. In fact, Toronto is the most expensive city in the country for child care.
• Not only that, but the Liberal government’s politically-motivated, overnight hike to the minimum wage has made child care in Ontario more unaffordable and more unattainable.

Invest in transit and expand GO service

• Let’s take a minute and look at the Liberal’s record of broken promises on GO service:
  • Two-way all-day GO service to Kitchener-Waterloo by 2019. Now they are saying all-day service is only “feasible” by 2024.
  • In the 2014 election, Wynne Liberal MPP Jim Bradley said that Niagara GO service was a “very, very high priority,” and that he could “see it coming in 2015.” Well, it’s 2018, Jim. We’re all still waiting.
  • Milton is one of Canada’s fastest-growing communities, yet it isn’t expected to get all-day, two-way service until 2041.
• The Liberals have a track-record of failing to deliver projects on-time and on-budget. Ontario families have no reason to trust them on this important file.

Invest in the fight against climate change

• Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals’ idea of fighting climate change is shipping billions of dollars to California, and subsidizing luxury Tesla cars for millionaires.

Affordable housing: support non-profits in the delivery of affordable housing

• The Toronto Star’s headline writers have summarized the Liberal’s record accurately:
  • Ontario’s affordable housing wait list grows, Toronto Star, May 25, 2016
  • Ontario supports developers over providing affordable housing (Mike Layton), Toronto Star, January 25, 2018
  • Ontario badly botches affordable housing policy, Toronto Star, January 26, 2018

#kidscantwait for mental health treatment

• The Liberals are right – #kidscantwait, but a hashtag is not going to fix the youth mental health crisis they have ignored. Here are some quotes from recent pre-budget hearings:
  • “It has gotten to the point that, on our campus, if you want access to a psychologist or a psychiatrist, the psychologist is a four-week wait, but for a psychiatrist, you’re looking at months. For my friend who booked an appointment with a psychiatrist in November, they can’t access a meeting until April.” – Roch Goulet, OUSA Member
  • “We have called for investment each and every year with little response by government. We’re losing too many kids from suicide. It’s way past time to act.” – Kim Moran, Children’s Mental Health Ontario
• When Ontario PC MPP Lisa MacLeod asked the government to make record investments in mental health this past winter, the Minister of Health thought it was appropriate to make a joke about a bank from the 19th century. Ontarians are still waiting for an apology. 

Cover all medications for cancer patients – regardless of age

• Critics have been decrying the Liberal’s funding of cancer treatment for years. It’s only now, in an election year, the Liberals are even bringing this up.
• Besides, who can forget when the Liberals handed out untendered contracts to insider friends instead of giving Ontario patients the care they deserved.