The one and only debate of the 2014 Provincial election has come and gone without much fanfare. The spin doctors from each of the political parties were all over social media and the post debate talk shows, cheering for their respective leader.
Now here's my take on this one and only debate. Each of the party leaders stuck to their message. Hudak and Horwath did what was expected of them and attacked Wynne for the actions of Dalton McGuinty. If I hear the words "gas plants, corruption, and scandal" one more time I will blow a gasket.
Hudak took aim at Wynne for not saying no to signing the paper that cancelled the 2 gas plants. These same 2 gas plants are the same ones that both Hudak and Horwath said in the 2011 election they would have cancelled, had they formed the government. Hudak knows all too well that when the party leader tells you to do something you do it as a member of the cabinet. The same can be said when Hudak was a cabinet minister during the Harris years when he signed the papers to cancel the Eglinton subway, close 28 hospitals, and fire 6200 nurses. Wynne failed to make it very clear that she was not Premier at the time, she was not the party leader, and therefore had very little control over this matter.
Horwath promised to raise corporate taxes by 1% if elected and said that the business leaders she's spoken with have no issues with the tax increase. Really, please list the names of the business leaders who are in favor of a tax increase. Wynne on the other hand will raise taxes on the top 2% of wage earners in the Province to help bring the budget into balancee by the 2017/18 fiscal year. Hudak will lower corporate taxes by 2% claiming that the lower tax would encourage business leaders to invest in Ontario and create jobs. Please Tim, tell us how that's worked out in the United States? All the proof points to the fact that lowering corporate taxes does not produce more jobs.
Hudak made a promise saying that if he does not create 1 million jobs he would resign from office. What Hudak failed to mention is that his 1 million jobs plan takes place over 8 years. So I say that if he forms government and does not create 125,000 jobs in his first year he should resign. 125,000 X 8 years equals 1 million jobs. Every leading Economist has said his 1 million jobs plan is a fraud. Regardless of who wins the election, the economy is slated to create over 500,000 jobs in the next 8 years.
I will say that whoever did the debate prep for Wynne should be fired. The using of the hands, her failure to directly look at both Horwath and Hudak gave me the impression that she was nervous, and also reminded me of the first debate between Romney and Obama in 2012. Obama tanked, but he hhad 2 more debates to turn things around and he did. Wynne does not have the option, and she really needs to step up her game if she wants to win this election.
Not one of the party leaders addressed the issue of the environment, and it further proves that all of them are more interested in saving their jobs. We all know that at least one of the party leaders will be heading out the door, maybe even 2 after this election. If Wynne loses the election I suspect she wil be gone as leader, and the same for both Hudak and Horwath.
The bottom line for me is that none of the leaders impressed me, and while I usually vote for the local candidate, this time I just don't know if I'm even going to vote.
