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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Walking a Mile in Someone Else's Shoes

After months listening to Ontario politicians and the national media crying a river about how Ontario has had to stoop to collecting equalization payments I believe I’ve finally figured out what all the fuss is about.

The shame they are now wearing on their sleeve hasn't come to them because Ontario’s economy is on a downswing. It is, but that can happen anywhere.

It’s not even that Ontario doesn’t want to accept handouts from Ottawa, they do it all the time in other ways.

No, the reason for Ontario’s new found state of mental depression is that the province doesn’t like to receive their handouts in such a transparent and public way.

You see doing so makes it very difficult to continue pretending that Ontario is somehow better than the rest of Canada.

How many of us remember the words of Ontario’s interim Tory leader, Bob Runciman, when he told the Globe and Mail, “I think it’s a very sad day in the history of this province that we’re now going on the dole”?

What about references made in the Ontario Legislature to the effect that Ontario is now a “have not” province while, “Newfoundland and Labrador is not. Look how low we’ve sunk”. Clearly a statement intended to use Canada’s favorite whipping boy, Newfoundland and Labrador, as a means to show just how sad it was that Ontario was about to receive equalization payments.

With equalization now a reality for Ontario the province is screaming to change the way the system works or even to scrap it completely. They wonder how the people of Ontario can possibly continue their good work of subsidizing the rest of Canada through their tax dollars if they have to pay themselves out of that pot. It's like someone forgot to tell them that people in other parts of Canada (equalization receiving or not) also pay federal taxes and fund federal transfers.

The fact of the matter is that the $347 million in equalization payments Ontario will receive this year is a drop in the bucket when it comes to that province’s overall budget, yet to read the editorials, comments and news stories you’d think Ottawa transferring those funds to the province was a slap in the face rather than a simple financial exchange.

Equalization is simply one of many federal transfers to the provinces, including Ontario. Transfers that are funded by tax revenue, everybody’s tax revenue both inside and outside the self proclaimed "Center of the Universe".

Billions in Health transfers flow to Ontario each year but it doesn't make politicians there spout off about how hard times have gotten.

Gas tax transfers don’t either, neither does funding for highways or education or infrastructure.

Oddly enough, no fuss is made even after the most blatant handouts Ontario receives on a regular basis. Handouts like the recent multi-billion dollar payoff intended to convince Ontario to harmonize its sales taxes with the fed. Something other provinces received absolutely nothing for doing just a few years back.

Does Ontario hide its head in shame when Billions in infrastructure stimulus is offered to them? Of course they don't, instead every politician at Queens Park lines up for a chance to get in on the requisite photo op that accompanies any such announcement.

What about the billions being poured into Ontario’s auto industry these days? How shameful is that when forestry workers, fishermen and others across Canada are being ignored by Ottawa?

Apparently there is no shame when those sorts of bailouts take place so why the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the so called “dole” or equalization?

Is it truly because of Ontario’s self professed pride in “helping” the rest of Canada or is it really about the desperate need to Lord their “generous” nature over what are perceived to be lesser provinces and peoples, a sort of holier than thou scenario?

I suspect it’s the latter.

Certain small minded individuals tend to make themselves feel good by ridiculing others, we've all seen that sort of thing before, but when you have to walk a mile in someone else's shoes and those shoes are stepping out in a very public way, everything changes.

Some readers may view this commentary as a serious case of Ontario bashing. It isn't intended to be. In fact I see it as something of a long overdue reality check. After all, it surely can't be easy to look down your nose at yourself.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're right we have seen this attitude before, many times.

When NL got a cheque for 2 billion for oil revenues it should have been getting for years it was viewed as a handout but when Ontario gets billions more than that for the auto sector, GST reform, public transit and on and on its the right thing to do.

What a crock of crap.

WJM said...

After months listening to Ontario politicians and the national media crying a river about how Ontario has had to stoop to collecting equalization payments
I'm willing to bet that Ontario's status as an equalization receiving province has been a bigger topic of discussion in Newfoundland than it has been in Ontario.

Anonymous said...

Maybe so but I doubt it. Even if it weas it would be for good reason but I'd still take that bet.

Ussr said...

WJM said...

After months listening to Ontario politicians and the national media crying a river about how Ontario has had to stoop to collecting equalization payments
I'm willing to bet that Ontario's status as an equalization receiving province has been a bigger topic of discussion in Newfoundland than it has been in Ontario.

May 21, 2009 12:47 AM

Well Wally, I can personally say that after having dinner at a public function this past Friday night, I cannot agree with that statement.

It would seem to me that Mr Williams is also taking the blame for the sale of Steelco in Hamilton Onatrio.

You see, just up until awhile ago no one in the Hamilton Onatrio region knew, or could care less were the raw natural resouce came from.Now that they see it comes from Newfoundland and Labrador they have a tendency to blame Premeir Williams for all of Ontarios woes and short comings.

I personally sat beside a German, believe it or not, that called Mr Williams " a Hilter ,that doesnt understand canada or how it works.I dont know why we as canadains adopted that poor welfare state for anyway.They haven't given anything to this country ,and now all they want to do is take take and take somemore. Now that they have thier new found wealth, they dont want to share it with canada."

Let me tell you, it made for one very inersting dinner.As a matter of fact the MPP for Brant county had to get up from his chair and leave his dinner when I was thru telling a crowd of over FiFFteen people the truth.

One school teacher from Burglington Ontario actually tried to apologise.I am finding out Patriot that if I learn to talk to people and try and discuss the truth around my provinces history people are far more receptive to my point of view.

I think the old saying is ,you catch more bees with honey then you do vinager.

" Republic Of "

Patriot said...

Good for you USSR. I'm glad to see the practice of telling the truth rather than rolling over and putting up with the crap is catching on among our people.

As someone once said (not sure of the source):

I must stand up in search of the truth, if I don't I only roll with the flow of the lie and make it stronger.