Lorrie Goldstein’s column today focuses on the strange absence of any reference to the Green Energy disaster in Don Drummond’s report (other than the suggestion that the 10% rebate be scrapped) – McGuinty government silent on green disaster.
Goldstein rightly points out the hypocrisy:
…Bizarrely, the Drummond report, which opposes subsidizing the cost of electricity to consumers — hence its recommendation to scrap the Clean Energy Benefit — nonetheless urges the feds to subsidize Ontario’s green energy sector, because it subsidizes the fossil fuel industry.
Leaving aside this is totally inconsistent and there’s only one taxpayer, it’s also wrong-headed.
The way to move toward a fiscally and environmentally responsible energy policy isn’t for the feds to extend fossil fuel subsidies to green energy. It’s to eliminate all the subsidies…
There are many such gems in Goldsteins column so please read it carefully.
But the answer to the mystery of why obvious cost-savings regarding Green energy have been omitted may be found in Scott Stinson’s recent column – Carbon taxes remain the policy that dare not speak its name. Stinson reminds us that Don Drummond has in fact been a strong advocate for putting a price on carbon:
In 2008, Mr. Drummond, then the chief economist at TD Bank, co-authored a report on the Ontario economy that included a carbon tax among its recommendations for how the government could transition from a tax base that relied heavily on its withering manufacturing sector. That same year in his post at TD, Mr. Drummond commissioned a report authored by the Pembina Institute that dismissed the projections of the Conservatives’ cap-and-trade plan and argued some sort of carbon tax would be required to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
So it all fits together; especially when you recall Dave Levac’s little gaffe during the past election.
I fear that the only thing preventing Ontario consumers and ratepayers from having their wallets picked even more is the fact that Dalton McGuinty no longer has a majority. Perhaps he could talk the NDP into supporting it though.
But a carbon tax is the last thing we need right now.
There seems to be little doubt anymore that the Drummond Report was merely a vehicle for the Double D (Drummond-Duncan) Tag-Team.
And that credit downgrade is bearing down on us like a freight train.
Please prove to me that I’m being paranoid here.
* * * *
Related
Premier Dad’s legacy is Ontario’s staggering debt – John Snobelen (Sun):
McGuinty’s lies were political deceptions, not criminal acts.
But he is finished as leader of the Liberal party.
As I write this, many Liberals are plotting their leaders’ demise. Even as McGuinty tries to weave and spin around the Drummond report they are preparing to dump him. Candidates are lining up for the inevitable leadership contest.
McGuinty’s legacy is permanently recorded in the Drummond Commission report. He will be remembered as the Debt Premier.
Dalton’s Ontario: Ours to Recover – Windaction
Must-read editorial by the National Post comparing the fiscal management styles of the Harper Government vs. Dalton McGuinty’s – Living in a fiscal dreamland.
Spoiler Alert: Very depressing if you live in Ontario.
Ontario sells electricity surplus at price customers here wish they could pay – Star
So Ontario has become the “Village” surrounded by hostile waters – and “The Prisioner – also known as #6″, will be abused into submission – that would be the people of the Village. The Chief Administrator is “2 – substitute Dalton – but the question remains, “who is #1″? You can’t fix the absurd if the simple village folk can’t see the mainland beyond the cold waters surrounding the Island. lol cheers
While the Drummond report did not focus nearly enough on renewable energy costs, it was not totally silent on the subject. I think it is more a matter of the media not examining some proposals. I found this clause in the report chpt 12 under Electricity:
“Recommendation 12-14: As part of the review of the feed-in tariff (FIT) program, take steps to mitigate its impact on electricity prices by:
Lowering the initial prices offered in the FIT contract and introducing degression rates that reduce the tariff over time to encourage innovation and discourage any reliance on public subsidies17; and
Making better use of “off-ramps” built into existing contracts”
This adresses the heart of the FIT subsidies, namely that they are too high (13.5 kwh for wind power) Without these lavish subsidies, there would be no wind industry in Ont. European countries such as Spain and Germany have already moved to lower renewable subsidies, as they simply could not afford to continue them. Ont cannot either, though McGuinty is loathe to admit this and disappoint his friends in the wind subsidy industry.
A carbon tax at this time would devastate what is left of the Ont. economy.
.
Thanks for pointing that out about FIT, Martin.
I think you made a typo Joanne. It won’t be a carbon tax, but rather a carbon levy. Dolton already promised no tax increases. Then again, he never really said no NEW TAXES, just that he won’t increase the current ones.
Heh! That’s pretty much what Lorrie Goldstein said to me on Twitter.
Ah, c’mon folks, we have no worries, be happy, it’s hakuna matata from the Red Premier in red.
McGuinty can’t be taking the Drummond report seriously, he’s still able to pass our a few thousand to a religious denomination in Ottawa to help with their building project so why should we care about debt?
This link is to the continuing story of a possible walkout by municipal delegates to the Ont. Good Roads convention this week where McGuinty is scheduled to speak. There are 79 municipalities supporting a moratorium on further wind turbine development in Ont. More bad news for his GEA should a demosnstration happen.
http://ontario-wind-resistance.org/2012/02/25/rural-ontario-set-to-blow-up-at-mcguinty/
from McGuinty’s conference this morning.
http://huron.bulletnewscanada.ca/2012/02/27/huron-county-councillors-walk-out-on-mcguinty-in-protest-of-wind-energy-development-policies/
Very proud of the Huron County councilors who walked out on McGuinty and his green energy cons games.
I’m sad though that my immediate local reps., although members of Huron County Council weren’t named as those who joined the walk-out. I would bet that it’s out of fear that if they did my town wouldn’t get all the disaster relief money it was promised. Bittersweet.
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Hey, we’ll be next, trust me. If AB’s (Liberal) Premier is re-elected in a real election, these are the sort of things that I fully expect. I mean when your Premier chooses Dalton and Jean as the first peers to meet with, the writing is on the wall.
Don’t feel alone out there in Ontario though. We have secret taxes, conveniently called ‘user fees’ that are obscene.
For example, to get a ‘drivers abstract’ it’s 28. and to register our vehicles yearly pushing 100. The list lengthens…..and with this election looming, Albertans need to wake up and not accept the status quo by demonstrating an ‘oh well’ indifference.
I wouldn’t put it passed Premier MOM to bring in a carbon tax. Don’t forget the throne speech a couple weeks ago where they would review our “fiscal framework” including taxes. You can be sure they won’t talk about during the election but afterward-look out.
We know she is determined to pass her budget before the election.
I have heard April23rd. rumoured for the election so she hasnt time for for too much discussion. And all her reviews and enquiries etc. are supposed to be after the election. Talk about thinking we are all stupid enough to buy a pig in a poke.
I had one of ‘her’ candidates at my door yesterday and indeed, the writ is expected to drop AFTER the budget.
What to do. what to do….it feels like an armageddon. Scary!
What to do? Simple vote for anyone other than a Progressive candidate. I noticed that there are WRA signs up already in south Edmonton. Lets hope that the PCs are going the way of Joe Clark’s PCs have gone.
Serious train derailment near Burlington, Ontario. Reports of one death and several people still trapped.
Reports of 3 dead now.
Horrible! My thoughts and prayers go out to all the passengers, victims and crew.
Three Via employees killed. Tragic.
Just check the pumps next time you fill up. McGuinty is already taking in 14.7 cents per litre and is getting the 8% portion of the HST on top of that [tax on tax]. Think of the amount that generates that the gov’t slides into general revenues. By any other name, we’ve already got a carbon tax on gas. Please don’t try and tell me this ALL goes to roads.
Remember, big protest this Sat. in Port Elgin against the CAW wind turbine.
quixoteslaststand.com
It appears McGuinty’s colossal mess and debt will be largely ignored in favour of “robocalls”. The Opps in the HOC will be dealing with nothing else and the media will take it from there.
With Elections Canada in on an investigation we may end up with an election. The NDP and Bob Rae are already over the top IMO, they’ve already decided the Conservative party is guilty.
All things considered maybe we need to call on Inspector Clouseau. One of his quotes fits this gotcha to a tee:”There’s a time to laugh and a time not to laugh, and this is not one of them”.
does anyone truly believe that the Robocalls would influence how or where Canadians would vote?
I as a Canadian a regular Canadian resent the Liberals and the ndpq implying that all Canadians are stupid and that I am stupid.
they will NEVER NEVER win my vote
I AM NOT NOT STUPID
stop the idiotic games and get to work for CANADIANS
fh
Speaker just ruled against an emergency debate on the matter.
I am tired of the GUN non story
my rights are violated every time I fly at the AIRPORT
I am a law abiding citizen yet I am subjected to a search and or pat down or x ray
at every airport except Israel
Israel has got it right
I demand we get it right and stop treating law abiding citizens as CRIMINALS
when we wish to fly
fh
Does anyone believe a four year old girl would draw a picture of a gun if she had not seen a gun toy or otherwise?
do you expect police to perform their duties when it was reported that there might might be a gun at the home of the four year old in any other manner . I do not.
the school erred BIG time they knew the parents the police did not know this family
IMHO
fh
McGuinty just blamed Alberta’s Oilsands for all of the economic trouble in Ontario!!
seriously, he did.
Blame Alberta! It worked for the federal Liberals to attack the West!!!
Give it a whirl, what has he got to lose as he is already a worse Premier than Bob Rae!
Yup, if the oilsands weren’t driving the economy with PETRO dollars,
Ontario could compete on a world stage with a $.65 dollar, because Ontario manufacturers can’t compete otherwise.
McGuinty would trade manufacturing companies for the oilsands with what?
Canadian taxpayers already bailed out the auto industry.
”….The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers recently counted 255 companies based in Ontario among suppliers to the oil sands….”
McGuinty rebuffs Redford’s oil-sands plea
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mcguinty-rebuffs-redfords-oil-sands-plea/article2351145/
Great time for AB to refuse to pay any equalization money out of oil money, to Ont.
CTV’s Jackie Milczarek had some ex-unionista on this a.m. re the Burlington train derailment..horrible accident,yet ctv and their agenda,were USING this tragedy to get the Union guy to BLAME the Harper Gov’t!! Good God the msm sicken me.
Odd,just now,here in Man.I rec’d a ph.call from ‘provincial’ Conservatives wanting to know what I thot of the NDP gov’t,and would I be interested in making a $200 donation to the cause.Hmmm,strange that with all this robocall crap in msm,that this would be happening??
Not surprised that Jackie and CTV would blame the derailment on Stephen Harper. The media party is very predictable. Protect Ontario mcGuinty liberals and bash Federal Harper Conservatives.
Same old, I am only watching Sun TV now. I have totally written off CTV and Don Martin.
BREAKING – HURON COUNTY COUNCILLORS WALK OUT ON MCGUINTY!
http://huron.bulletnewscanada.ca/2012/02/27/huron-county-councillors-walk-out-on-mcguinty-in-protest-of-wind-energy-development-policies/
There will be no business discussed in the HOC until this latest gotcha is dealt with. The outrageous, over-the-top howling display by the opposition parties is a disgrace.
Perhaps the PM needs to prorogue until the investigation is finished and take it from there. That would give them something to howl about.
Two of the biggest, rudest and most ignorant people happen to be NDP MP’s P Martin and the bellicose Charles Angus.
sent a bit earlier – stuck in filter
BREAKING – HURON COUNTY REPS. WALK OUT ON MCGUINTY.
http://huron.bulletnewscanada.ca/2012/02/27/huron-county-councillors-walk-out-on-mcguinty-in-protest-of-wind-energy-development-policies/
Hi Joanne – sorry for the anger over the 4 yr. old crayon issue. I liked Ezra’s column very much. Hadn’t seen it until today. Posted a link here about Huron County Councillors walking out on Dalton McGuinty today, but there was a link and it’s likely in the filter. I tried posting up above under one of Martin’s posts. Seems to have stuck.
I noticed that as well. Interesting to see if any of Toronto media pick up on this snub to McGuinty. If anyone sees it reported, post it here.
Bob Rae announcing to the house that a Liberal staffer is responsible for viki leaks!!!
I guess we know the reason for the latest wafer gate!
Hmmm,how come this isn’t up as new headline at Natnewswatch? Crickets at cbc,ctv etc.This WILL be buried,as it was a Liberal that did it.
oooops,it’s now up as a breaking story! Waiting for Evan to scramble with a ‘cover’ story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CTV response through Mercedes (blond from Calgary that left SUN and moved to CTV), all the VIKIleaks info released was legal… Robocalls much worse in illegal.
I have lost all respect for Mercedes and CTV.
Just thot exact same thing Fay! She has totally drunk the Lib ctv/cbc koolaid!
It’s like Krista Erickson has said and remember she used to work at CBC, that there is a pack mentality in the consensus media. Guess Mercedes is part of that pack mentality now.
Everyone is busy apologizing to everyone. The look on Bob Rae’s face during his announcement was priceless. But, he had said, when blaming conservatives, that stuff starts at the top and PMSH had to know. So, should we believe Rae when he says he knew nothing. Liberal staffer has offered his resignation and it has been accepted.
Now, waiting for Pat Martin to do the same. Stephen Taylor and BC Blue has posts up re another law suit pending from Campaign Research re libel re comments made yesterday on QP. Will Don Martin or Evan have egg on their face today, or various reporters.
Exactly!!!!!
What a tool that BobRae is, unbelievable! THIS looks Soooooo good on him, so good.~
Still nothing up at cbc site
Hannah Thibideau and CBC will be working to name the Liberal staffer.
Yeah, right!!
More like working to sweep it under the rug.
Here is a link to the NP. Looks so good on Bob Rae. Talk about taking the wind out of his sails.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/27/liberal-staffer-resigns-over-vikileaks-controversy-bob-rae/
Now, let’s see how CTV and CBC deal with this? Equal time?
All it does is confirm my belief that the left-leaning media is still not a credible source of information.
Joanne, or anyone else that knows something about technological tidbits. Ok, so I’m writing a post to post here, finish it and a split-second before I hit the “post comment” option my screen does a “blip” (like it’s going to go off but doesn’t) and then stops. I post my comment, it appears for a minute and then disappears. What’s happening technologically when that occurs?
the left-leaning media twits need to start using a disclaimer before their news shows and columns warning their viewers and readers that they do so at their own risk and to not take them seriously……because that’s what it’s come down to.
Richco, I think what happened with a couple of your comments that they went right into the spam filter for some reason. If that happens you don’t get any feedback – not even a message that your comment is in moderation.
I apologize for when that occurs and I try to free them when I can. The alternative is for you guys to have to read disgusting links and comments that have nothing to do with the topic.
thanks Joanne. Much appreciated.
Kind of makes me go… Hmmm on the credibility of the Ottawa citizen!
I bet my bottom dollar that the left-leaning media pundits told gave Boob Rae a chance to speak to this BEFORE they did….so they wouldn’t have to, and so they yak up Rae as being a brave and honest leader for meeting this head on.
I have put an update to my originalo post about this — that the whole ploy is to take away from the gov’t's accomplishments and the coming budget.
So, CTV’s Mercedes says all the info released was “legal.” How pathetic. Break into someone’s privacy and its legal?
We have always known about the double standard, now we see it for all its ugliness. Pack mentality indeed!
IMO … I think Bob Rae looked humbled and sincere in apologizing to Vic Toews for the Liberal researcher’s action of setting up the Vikileaks site. Other MPs spoke on how wrong it was to attack the personal life of politicians, i.e. that of Vic Toews. I hope they all remember this episode for future reference.
This entire episode is an object lesson for all, including politicians.
• For example, Minister Baird should NOT have accused the NDP during the Feb. 17 QP of being behind the Vikileaks site just on the say-so of the Ottawa Citizen report. I realize that in the heat of the moment anyone can get carried away and use over-the-top rhetoric, but the government must lead by example to maintain decorum in the House. Let the opposition yell their heads off if they want but counter their non-arguments with facts and figures.
• For journalists, to check, check, and check again before they decide to point fingers. Maybe they should turn their mantra of “sunlight is the best disinfectant” on themselves as well.
• For us bloggers, attacking or deriding politicians’ families should be a definite no-no.
Great advice,Gabby. We all need to look inward and self check ourselves. No one is perfect. We all have our flaws. Let’s all remember that folks!
Tasha is the only CTV political pundit that denounced the Vikileak consistently. Don Martin even cut her off when Tasha stated she was disgusted by the Vikileaks.
Kudos to Tasha for standing up to the hatemongers she works with at CTV.
I was out all afternoon and now catching up. So the Vikileaks person was caught?
An interesting interview (via Globe & Mail story on NNW): Mike Duffy speculates — and I agree with him — that the robocalls may have been done by “third parties”.
http://www.news957.com/listen/listenplayer/335233–monday-february-27-11-45am
We all remember the ABC campaign, Avaaz, the “Stop Harper” page in the Senate, and organizations like stopharper.org among others.
In doing some research, I came upon a story leading me to another site I didn’t even know existed: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Vancouver+based+anti+Harper+website+attracts+million+hits/4618960/story.html
“Vancouver-based anti-Harper website attracts two million hits
By Gillian Shaw, Vancouver Sun April 15, 2011
… Mixing humour with profanity, the website … crashed under the weight of traffic within hours of its launch Wednesday morning. By Thursday, it passed two million hits, with the average viewer spending four minutes on the site reading through news reports chronicling Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s record.
Among people who noticed the site was author Margaret Atwood, who tweeted the link to her 160,000-plus followers: “Didn’t know about some of these things! Yikes!” she wrote.
While grassroots social media initiatives have been growing since the start of the campaign, the instant success of the website surprised even its creators, a mostly Vancouver-based group of artists and activists who wanted to convince young people to take part in the political process. …”
Hopefully, that “taking part in the political process” entailed voting and nothing illegal.
Fascinating link to the Mike Duffy interview Gabby! That Lead Now group he mentioned is the one trying to form a cooperation/coalition among the opposition parties to take down the CPC in the next election.
They are actively organizing now and have some NDP leadership candidates onboard.
Frashback c/o Mao Stlong*’s nephew.
Bobby Lae say, no aporogy necessaly.
…-
“Bob Rae blasts Harper ‘jihadis’”
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2011/02/24/17396346.html
“*Maurice Strong: The new guy in your future!
By Henry Lamb
January, 1997″
http://www.sovereignty.net/p/sd/strong.html
Liberal hack enrols dog as a red herring.
The weasel understatement is a stinkin’ fish: “Liberal involvement”.
Liberals/Rae have been Gleicked.
…-
“Liberal involvement in Vikileaks a godsend for reeling Tories
Matt Gurney: Any way you look at it, this has been a bad stretch for the Tories. Not only is the opposition furious, but the generally sleepy Canadian public has seemingly started to pay attention”
(NPost)
OK, I was completely wrong in my assessment of Bob Rae’s apology after QP.
Right now, in an interview with Evan Solomon, Rae
1. justified the Liberal staffer’s action of setting up the Vikileaks site
and
2. in effect patted himself in the back for supposedly accepting full responsibility for the staffer’s actions but at the same time contrasting his own availability to answer questions before the media with Stephen Harper’s.
A lesson for me: first impressions are not necessarily valid. My mistake for being willing to believe the best in people. would eventually come out.
I have a lot of catching up to do, but I did see that Rae interview and I was thinking the same thing. This is classic Kinsella: Apologize, get it over with and move on. And if you can get a dig in at the same time.
When you’ve had a taste of Bob Rae, as Ontarians have you learn VERY quickly that he does nothing out of honesty or sincerity because IT’S ALL ABOUT BOB!
I think Rae’s apology was another effort to try to drag the PM out and get into the fray. I do not trust desperate for power politicians.
Apologies are of little value when what the apologies are for have done damage to the person or people they target, apologies are worthless and some are just to save the perpetrator butts.
Pingback: Update to why the Vikileaks & Robocall hysteria | CRUX OF THE MATTER ►
The Sage of Obama Loves Canada.
Kudos to PM Harper & Minister Flaherty.
Kudos to Canadians who voted Conservative.
…-
“Warren Buffett likes the look of Canadian government debt”
“Buffett likes Canada debt”
“Like many other investors around the world, Warren Buffett likes the look of Canadian government debt.”
“Global investors increasingly are favouring Canada’s fiscal standing. As Europe suffers a debt crisis and the U.S. certainly has its own debt woes, Canada remains rated triple-A.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/top-business-stories/warren-buffett-likes-the-look-of-canadian-government-debt/article2351451/
Sure, Bob Rae has nothing better to do than yap off on Solomon’s show,
but PM Harper is busy running a country.
Anyone can hire the service of a call centre and give callers a list of numbers and a script that says ‘ on behalf of the CPC’……..
Right on. This is all beginning to stink. I hope it gets resolved asap.
how can you lose 25 million…..
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1137713–deb-matthews-can-t-say-where-missing-25-million-in-ornge-cash-is?bn=1
Ontario’s Health Minister should be fired over this. That would be three who have left because they mismanaged that file.
When I think of that 25million and how much it could helped those who need it most it makes me sick.
Folks you have to read this great commentary on the lynch mob mentality over this robocall deal.
http://bearsrant.blogspot.com/2012/02/lynch-mob-mentality.html
Thanks frmgrl, the blog post explains exactly the mentality of social media. Yikes!
That kind of ties in with Chantel Hebert’s column.
(Great post at Bear’s Rant BTW!)
really like Hebert’s column today – a little sober thought who believe the election would have turned out differently.
Harper still would have won.
While I don’t believe for one minute that anyone Sr. in the party or the PM is connected to this, if anyone in the party campaign team or war room is found to have been involved I hope they get what they deserve.
Saying that though, I also don’t believe that the Liberal Party fellow (Carroll) could have acted alone in getting Toew’s divorce documents. So, who helped HIM? Trudeau?
WK thinks that <a href=http://warrenkinsella.com/"Liberal staffer did not act alone."
Does anyone else have the impression that this outing of the Liberal staffer as vikkileak was no surprise to the media party???
It rates barely a mention amid the pile on about Robo calls on tonights news casts.
It rates barely a mention amid the pile on about Robo calls on tonights news casts.
Not surprised. Of course that’s what you would expect coming from the media party since they and Libs and NDPQ are one.
There was a lot ink and stink about whether a wafer was pocketed at a funeral so we know how low this same lot can go GET PM Harper and his government.
This whole robocall matter they’ve latched onto with over-the-top rhetoric and accusations makes you wonder what they’ll do for an encore when this one fizzles. Gotcha games is all they live for, no matter how many times they lose they keep on playing.
Boycott Liberal-socialist McGuinty.
“Huron-Bruce Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa Thompson, who took part in the walkout, said she is “cautiously optimistic” that municipalities will soon have more power over wind projects.”
…-
“Politicians walk out on McGuinty”
“About 80 municipal politicians walked out on Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty Monday to protest his Liberal government’s wind turbine policies.
“It felt good. It was empowering to leave the room,” said Arran-Elderslie Deputy-mayor Mark Davis, whose motion sparked the boycott of McGuinty’s keynote address at the Ontario Good Roads Association/Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in Toronto.”
http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3484318
“*But westward, look, the land is bright!”
…-
“If you had your preferences, whether western Canada’s oil and gas sector would continue to grow, or the dollar’s value would drop in order to help Ontario’s manufacturing sector (as Premier McGuinty says he would prefer) which would it be?
I favour continued rapid growth of the western oil and gas sector. The high dollar is only one factor in Ontario’s rapid decline. McGuinty is scape-goating
92.7%
I hope the western oil sector’s growth slows down. In addition to my concern over carbon emissions, I believe our high petro dollars are killing Ontario’s manufacturing jobs
6.42%”
http://www.cfra.com/
*AH Clough
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Please tell me Ontario isn’t seriously considering a carbon tax, please! If Ont gets a carbon tax, we’ll all get a carbon tax. Leave the carbon taxes in BC where it belongs. Understand this; we already pay carbon taxes, it’s on the price of gas, diesel and home heating oil. They don’t call it a carbon tax, but it is still a tax on carbon. A carbon tax would mean the left has won, it would spell the end of this country. Just don’t go there. Please!
I sincerely hope I’m wrong.