The date is July 1st. 2010, a bright and sunny early summer day in Ontario. Eager shoppers are flocking to the grand opening of the new McGuinty Superstore, the one stop location for everything any family needs. At the entrance red flags are flying and we are greeted by 2 smiling men, Dalton and Dwight who present every family with a shiny "In Store" gift card for $1,000.00. What a wonderful start to the day!
Before we go to the store lets go to their gas bar and fill up the car. Usually takes about 50 litres. Just a minute, an extra $4.00 please, gasoline has suddenly gone up 8%. How come?
Once inside the store we decide to visit the Liberal's banking service counter to pay some bills, after all they just gave us $1.000. Hydro bill, yes but as of today it is another 8% please, only $30.00 more for the 2 months. Next we'll pay our heating bill, what, another 8% on that too, only $16.00 for the month, what a bargain. The car and home insurance are both due, may as well pay them too. Hey, they have only gone up 5% so that will only be an extra $100.00 a year.
Oh well, that's over and we still have some McGuinty money left over so let's buy some inexpensive shoes as the tax on them is low. Surprise, surprise, no longer is the tax low. Rapidly losing our initial enthusiasm for this wonderful new store we decide to take a little break. Here's the coffee shop, what will you have. Small coffee and a donut. Here's my toonie, keep the change as a tip. What do you mean, that's not enough? New tax on every item in the restaurant now, don't think I'll be coming back here in a hurry.
Coffee gone, I see they have a hairdressers over there, just have time for a little makeover, what are their prices like including taxes, oh no, here we go again, forget that idea. We'll just stroll for a bit and chat with some of our friends. First ones we meet took a taxi to the store, guess what caused a big argument with the driver. You guessed it right! A little way down the centre aisle is a booth set up to enrol your children in minor hockey next season, may as well do it now. Hey all of the fees have suddenly gone up, how come? You mean that the new tax applies to ice time rentals and all other facilities that the kids use for sport. Us parents will just have to dig deeper or the kids stay on the sidelines.
I'm going to have to sit down and reflect on what is happening since we walked into this store 2 hours ago, everything I have touched has gone up because of the new tax. There is a customer service counter over there with some helpful people wearing red badges, I'll talk to one of them and ask why. A big smile, how do you like this wonderful new shopping experience our party has put together, what do you mean where is all this tax money going, let me explain. Firstly we are giving certain people very generous grants and reductions and secondly and most importantly we are giving it to businesses that we can count on to hire lots of you unemployed people to make stuff more cheaply and sell it back to you at reduced prices. How do we know that is going to happen, you'll have to ask the experts but just watch our prices 5 years from now. You mean you hope that you can survive that long, don't be silly, Dalton will take care of you. Before you go check out our featured Ride Into The Future Train over there, it's free and you will see the new horizon that awaits us all..
A little apprehensively we take our seats on the little train and we're off. Chuff, chuff, chuff and around the corner we go into the dark tunnel, around another corner and a bright yellow glow comes into sight, our lovely new horizon is getting closer. Hey, just a minute, that's not the new horizon, that's the McGuinty Gravy Train coming at you at full speed, brace yourselves, Ontario will never be the same!
Ray Hutchinson
Marlbank,
