A wise person will understand "something that cannot go on for ever - won't!" For 50 years, Government has been growing and borrowing to pay the bills. Ontario's accumulated debt is over $300 Billion, interest charges are the third largest government expense, after Healthcare and Education and more than every other Government activity. The average taxpayer is paying around $100 in interest payments every single month and getting nothing for it. This unsustainable Government growth has happened while the economy was also growing. Everybody can tell, times are different now. With globalization, economies are much more competitive and Ontario has to be more sensible and responsible in its Government operations. The provincial Government is involved in too much at present, and this has to change. Already young people are leaving the province to seek out better opportunities in different jurisdictions. The thing is - Ontario has everything going for it - abundant natural resources, well educated people, proximity to the largest economy in the world. The only thing that needs to be changed for Ontario to begin growing again is Government policy.
At present, about half of the economy in Ontario is Government controlled (at all levels) and much of the rest is subsidized in one way or another. This single fact is making Ontario uncompetitive. The answer is obvious.
The Ontario Libertarian Party will reduce the size and scope of Government!
Here's how:
- end all Government subsidies including (have a look at the Government page)
- end all Corporate grants and subsidies
- end all grants and subsidies to individuals
- end all grants and subsidies to not-for-profits
- end funding via the Ontario Trillium Foundation ($136M annual)
- end all subsidies to Municipalities / other levels of Government, local rate payers can pay for their own projects (taxpayers in Sudbury shouldn't be paying for tunnels in Ottawa)
- end Corporate income taxation, of course Corporations will still collect and remit HST
- initiate a balanced budget and debt repayment plan over 30 years
That is how we will reduce the size and scope of Government!
