Protesters in Lindsay against Ford cuts part of 25-city strike
A small but determined group of concerned citizens braved the cold and very wet weather yesterday and gathered at MPP Laurie Scott’s constituency office to protest the litany of cuts to public funding by the Ford government.
The event in Lindsay was part of a 25 city ‘General Strike’, which grew out of an effort by a Hamilton woman to host an event in that city. Of the 35-40 people who showed up about 18 were from Haliburton County.
The weather no doubt negatively affected in-person attendance at the demonstration but it was clear by the honks of passing cars that there was a decent level of support for the protesters.
Attendees are concerned with the extensive list of cuts to education, health and the environment to name just a few. A list of the cuts that have been introduced by the Ford government — which 60% of Ontarians voted against — can be found here.
According to attendee Shelley McPherson, who timed the number of drivers passing by expressing support, there seemed to be good support from the public, citing 55 supporting passing cars in three ten minute intervals.
Several protesters commented that they are meeting Conservatives who are unhappy with some of these cuts. Retired teacher Henry Vogel noted that Scott got elected with 41 per cent of the vote.
Sigh…….another sad protest that requires no effort and gets zero results. I would like to hear these people’s solution to Ontario having the highest non-Federal debt in the world. Cuts are no fun…..but hanging the burden on our kids is morally indefensible. It wont matter how educated our children are when half of what they earn goes to pay debt off on our watch….let alone a faltering economy that provides no job stimulus. Get over it people, someone needs to develop a road plan back to a balanced budget. Too many people point fingers at the government instead of trying to be part of the solution. Want to make a difference? Start a fundraiser for the education system instead of painting your pathetic ‘easy way out’ signs. Keep up the hard fight Doug…someone has to.
It is a sad protest, Rob, you’re right. It’s sad that people need to take the time out of their lives to defend the things that are important to communities — things like education, libraries, the environment, and public health, among many other things.
Here’s some reading material for you entitled ‘Dispelling the “highest sub-sovereign debt in the world” myth:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ontario/comments/8s2yfs/dispelling_the_highest_subsovereign_debt_in_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app
It’s also sad that your solution is for private citizens to start a fundraiser to pay for public education. You would rather live in a world where citizens are at the mercy of charity — instead of part of a civil society where we look out for one another by creating strong, meaningful social policy infrastructure.
A protest IS action, Rob. It’s the kind of thing we can do in a democracy to let governments know how we feel about ‘x’ actions they’ve taken. (It’s the people who don’t vote and sit around and complain all of us should be worried about…)
Solutions? Yes. Broadly, we must revise the tax code, get rid of all the useless boutique tax credits both Liberals and Conservatives have loved to create for this or that cause and which cost the public coffers way too much money. End welfare for the rich and that includes corporations. I’m very tired of people’s endless fascination with what the poor are doing with their money (what little they have) while there is bailout after corporate bailout to every entity from Big Oil in the west to Bombardier in Quebec…and so many more. Close the big money loopholes that are allowing corporations to create record profits while inequality worsens. This is a good start….
Tax the rich is what you got out of what was written? I said it’s time to end welfare for the rich and for corporations. If you like your tax dollars going to fat subsidies to prop up and enrich multinational companies, then so be it. Rewriting the tax code to close loopholes is not as simple as your ‘tax the rich’ meme. I also mentioned Liberals and Conservatives have both created this scenario.
Strange that Liberal supporters never complained about Wynne adding a billion here and a billion there to Ontario’s debt. Being the good accountants that they were they just mysteriously kept creating all that free money. Well everything good comes to an end and here we are. Premier Ford either makes these painful cuts or stops paying mortgage so to speak. If anyone understands these economics it would be the teachers. His almost impossible task is to create a stable business environment in which companies want to set up shop in and in turn create employment. Corporations employee thousands of people with good paying jobs and if you tax them at an exorbitant rate they just pack up and leave. I have yet to hear from any of the protesters plan on how to get Ontario out of the sewer which the previous government has placed us in. Take your protest to Kathleen Wynne;s office. She created the mess. Oh and one other thing teachers, please ensure you teach your students about socialism and the fall of the Roman Empire.