McGuinty needs own glass house in order first

Debora Kelly

03/03/05 00:00:00
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Our premier -- the pot -- has been vociferously lobbying the federal government for Ontario's fair share of the big bag of cash we send Ottawa's way.

To be specific, one Dalton McGuinty wants to "narrow the $23-billion gap between what the federal government collects from Ontarians and what it returns to this province".

A laudable cause, to be sure.

As he legitimately asserts, Ontario is the "economic engine" of the country, accounting for 39 per cent of its population and 42 per cent of the GDP, and is proud of its "leadership role" in the history of the Confederation.

But it's payback time.

"... if we do not retain a sufficient amount of our wealth to invest in Ontarians, we compromise our ability to continue building a stronger Ontario and therefore a stronger Canada", our premier pointed out to the legislature.

Mr. McGuinty wants $5 billion, tout suite, which will go a long way to paying his tab with Ontarians -- all those promises for better education and improved infrastructure come with a hefty price tag in a deficit-ridden province, after all.

While bountiful Ontario should be happy to contribute to our country's overall health, it appears we have been Canada's patsy.

Ontario gets less funding per capita from the feds than the rest of Canada receives for health care, post-secondary education and social assistance.

(Hmmm, something sounds familiar about this, doesn't it, York Region?)

If Ontario were treated the same as the other provinces and received a per-capita share of funding, it would receive $1 billion more for health care, post-secondary education and social assistance every year.

It doesn't end there.

Quebec, for instance, gets $3,806 for every new immigrant; Ontario gets $810. Our province attracts 54 per cent of the country's immigrants, yet receives 34 per cent of federal funding for immigrant settlement services.

That is undeniably unjust.

YOU GO, BOY

So, you go, boy... but you might want to get your own glass house in order first.

Under Mr. McGuinty's leadership, the province has perpetuated a chronic funding inequity against York Region.

Taxpayers here contribute more to the Ontario Health Premium than is invested back in our hospitals, mental health and home care organizations.

Of the $573 million in contributions from the GTA/905 -- 26 per cent of total collected by the province -- York taxpayers pay $169 million.

On a per capita basis, the provincial funding average for hospitals is $779, home care is $96 and total health care funding is $1,611. In the GTA/905, the amounts are $569, $73 and $824 respectively.

In other words, the GTA/905 receives 30 per cent less in total health care funding, 27 per cent less in hospital funding and 24 per cent less for home care.

According to the executive director of the GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance, Tariq Asmi, our hospitals should be getting $284 million more from the province, while home care services should get an extra $21 million.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact the GTA/905 opens its arms to half of the province's new residents every year -- with no additional funding to accommodate growth.

From 1996 to 2003, Ontario's population grew by 14.6 per cent, while the GTA/905 grew by 33.9 per cent.

In light of those facts, our premier's so-called "resolute and relentless" stand for fairness from Ottawa is nothing but hypocritical hot air.

As the premier urged Ontario's MPs in Ottawa to join him in narrowing the gap of inequity, I would call on our own local MPPs to do the same, but for York Region's sake.