Freedom Flyer 30

Harris Agenda 'Too Liberal'

Jonathan Bloedow
PROVINCIAL

While the media, students, labour union professionals, and the "poverty industry" have been decrying Mike Harris for being too conservative in their economic policies as he has attempted to begin balancing the Ontario budget, the Progressive Conservatives are coming under attack from the right for their policies in at least three areas.

Some conservative critics say that even though Mike Harris has declared support for free market policies in general and has decried Bob Rae and the NDP's socialism, he in fact seems to support socialism in principle in health care, education and child care.

This acceptance of state intervention and monopolization shows a fundamental distrust of the free market and of free Ontarians, they say.

They argue that Mr. Harris does not believe that the free market works in the areas of health care provision and education.

Freedom Party

But, says Robert Metz, president of the libertarian- oriented Freedom Party of Ontario, one should not be surprised given their campaign message.

He says they were campaigning on an economic blueprint, not a social blueprint, and so they are going to get into contradictions in the areas where there is crossover.

People are the Problem

While Mr. Metz would prefer that the free market be allowed to operate, he says the real problem is not politicians, but the public. They don't want to have to pay directly for their health care and education, he says.

"No politician in his right mind would say he would privatize education or health care."

In fact, in their campaign, they promised not to cut funding to health care or classroom education. They have actually pledged to enhance the government health care system.

Freedom Party's policy for education proposes that parents would not have to pay upfront if they didn't want to, but the alternative would be for them to be taxed for it throughout their entire lifetime. Those who paid upfront would not have to pay taxes for education.

Health Care

Rather than weaning Ontarians off their socialized health system and introducing free market reforms and competition, the PC government objects vigorously to any accusation that it is cutting taxpayer funding of the health care system.

In fact, it now brags that overall health care funding has been increased to $17.7 billion from $17.4 billion - a $300 million hike - since it took power.

The reforms they are introducing have not been towards freeing Ontarians from government control, but rather towards making the government-controlled system more efficient.

Critics argue that even if they were to succeed, which they say is unlikely given the nature and record of government management of the economy, they will only serve to provide stronger arguments for socialists who believe that governments can own, operate, and regulate large segments of the economy, and thus undermine their opposition to government intervention in and management of the economy.

Specifically, some of their achievements in this area include:

Expanding the Trillium Drug Plan "to make it accessible to an additional 140,000 low-income earners in need," equipping 20 Ontario communities with "life-saving kidney dialysis services," earmarking $15.5 million for "additional paramedic training' and $25 million for 18 hospitals in "fast-growing communities."

Also, 23 new, expensive MRI units are being handed out to various communities, doctors working in hospital emergency wards "in rural and remote areas" will get a special bonus for working weekends, and funding has been increased for cardiac surgery, for acquired brain injury treatment, emergency defibrilator services, and for ovarian and breast cancer detection and treatment.

An unspecified amount of funding was provided for a province-wide measles vaccination program, and funding is being found for an entirely new, province-wide education program for nurses.

Funding Education

In education, they are bragging because $20 million in new money is being put towards the already existing program "for innovative uses of technology in the classroom", and funding is also being given to purchase computers and other computer technology.

Child Care

In child care, the Tories are handing out $5 niillion "to help parents and communities set up and expand local nutrition programs",$10 million this year (growing to $20 million) to "expand services for 10 percent of Ontario preschool children that have speech and language disorders," and $10 million "for expectant mothers and families" for "education and support."

Furthermore, to the anger of many, they are trumpeting the fact that they have increased the province's support for child care by an additional $200 million, to $600 million, "the highest [level] in Ontario's history."

The championing of government-funded "child care" has long been regarded as a mainstay of the radical feminist desire to move child-rearing away from the domain of parents, particularly mothers, and towards the domain of the state. Consequently, it has generally been regarded as a far-left cause.

A recent move on the health care front towards containing the burgeoning costs to the taxpayer have some conservatives pleased, but they still do not suggest that the Tories have any problem with socialized medicine in principle.

But, says Mr. Metz, the key is that the public has to come to understand that everyone has to take personal responsibility for their lives."