I am not convinced it is this cut is a deliberate move to shore up their "anti-Toronto" cred (like wee, let's punish Toronto by not giving them 1M because rural literacy! sounds awfully weak) vs. a bureaucratic policy choice that didn't percolate high up enough the food chain to ring alarm bells.
AoD
But you have to admit that the timing is odd over such a low amount. I'm not saying the goal is to punish Toronto, but to control the narrative and portrait themselves as "Ontario's defenders against greedy and crybaby Toronto". They clearly take the city for granted by doing that and are clearly aiming at scoring points against the PC in ridings that actually think we're nothing but freeloaders and crybabies who always wants more. It won't be enough because people are too pissed over hydro costs and I don't think the rebates will make a difference in rural Ontario. Liberals are aiming for suburban Ontario while taking Toronto and Ottawa for granted.
At the same time, the PC can't imitate Wynne since they finally understand that without Toronto, they don't stand a chance. Knowing their "very conservative fiscal policies", the gamble is that even if the PC miraculously transform themselves into "Toronto's champions", they would have little to offer since they are unlikely to give Toronto what it needs to win it over. (except Scarborough
). So they are stuck being empty with having little to proposed or the same old solutions to newer challenges in their attempt at pleasing everyone, which nowadays, is a terrible tactic...ask Mulcair or even Hilary Clinton.
Only the NDP can be viewed as credible as Toronto's champions but if they were smarter, they'd expand that to be urbanites & younger generation's champion, taking a page in the Federal Liberals page. Are they going to pull it off? I doubt it, Horwath isn't the right leader for that, she needs to go, but the NDP would have the better opportunity in the next election.
Anyway I see it, the PC are in a very tough spot and only a true "Progressive-Conservative" could actually find a way to meet the liberals in the middle and shift priorities to creatively satisfy progressive voters while carrying out a more fiscal conservative agenda than the Liberals. But who are we kidding here, Patrick Brown
IS NOT that man, so the PC won't win a majority.
My prediction from most likely to less likely:
- Liberal Minority
- PC Minority
- NDP Minority
No majority.