Well duh, no, I didn't. And they weren't Centrist, or 'didn't you notice'? They were way off course. And the Dippers were no better. And the Cons won by default. Wynne was toxic.
It's time for a massive reformation at the Centre. And none of the parties are there, or show any signs of being there at the present rate. And yet that's historically where Ontario votes, and will continue to do so given the opportunity.
The most Centrist Party now in Ontario? Ironically, the Greens.
Wynne had many flaws and her government much baggage, but suggesting, presumably, that they were materially to the left of centre is something with which I must take issue.
Let me say, I see right-centre-left as a tad dated conceptually, and as my signature denotes, my positions vary by issue and I would in many ways see myself as a pragmatist.
That said, did Wynne materially raise taxes via sales tax, corporate tax or as-paid income tax on the affluent? In a word, 'no'. Nor did she campaign on such.
Her government's belated move to raise the minimum wage, while rushed, was in no way extreme, not when Australia's minimum is materially higher, and many US States are moving to $15 USD per hour which is $19.62 per hour CAD.
Her move to mandate 2 paid sick days was shy of the NDP's proposal of 5 and Michigan's new mandate of 9 paid sick days.
Her move to mandate 3 weeks paid vacation after 5 years with the same employer only caught us up to Manitoba, Alberta and BC, not Sask where 3 weeks after 1 year is the law, nor the EU or Australia where 4 weeks is the law.
Her proposal to increase the extent of drug coverage still did not reach 'universality' which leaves Canada behind every other developed nation, the United States excepted.
I can't countenance an implication that that is the record of an immoderately left-wing party or government.
You may feel free disagree with it, or critique it in many ways (I certainly do) but not on that basis.
It did have an annoying, seemingly paternalistic vision of how to address issues around alcohol/drugs and some other issues, but I would not say that was 'left' in as much as it was common across all Ontario parties, at least up to the moment of Doug's ascension to the Conservative throne.
