The province of Ontario has just announced an unexpected $2.1 billion surplus for the year 2021-2. This might sound like good news, but the point is that, just a month ago, Doug Ford's government was projecting a deficit of $13.5 billion for the same period, and at the start of the year, in the budget of March 2021, the projection for the year was a deficit of $33.1 billion. And the Conservatives are continuing to scrimp and save and slash and burn as though there has indeed been a deficit of $33.1 billion.
Yes, much has happened in the last year, but how could they be so wrong so recently? Yes, revenues have been higher than expected thanks to a galloping economy, but the tight-fisted Tories have also underspent against budget in several areas, particularly education. It also comes on the heels of Bill 124, which caps all public sector wage hikes at 1%, despite ravening inflation and a clear need for increases in pay for nurses and other healthcare workers.
Even now that the persistent government low-balling has been made public, the $2.1 is being directed to paying down government debt, despite the obvious need for urgent investment in so many parts of life in Ontario. But, hey, we voted the idiots in (well, not me personally) ...
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