Tory Flip-Flop on long-term care

Budget 2015 is an embarrassment. It is an acknowledgement of abject failure in the running of provincial finances.

The Tories just love to remind people regularly about the past Liberal governments and point to this and that.

So for the next week or so I will blog on what the PC's said when in Opposition. It will of course be relevant to this years budget.

Budget 2003 Loyola Sullivan expressed this point of view:


Mr. Speaker, when the government brought down its election budget just two weeks ago, they justified quadrupling the deficit and increasing the Province's debt to well over $11 billion by saying they were only listening to the will of the people. 

In that same breath, the Minister of Finance said she plans to privatize the provision of long-term care in Corner Brook Mr. Speaker, the Romanow Commission into Canada's health care system recently reported that the overwhelming majority of Canadians do not want a private health care system. My question for the Premier is this: Why is it that his government is prepared to listen to the people in order to justify its election budget, but is not prepared to listen to the people when it comes to privatizing health care? Could it be that government is only interested in listening to the people when it suits their political agenda? (emphasis added)

Good question Minister Sullivan. Now let's see if we can get Steve Kent or the Premier to answer it.

Let's all remember that this current government has enjoyed a wealth of revenues from oil and minerals that previous governments did not have. Let's all remember the majority of that wealth came from deals made by the previous Liberal administration. 

This budget must be defeated.

Minister Marshall is a Genius right?

Economic Update:

It's not as bad as we thought.

Projected deficit only half billion dollars.

Budgetary projections based on overestimating deficit and then re-estimating less of a deficit.

How about this Minister Marshall - look into your Muskrat Ball and project the following - based on your policies today:

In 20 years the debt will be ___
In 20 years the deficit will be ___
In 20 years the cost of residential power will be ___
In 20 years our population will be ___
In 20 years our unemployment rate will be ___
In 20 years the public pensions will be a) bankrupt b) underfunded c) healthy
In 20 years the percentage of our population over 65 will be ___
In 20 years how many more communities will be lost ___
In 20 years the fishery will be controlled by ___  people
In 20 years we will have ___ paper mills
In 20 years we will have ___ communities in Labrador still without power from Labrador hydro resources
In 20 years will we have an oil or gas refinery - using our own resources?
In 20 years will it be determined that you and the PC Dunderdale Government have done more to advance Nova Scotia than for Newfoundland and Labrador? 
In 20 years will we have a shipyard?

There are no consequences to you if you are wrong - but the consequences to the next three generations can be profound.

I watch you and your colleagues banter and play in the House of Assembly like you are having a private poker game - playing with your own money. I watch the partisan tripe and manipulation of facts. I watch you and your colleagues answer from script and ignore the real situation. It looks like a game of monopoly wherein the consequences are a bruised ego - not the failure of a province.

I watch the backbenchers do whatever is necessary to get a crack at a Cabinet post. A giant carrot wielded by the Premier to keep herself in power.

When you were elected to govern in 2003 - do you believe that all governments that came before you did a great job? Did Tory governments before you leave us in a better place? Guess not - you continue to complain about it today. They were all telling the truth like you - right? They were all doing what was in our best interest like you - right? They were all building a bright future like you - right? Or do you believe that you and your colleagues have been the only competent, unselfish, and successful public servants?

The problem is Minister Marshall - if you - the Premier and the other PC's think you have the market on brains and integrity cornered - you are doing us a disservice and you should really pack it in and move on.

This situation becomes worse when you continue to be the only potential to even carry the portfolio (based on Premier's appointments) - what does that say about your colleagues?