In a few weeks time, there will be a by-election (what Americans would call a special election) in the district of St. Paul's in Toronto for the Ontario legislature. In what seems to be a wonderful recruiting job, the non-Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario convinced Sue-Ann Levy to run. Ms. Levy has been a City Hall columnist for the Toronto Sun for several years. She also happens to be Jewish, and a lesbian who recently married her long-time partner, which of course is perfectly legal in Toronto. That would seem to be perfect in an urban district which has one of the highest incomes in Canada. So what might be a possible line of attack for her opponents? How about the point that she is a complete and utter hypocrite?
Let's start with her marriage. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for her right to get married, and I'm thrilled she has that right in our country. But why would you willingly run for a party with large numbers of members who would just as soon discriminate against your ability to get a job, be treated equally by private businesses, and other basic rights. Such is the case with the PC Party, with leadership candidates like Randy Hillier, who touted a Freedom of Association and Conscience Act to allow marriage commissioners the right to refuse marrying gays, the first step in a rollback of their rights. There's also Frank Klees who received the endorsement of Campaign Life and Charles McVety, who led the fight to repeal legalized same-sex marriage in 2004-05. With colleagues like that, how comfortable would you really feel, and what should her gay and lesbian constituents think?
One of the main campaign issues right now is the new Harmonized Sales Tax which will take effect July 1, 2010. What this means is the 8% provincial sales tax will be applied to the same products and services as the 5% Goods and Services Tax applied by the federal government. This will mean new taxes on things like legal fees, utility bills, condo fees, etc. Lost in the announcement of this measure was the fact that income taxes were reduced and there would be rebate cheques to soften the blow during the first year. Because St. Paul's has a high number of renters, one of the things she has been touting is that rent may go up $270-$320 a year for an $1000 per month apartment. Terrible, right?
Well, what she seems to want to sweep under the carpet are two key points. First, the HST was pushed by the FEDERAL Conservative Party to reduce costs to business because of different accounts. Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is the husband of provincial MPP Christine Elliott. I wonder what she must think of her compatriots railing against her husband's bright idea?
Second, many of those apartments would not be $1000 per month or more had the PC Party not removed rent control in the 1990s, which allowed landlords to jack up rates once an apartment was vacated. Rent in Toronto went up over 40% between 1993 and 2003, most of that after rent control was abolished. Again, to cry crocodile tears for tenants over this tax while you dramatically increased their housing costs is disingenuous at best.
Once again, conservatives in every country seem to be very good at pulling the mote from their opponents' eye while ignoring the giant Sequoia trunk in their own. For disclosure purposes, I don't live in the district, I don't work for any of the candidates or parties, nor am I donating to them right now. I just really can't stand conservative hypocrites.