My parents gave me a great education. I say this because they are the ones who paid for most of it. My father was a chemical worker. My mother worked on-and-off at various jobs. They were savers. They lived a modest lifestyle and saved money to send all four of their children to post-secondary schools. All of us graduated with no debt. Thank-you mom and dad.
By contrast, successive governments in Ontario have failed the children of Ontario miserably, at least when it comes to finances. As of 2019, each child in Ontario inherited approximately $24,000 of provincial debt. That didn't include debt from the federal and municipal governments, or debt from Crown corporations.
By contrast, successive governments in Ontario have failed the children of Ontario miserably, at least when it comes to finances. As of 2019, each child in Ontario inherited approximately $24,000 of provincial debt. That didn't include debt from the federal and municipal governments, or debt from Crown corporations.
And for those of you who are responding with, "Debt represents valuable investments made for our children's future," I respond with, "Two illiterate Italian immigrants (my parents) made better financial decisions than the provincial governments." I might also add that, if those so-called investments were so valuable, why was the cost downloaded onto our children instead of getting paid by the people who spent the money?
That's why it's wrong for the teachers unions to adopt the holier-than-thou attitude that they are striking "for our children." We all care about Ontario's children. I have three children. My children have already inherited $72,000 ($24,000 x 3 = $72,000) of debt as a result of government over-spending. Is this what we do for our children?
The current government is tackling that debt. They are doing it "for our children" and simultaneously trying to maintain Ontario's education system. By contrast, the teachers unions are not doing anything at all about Ontario's terrible debt. They are trying to get a better deal for their members. A better deal might look like more pay, or fewer children to teach, or more support workers to share the workload. But in the end the unions don't care about Ontario's debt. They want a better deal for their members.
A better deal for teachers always costs Ontario taxpayers more money. But a better deal for teachers will not automatically make education better. It may in fact make it worse. Let me illustrate how this happens.
Ontario taxpayers are paying over $13 billion per year or over $1.1 billion ($1,100,000,000) per month in interest payments on the debt. Yikes!
That's why it's wrong for the teachers unions to adopt the holier-than-thou attitude that they are striking "for our children." We all care about Ontario's children. I have three children. My children have already inherited $72,000 ($24,000 x 3 = $72,000) of debt as a result of government over-spending. Is this what we do for our children?
The current government is tackling that debt. They are doing it "for our children" and simultaneously trying to maintain Ontario's education system. By contrast, the teachers unions are not doing anything at all about Ontario's terrible debt. They are trying to get a better deal for their members. A better deal might look like more pay, or fewer children to teach, or more support workers to share the workload. But in the end the unions don't care about Ontario's debt. They want a better deal for their members.
A better deal for teachers always costs Ontario taxpayers more money. But a better deal for teachers will not automatically make education better. It may in fact make it worse. Let me illustrate how this happens.
Ontario taxpayers are paying over $13 billion per year or over $1.1 billion ($1,100,000,000) per month in interest payments on the debt. Yikes!
Let's put that in perspective. The total operating budget for the Greater Essex District Public School board is $470 million. The total operating budget for the Windsor Essex District Catholic School board is $260 million. The total operating budget for Conseil scolaire catholique Providence (the French Catholic board) is $163 million. That Board stretches from Windsor and Essex County to Tobermory. The total operating budget for Viamonde (the public French board) is $206 million. That Board stretches from Windsor to Toronto. The combined total is slightly less than $1.1 billion.
You could educate every child in Windsor and Essex County, in the school board of their choice, FOR LESS THAN WHAT ONTARIO TAXPAYERS PAY IN INTEREST ON THE DEBT IN ONE SINGLE MONTH. Put another way: one month of interest on the Ontario debt wipes out the entire annual operating budget of the 4 local school boards.
The point is crystal clear: Ontario's educaton system will not get better with excessive government spending. It will only get worse. Excessive government spending has jeopardized today's education system. That is why we need to reign in spending. More spending is not the solution.
So tell me again. What are you doing for the children?
The point is crystal clear: Ontario's educaton system will not get better with excessive government spending. It will only get worse. Excessive government spending has jeopardized today's education system. That is why we need to reign in spending. More spending is not the solution.
So tell me again. What are you doing for the children?