The McGuinty government is sweetening the pot for voters 11 months in advance of a provincial election.
Finance Minister Dwight Duncan has announced a couple of big-ticket measures in his economic update in the Legislature.
Huron-Bruce Liberal MPP Carol Mitchell says it’s about being fair to taxpayers as it updates the province’s energy supply network.
Mitchell points out her government continues the move to eliminate coal-fired generating stations but that they want to provide support to families while that’s happening.
Duncan has announced a 10 per-cent cut in hydro rates starting on January 1st — but then rates are forecast to jump 46 per-cent by 2015.
Mitchell dismisses the idea that her government is trying to buy votes.
Mitchell says when the Tories were in power they did little to modernize the electricity generating system and now the Liberals are picking up the slack.
The Progressive Conservative MPP for Dufferin-Caledon Sylvia Jones tells Bayshore Broadcasting News the Liberal government is showing what the Tories believe are their true colours.
Jones says it’s laughable that Duncan would think such a reduction would be taken seriously while at the same time telling voters about whopping future rake hikes.
Jones contends Duncan’s announcement is cynical and that Ontarians will see through it.
She tells us the 10 per-cent reduction in hydro rates is nothing more than a bribe to get voters to stick with the Grits.
Duncan says a contract with Teranet — which operates the province’s electronic land registry — will be extended by 50 years.
The billion-dollars the government receives will be applied against its 220-billion dollar debt.
