Elmira Independent editorial

Outgoing premier Dalton McGuinty has styled himself as Ontario’s education premier, but it is very likely he will be remembered for something else.

McGuinty’s sudden resignation this week was stunning in its element of surprise — a move that very few pundits predicted, in spite of the many attacks on his government’s credibility in recent weeks.

There is the ongoing saga of Ornge, Ontario’s air-ambulance service that saw outrageous salaries coupled with questionable service — and a he-said, she-said scenario between former executive Chris Mazza and health minister Deb Matthews.

Then there are the cancelled power plants in Mississauga and Oakville, at a cost of millions of dollars, that happened suspiciously close to the last provincial election, and may have contributed to the Liberals being able to continue to cling to power. That second scandal has led to contempt motions at Queen’s Park.

Then there is the government’s fiscal difficulties, which has seen the Liberals attempt a public sector wage freeze — not a popular move, particularly among teachers.

All of these concerns aside, McGuinty may well be remembered for not only resigning in the middle of his term, but for also proroguing the legislature while his party looks for a new leader.

This last move seems clearly designed to protect and preserve the Ontario Liberal Party’s status as the leaders of provincial government, rather than for anything that would benefit the residents of Ontario.

For the next several months, there will be no legislative work done in Queen’s Park. Legislation that is already underway could be lost, and committee work, including the recent Aggregate Resource Act hearings, will stop.

And while McGuinty undoubtedly did much good, hard work in his 16 years of premier, it is likely that this last self-serving act will be his legacy.

20 YEARS

It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Kiwanis Transit, for its 20 years of serving the community. For a small fee, seniors and disabled are able to receive door-to-door service from the transit service for family outings, social occasions, and medical appointments.

Without this service, their lives would be less fulfilled, and the sense of community this township enjoys would not be as great.

Kudos to all those who had the vision and the foresight to make this service a reality — and those who continue to lend their support to this precious local resource.