{"id":2697,"date":"2012-01-07T17:46:40","date_gmt":"2012-01-07T21:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bygeorgejournal.ca\/?p=2697"},"modified":"2012-01-07T17:53:54","modified_gmt":"2012-01-07T21:53:54","slug":"our-politicians-rhetoric-of-restraint-lets-hope-they-mean-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bygeorgejournal.ca\/?p=2697","title":{"rendered":"Our politicians’ rhetoric of restraint – let’s hope they mean it"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>This week ‘Big Government’ was back in the news with various Canadian\u00a0political leaders suggesting it\u2019s time for restraint.\u00a0\u00a0(ed. – They now are considering what to do with the barn door long after the horse has galloped out of sight.)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Sun News <\/em>has responded to these new cautionary messages from the PM and some Premiers like Dalton McGuinty with heightened skepticism and a dose of deserved ridicule.<\/p>\n

But, before we get to the news, let\u2019s refresh our memories on how deep our hole is<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Our national debt clock is clicking over at an incredible pace:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.debtclock.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

Brian Lilly of Sun TV<\/em> takes the Federal Government to task in his Lilley\u2019s Pad blog:\u00a0 Cut gov\u2019t spending now and cut deep – First cut must be deep<\/a>\u00a0 He comments:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Harper government spends too much money and has spent too much since it came to power. This needs to stop\u2026.\u00a0\u00a0W<\/em>ith a federal debt of more than $577 billion, getting control of government spending is imperative. If the cutting is going to be serious, it will mean cutting full government agencies, boards and corporations.<\/em><\/p>\n

Christina Blizzard pulls no punches in her dislike of McGuinty\u2019s newfound restraint messaging. In her Toronto Sun <\/em>column, \u00a0Hang your head in shame, McGuinty<\/a>\u00a0she writes:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Having the Liberal government preach restraint and the need to find new ways of doing things is a bit like the guy who kills his parents then wants sympathy because he\u2019s an orphan.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When it comes to fiscal mismanagement, Premier Dalton McGuinty\u2019s wounds are all self-inflicted.\u00a0 H<\/em>e and Finance Minister Dwight Duncan have recklessly dug this province into a massive black hole of irresponsible over-spending.<\/em><\/p>\n

***\u00a0\u00a0 ***\u00a0\u00a0 ***\u00a0<\/p>\n

Q – So, why should Canadians be concerned about how big our governments have become?\u00a0<\/p>\n

A – Because we are paying dearly for it now – and will be for years to come.<\/p>\n

Consider federal government pensions for our bulging civil service. \u00a0The federal public-sector pension plan has about 561,000 members (317,000 active workers, 180,000 retired employees and almost 60,000 survivors).\u00a0 Federal civil servants currently contribute 35% of pension service costs, with the government (as the employer) contributing 65%. \u00a0A recent report released by the C.D. Howe Institute said federal public-sector pension plans are $227-billion in deficit and, if left untended, Canadian taxpayers will be on the hook to bail out rich civil-servant plans.<\/p>\n

Again, it\u2019s all surreal as Canadians\u00a0begin this discussion while countries like Greece implode under\u00a0the weight of their civil service.<\/p>\n

The Canadian public sector\u00a0is\u00a0unsustainable – a train wreck ready to happen \u2013 as we\u2019ve pointed out in past posts:<\/p>\n