Boy that was an interesting election wasn’t it?

How on earth did we as taxpayers give our province’s two major political parties the impression that in order to get our votes, they needed to go out and promise to spend our money like drunken sailors?

Even before the election began, our province’s debt was increasing by about $50 per second (or roughly $4.3 million per day). The NDP and Progressive Conservatives then proceeded to promise about a billion each in new spending during the election.

Sure, a big part of the blame lies with the Tories and NDP for irresponsible spending commitments, but some responsibility rests at our feet as taxpayers.

After all, our province’s debt situation has been in the papers, on TV, radio and internet many times over the past couple years. Our province’s precarious dependence on financial aid from other provinces, known as equalization payments, was also widely reported.

Yes, almost 20 per cent of the cost of your last check-up with your doctor was paid for by taxpayers in wealthier provinces.

That’s a precarious position because the transfers from other provinces are higher than they technically should be right now and could get cut.

Regardless, when the Tories and NDP conducted polling prior to the election to help figure out what issues concerned Manitobans, the results should have shown them that we were very concerned about the debt.

If it had showed up in polling results, it’s safe to say both parties would have responded with less extravagant campaign promises.

Don’t believe that? Well, think back to the 1999 election. Voters knew the NDP racked up tons of debt the last time they were in power. That’s why the NDP promised to abide by balanced budget legislation.

It certainly wasn’t that the NDP suddenly believed in a completely different economic budgeting model; they knew they had to change gears if they wanted to win. Of course they’ve since changed the law several times to make it weaker though.

Now here’s the scary part.

The provincial budget the NDP tabled back in the Spring counted on spending to increase by an average of 2 per cent per year over the next three years. Yet, over the past five years the NDP have increased spending by an average of 5 per cent per year.

But it gets worse. The NDP’s plan to balance the budget by 2014 is based on an average of 2 per cent spending increases...but those numbers don’t include any of the NDP’s election spending promises.

So why should you care? Well, if the government gets to a point where it can’t borrow any more money, guess what happens to services you care about? They get cut.

Due to debt problems, the State of California is having to release inmates early from prison to cut costs. In Maine, Vermont, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Indiana, their governments have converted and considered converting cracked asphalt roads back to gravel rather than spending more money on fixing them.

In Greece, financial problems have led politicians to cut many health care services.

No one is saying our province is going to be in the same situation over night, but if we as taxpayers don’t wake up, that’s where we’re headed.

By: Colin Craig
Posted: October 24, 2011
Topic: Manitoba

Contact the regional director Colin Craig for further information.

Type: Commentary

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