"In a democracy, people get the kind of government they deserve."
-Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965)

Since the election was called, there have been some good, and some bad ideas put forth by all three major political parties. Tallying it all up, politicians have committed over $2.5 billion to building everything from the largest teepee to new health care facilities. Now it's time for voters to sift through all of the promises made and what it means for our future.

The NDP have committed to spend the least amount of money during the campaign. That said, this is the government that made nearly $2 billion in funding announcements leading up to the election, not including what was spent in the April provincial budget. The incumbent government have made no announcements to reduce income taxes any further than they already have, sticking to their reduction of the middle rate to 12.75 percent and low rate to 10 percent by 2009.

The NDP did, however, vow to eliminate the small business tax, which has been brought down to 3 percent since they took office - it is now one of the lowest rates in the country and will be completely eliminated by 2010.

Couple this with the elimination of the business tax by the City of Winnipeg and small business in Manitoba will be on a relatively competitive playing field with other Canadian jurisdictions. Of course the other challenge facing all businesses in Manitoba is the pesky payroll tax - the Liberals are the only ones who have made the elimination of the payroll tax a major plank in their platform.

The Liberals, also, are the only party that is made a concerted effort during this campaign to start the debate on making Manitoba a "have" province. They have committed to reductions in payroll, business and income taxes - all key elements to moving Manitoba in the direction of a self-sustaining economy.

Yet, for all of their encouraging announcements, the Liberals lose credibility when they start talking about rapid transit corridors and
pushing ideas such as "social justice." Such concepts mean little when we
can't deter thousands of people from leaving our province each year.

And speaking of losing credibility, the Tories' whopper of an announcement to bring back the Jets really takes the cake. The PCs were on a roll at the beginning of the campaign with their law and order platform, eliminating school taxes on farmland, clipping the taxing wings of school boards, reducing income taxes and considering private sector alternatives in the health care system. Yet many of their laudable ideas will be forgotten because of an unattainable (at least any time soon) promise to bring back a hockey team that left when a previous PC government was in power.

None of the three parties have talked about one major issue that will haunt Manitoba taxpayers for generations to come and that is our ever growing not provincial debt. With the crowns and all other liabilities, Manitoba's debt hovers near the $21 billion mark. Manitobans pay $2.4 million per day to service the debt and nary a word from the three parties on this startling fact. No long-term plan to cut spending and get the debt under control has been mentioned; taxpayers can only hope they have a plan when they take office.

As citizens, we elect those who govern us. As taxpayers, we are their bosses. With nearly 50 percent of our incomes handed over in taxes each year, who governs us matters. We have to make our voice heard and vote. At the very least, you earn your right to complain!