Pre-budget consultations are now underway in Ontario. This three-month process has the finance minister Charles Sousa travelling around the province to hear what people want to see in the upcoming provincial budget. Pre-selected individuals line up at these consultations to give a three-minute pitch to the Minister, telling him what they would like in the budget.

It’s reminiscent of Dorothy and her ragtag crew, asking for the powerful Wizard to grant them wishes. Except these folks aren’t asking for a brain or a heart, these are interest groups asking the finance minister for more goodies and more taxpayer cash.  

The first of these consultations took place in Toronto in early February and saw scores of representatives from unions, professional associations and advocacy groups line up to speak to the Minister. Virtually all of them asked for more funding and special favours. Some of the causes seemed worthy of support. Others had fanciful demands to turn Ontario into a snowier version of Venezuela. 

Mr. Sousa is in a difficult situation. He knows that Ontario’s debt must be addressed. He knows that taxpayers spend a staggering $10.6 billion per year just to pay interest on the debt. That is why, in the 2013 budget, he said that, “eliminating the debt is the single most important thing the government can do to secure Ontario’s prosperity.”

But when it comes to walking the walk, this government becomes like the Cowardly Lion who has lost his courage.

That is why they’ve delayed balancing the budget until 2018, or later. But by then, our provincial debt will balloon to $320 billion, which the government has no plans of repaying.

The solution to this problem is hidden in plain sight. The CTF attended this budget consultation and submitted a pre-budget blueprint showing the Wynne government how to balance the books in 2014. This plan would also make the first payment towards the principle of the debt in almost a decade, as part of a proposed debt-repayment law that would require annual payments towards Ontario’s $273 billion debt until it is eliminated.

It is possible to balance the budget in Ontario. The government just needs to resist its urge to cater to special interests.

But the pre-budget process and consultations are part of the problem. Any special interest group or lobbyist who is connected and organized gets a face-to-face meeting to ask the Minister for money. And Mr. Sousa listens. He attentively takes notes, and often stops to make direct promises to groups he likes.

More corporate welfare, bigger union contracts, lucrative government sector pensions, and more debt-funded government programming.

The Great Oz has spoken! 

The Wynne government wants to be all things to all people. They truly believe there isn’t a problem in the world their government cannot solve with more money. This is also how they win elections, by making big promises and bribing people with their own money. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. 

But what about the millions of taxpayers who are hard at work and don’t have time to line up to see the Minister. They cannot afford a fancy Toronto lobbyist to speak on their behalf. They are not looking for any special handout, but simply expect their government to be responsible and deliver good services. This is the silent majority that the Minister will never meet. 

These people are easily forgotten in the charade of budget consultations. And while the Minister hears from all the well-connected organizations that follow him down the yellow brick road, he should remember the taxpayers who foot the bill for this whole production.