Monday, September 5, 2011

Dalton McGuinty's Colossal Mistake

Dalton McGuinty has made a serious blunder ahead of the upcoming Ontario election with a campaign pledge to offer businesses lucrative tax credits for hiring foreign workers over Canadian workers. I would say that Dalton has pulled a John Tory, but this could (and should) end up eclipsing the faith based school funding fiasco of the last election (which derailed the Tory campaign before the campaign officially began). Today's poll question; should the Government of Ontario offer tax credits to businesses for hiring foreign workers over Canadian workers? I can only imagine how the half a million unemployed Ontarians are going to feel about this.

This policy is so foolish, I'm starting to wonder if there was some Machiavellian purpose behind its creation. Dalton is misguided, but he can't be this stupid. What I'll be most interested to see is how the media responds to this story in the upcoming weeks. Now that Labour Day has passed and summertime is over, regular people tend to start paying attention again. The timing of this policy is great for the Conservatives.

"I've been trying to make some sense of it all, but I can see it makes no sense at all..."

-Steelers Wheel

27 comments:

  1. I have a couple of questions about this scheme.

    If, as a private employer before this policy was announced, I had been favouring new immigrants as a hiring policy in my company, would I not be risking a Human Rights complaint?

    Now that the Ontario Liberals have legitimized this type of hiring practice by announcing it as a policy, does that negate the risk of a Human Rights complaint in the future for any company that adopts such a hiring policy, whether or not it is implemented by an Ontario government?

    Does this policy provide a loophole for real bigotry where one can purposely avoid hiring "undesirables" ?

    Just another ****ed up Liberal policy. Get elected and let someone else clean up the shit.

    johndoe124

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  2. This is a ridiculous policy.

    It not only offers employers an incentive to hire immigrants over native born Canadians...

    ...it also has the potential to encourage employers to fire native born Canadians to hire immigrants.

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  3. Great point, if companies are at employment capacity but want the tax credit, they can lay off workers and hire some new foreign workers.

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  4. Google "Liberal Platform Ontario". Doesn't even register. Typical reactionary tactics here among the knuckle draggers.

    Why worry Iceman? There's plenty of work for security guards in BC.

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  5. That's interesting. Knuckle-draggers asking pertinent questions while "enlightened" Anonymouses resorting to ad hominem. That's certainly convinced me to follow the Progressive lemmings over the cliff.

    johndoe124

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  6. Encouraging the employment of new Canadians didn't seem to hurt the Tories in the federal election so I'm not sure why the proposed measure would have much impact provincially. Am I missing something?

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  7. This is a tax credit for businesses that hire skilled Ontarians already living here to help them achieve the training they need for Ontario certification. So we’re talking about professions like lawyer, accountants or pharmacists who need Ontario job-experience in order to be certified here. These are folks who are in Ontario, but might be driving taxis instead of working in a pharmacy helping patients.

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  8. Anyone here actually read the policy or are you just going off of Hudak talking points?

    It's actually not that different, but less costly, than Hudak's proposal from last year, which was smart as is this.

    It is not affirmative action or really a "training" tax credit but a "re-training" tax credit for those professionals who do not have Ontario certification. As Hudak proposed last year, why not help businesses re-train immigrants who have professional and similar degrees and training, but lack Ontario certification? So the South African or English physician can be treating patients here instead of teaching at a community college or the Indian engineer can be designing buildings and creating jobs instead of driving a cab.

    The only reason I can think for Hudak to oppose this is that he himself proposed it last year. Has there been any policy or position Hudak has proposed that he has flip flopped on?

    Dumb.

    Oh, and equally dumb to call immigrants, who are living here and raising families and paying taxes and voting as "foreign" workers. It's dumb and something very much more sinister, in fact.

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  9. wait a minute.
    If the market was screaming for widget-makers Ontario told Immigration Canada, who went out and found some and brought them here, shouldn't the market sccop them up?
    why the heck are we recruiting skills whose hiring needs to be incenticied?
    Richard.

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  10. Merit based hiring is the only criteria for consideration. Companies have the opportunity to forego the $10,000 award which is just another tax grab without ethics.

    In the end analysis, both naturalized jobless Ontario citizens and qualified landed immigrants should be screened/tested on the merits of their applications.

    What's important is that companies hoarding profits jumpstart a hiring program, fixing a quotient, but 'affirmative action' policy should be nixed in the bud. It discrimates and companies can and should forego the political vote buying ploy of the Liberals.

    Try to solicit opinion from the Assoc. of business CEOs and poll them on accepting this vote buying Liberal election scheme.

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  11. Hudak actually sponsored a similar private members' bill to help immigrants, but now claims the Liberal plan amounts to affirmative action that will discriminate against other job seekers.

    Someone help Richard out. He ain't too bright.

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  12. Btw, your blog posts prioritize the economic issues of the day on a regular basis.

    I'm thinking about the displaced auto workers and would they be interested in agricultural stewardship programs as Ontario farmers are aging and immigrant hires are reportedly inefficient.

    A stewardship position would entail full time work at a living wage, but would ensure farming ventures operate at maximum potential. At a salary rate per man/family at approx. $60,000 per year.

    Your prioritized entries are your forte.

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  13. check out Chris Bentley's YouTube address, "What can you see" pointing out the potential for the 401/402 underdeveloped research and manufacturing job potential corridor.

    Southern Ontario's half a million unemployed could be accommodated if business decides to reinvest on its own substantial dimes, now held hostage by market instability.

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  14. To the Anonymice who raise Hudak's previously similar proposed policy, it is not in the present PC party's platform. If it had been, it would have been criticized just as strongly. And by the way Hudak's proposal was voted down by the Liberals. Now all of a sudden, it's a good policy because the Liberals say so.

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  15. DOH!

    "This [the Newcomers Employment Opportunities Act and the tax breaks offered to business for immigrants] contains practical and affordable measures to help new Canadians find and create jobs here in Ontario. It is an example of forward thinking that is badly needed and long overdue.” – Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak, May 2010

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  16. Hudak then:

    - for tax breaks that help immigrants
    - for bending the rules for immigrants
    - for helping professionals who immigrate with Ontario certification
    - for calling immigrants "New Canadians"

    Hudak now:
    - against his own proposed law that he said was long overdue
    - for calling immigrants "foreign workers", even if they're paying taxes and have been living here with their families for a long time and are citizens
    - for race-baiting

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  17. Anonymice, regardless of you wailing and flailing, Hudak's proposal received little attention back then and the Libeals voted against it. The difference now it is an election issue and McGuinty's hot potato.

    Sample the comments on this Globe and Mail story numbering over 1,000.

    "Tax-credit pledge becomes flashpoint on Ontario campaign trail"
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tax-credit-pledge-becomes-flashpoint-on-ontario-campaign-trail/article2154554/

    Canadians are peed off at McGuinty. Too bad so sad.

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  18. Thank you to the visitor from Toronto who visited my website 30 times today. Your multiple clicks and submissions are valued.

    If Hudak had a similar policy in the past, I should appologize, delete this post, and kiss my own ass. You never ever see Liberals take a campaign position contrary to one of their own past policies, well except maybe corporate tax cuts. But that's just one. Otherwise it never ever happens...

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  19. When you are desperate, have lost your 15% lead, your own former party leaders are abandoning your cause and don't support you, your own supporters think your platform makes no financial sense whatsoever... what is left to do but flip flop on your own proposals, and race-bait and pit one Ontarian against another by calling your fellow taxpaying Ontarians "foreign" workers.

    It's pretty sickening. Reminds me of Paul Martin with his juggernaut lead and then losing it and becoming so desperate.

    After they get rid of Hudak, will anyone be in Hillier's way for the leadership?

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  20. Triple DOH!

    It just keeps getting worse for Tea Party Tim.

    First, his own supporters show up to protest at a speech by former leader and Premier Bill Davis speech.

    Second, former leader and Premier Mike Harris comes out in support of McGuinty's clean energy program and invest big-time money in it.

    Third, it turns out several senior Hudak MPPs have also endorsed McGuinty's clean energy program with their own dollars.

    Fourth, former leader and Premier Ernie Eves comes out and attacks Timmy's party for becoming the tea party north.

    And now more.... it’s happened again. Yet another former Ontario PC Leader has slammed Tea Party Tim Hudak for his “righteous duplicity”.

    This time it’s John Tory who said Hudak is “offering a menu of bologna” to Ontario voters.

    Tory was referring to Hudak’s 180-degree reversal on the issue of getting skilled professionals living and paying taxes in Ontario, out of driving taxi cabs and mopping floors, and into the profession they are educated for.

    Tory said Hudak is “pandering to the worst emotions of envy, jealousy and insecurity about so-called foreigners” while calling the Ontario Liberal plan “one of the best investments we [could] make… this is the right kind of thing to do.”

    “Come on Tim – don’t put the brochures out stirring up envy and negativity about the exact same kind of program [you support] which does not come at the expense of long term Ontario residents who still have total access to the other Billions of dollars in training programs,” said Tory on CFRB Newstalk 1010.

    Ouch.

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  21. Wonder if Randy Hillier is going to come out and call John Tory a a “destructive Pinko re-tread” out to “once-again trash any hope of the Conservatives” and who was never “a genuine member of the party” and is just a “leftist imposters like Orchard are doing the Devil’s work” the way he did about Ernie Eves earlier today.

    Gotta love that party unity and loyalty just as the election gets started.

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  22. "Tea party Tim". I believe that phrase was hatched by Warren Kinsella. Thank goodness he's just a volunteer in McGuinty's war room. Who'd want to pay for that kind of amateurish and childish strategy to dimish your opponent? Now McGuinty is trotting out "tea party" comments. It makes it look just as amateurish as his unpaid strategist.

    And about the polls. They were taken before the Lib platform was released. Just wait.

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  23. Trying to keep a herd of leftists on topic is like herding retarded cats. I wish someone within the leftist brain trust would actually attempt to justify institutionalized discrimination. And if it is, in fact, legitimate, then why encourage it? Why not just reign in your fascist Human Rights Tribunals and let private enterprise hire whoever they want? Is Progressive discrimination the only legitimate discrimination?

    Please say "yes" because that will simply underscore the perversity of your twisted minds.

    johndoe124

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  24. Actually, Louise, it was former PCO leader and Premier who first unleashed the "tea party" accusation. And with just reason.

    John Doe: Fail to see how there is any discrimination here. The tax credit won't even cover the costs of the training required for certification so all it does it gives all Ontarians an equal opportunity for a job.

    Under Hudak, if you have an immigrant ("new Canadian" in 2010 Hudak-speak; "foreign worker" in 2011 Hudak-speak) who was professionally trained and certified in another country there is no way you can hire them even if they are the best candidate for the job. No Ontario-specific certification, no job. Now, you can feel free to hire the best and then get them certified without costing you much.

    Brilliant. And fair.

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  25. Why doesn't he just go whole hog and announce that he'll give new immigrants an education and a $100,000 per year civil service job to these future liberals.

    The more he spouts off the scabby nonsense just flows out.

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  26. Interesting.Listen up Mr Liberal leader, Immigrants dont want a tax credit since we can borrow it from the govt if we so choose to.We would rather do it ourselves ,since countries we come from violate our rights as human beings.
    Now it has come to my attention that Canadians born here need jobs do they not?
    We have voices just like the rest of Canadians.Stop promising pie in the sky tax money which YOUVE RAISED in Ontario.

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  27. Hi Anon at 5:03. Yes, I was aware Eves made a "tea party" comment.

    "Former Ontario Conservative premier Ernie Eves Wednesday said there are "Tea Party" elements within the Conservative ranks who are behind the shoddy treatment shown to veteran Tory member Norm Sterling earlier this year."

    http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Eves+takes+Party+elements+Ontario+Tories/5335016/story.html

    W.K. Lib strategist ratcheted this up to "Tea party Tim". Now McGuinty has picked up on it and made reference saying the PCs have been taken over by the Tea Party. For a party that said this is a serious time and serious measures are required, this level of discourse takes us from the serious to the ridiculous.

    As for the policy, the intent may be laudable but it is not being received well. This will cost the Liberals big time.

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