Is Ontario the new California?

For the last several months no one has been manning the helm and it seems our ship is sinking.  Since Premier Dalton McGuinty resigned, the Liberals have spent the last few months electing the new Liberal Leader and Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne.  And let me tell you, she has her work cut out for her.

First is jobs.  Statistics released for January report a loss of  43,000 full time jobs and an increase of 11,600 part time jobs, for a net loss of 31,200 jobs for the Province of Ontario.  Even more worrisome is that the unemployment rate for twenty somethings is 15%.  In my experience,  all of my children and their friends are scrapping to get by.  Most have only part time jobs regardless of the education they have.  And those that do have jobs are earning little more than minimum wage.  I worry about this generation.  I do not see them owning homes, savings accounts or pension plans.  They will definitely not be able to enjoy the lifestyle generations before them have been able to achieve.  And for the parents of these children?  We have our children living with us longer and draining our resources.  In Ontario, 50.6% of adult children 20-29 years old are living in their parental home.  This will definitely affect how long we ourselves will work as well as how much we will need to retire.  And like a giant kick in the pants this means that we will hold on to our good paying jobs longer, denying them to young people.  We need more good paying jobs in Ontario now and we want empty nests!

Second is debt.  And my goodness it's huge.  The spending of this Government has put us in dire straits.  Ontario's debt has reached $238 billion dollars.  That is four and a half times per capita higher than California!  And just like our own personal household finances, what happens if the interest rates go up?  What if tax revenue goes down?  Less people are working and those that are, are earning less.  My goodness, those of us that are in good paying jobs can't pay everyone's way.  We are taxed enough.  We can't take four more years of tax and spend.  Sooner or later we have to pay and I think later is knocking on the door.

The Liberal Leadership race is over.  Get back to work.  Kathleen Wynne , lets see what you can do.  Save us and make women proud.  And remember the last thing we can afford right now is an election.