Thereâs a reason some MPPs languish on the backbench.
Liberal MPP Mario G. Racco, who represents Thornhill, a bedroom and bungalow riding that sits on Torontoâs northern boundary, was forced to issue a public apology this week for suggesting Ontario has nothing to learn from the bumpkins down east.
Not, at least, when it comes to consumer protection legislation enacted in Atlantic Canada to regulate gasoline prices.
NDP gas critic Gilles Bisson proposed something similar for Ontario which Racco characterized as âdangerousâ? and something âonly a socialist could suggest.â?
He went on to discredit both the regulatory measures adopted by Atlantic provinces and insinuated our fellow Canadians on the east coast might lack the economic sophistication to come up with ideas that would serve this province.
âTell me something, what’s the economic status of the Maritimes?â? Racco said in an interview. âAre they âhaveâ provinces or âhave-notâ provinces? How is their economy doing? Why is it that Ontario has been doing much better than them?â?
âThe past performance would suggest to me their (the Maritime provincesâ) approach hasn’t been as effective as it has been in Ontario,â? Racco said. âWhy would we rely on their system?â?
In another interview, Racco argued regulating gas prices would lead to higher prices (which is his governmentâs position) and suggested gas prices here arenât all that bad in any case.
âWhen I go to see my sister in Italy, the gas is much higher there,â? he said.
Sadly, the comments came just prior to Premier Dalton McGuintyâs scheduled meetings with Atlantic Premiers.
McGuinty traveled down east in part to convince his counterparts that Ontario is getting shafted by Ottawa and that helping us fixing that fiscal balance is a good idea for the whole country (âI want a strong Ontario for a strong Canada,â? he said).
Naturally, Racco has apologized.
In a terse release, he said:
âM.P.P. Mario G. Racco of Thornhill has issued the following statement:â?
âI offer a sincere apology for my comments. Our country is built upon the strength of our diversity and I have great respect for all Canadians from all provinces.â?
You may wonder what the G. in Mario G. Racco stands for.
It ainât âGenius.â?
Unfortunately, it demonstrates that there are uniformed G(oofs) regardless of political stripe. I think someone needs remedial history lessons, as well as lessons in tact, and a better speech writer. Better yet, they need a three day delay between the time they speak and when it reaches the media.
His supposedly sincere apology, doesn’t atone for the stupidity of his comments. It is time for Premier McGuinty to remove him from the backbench.
This only further illustrates our MPP’s disdain and lack of respect for Canadians, especiallythose of us from rural communities and those who have to work hard for a living to pay bills and keep themselves afloat. Our MPP’s have been dining on steak & lobster for far too long on our backs. Cut down their living expenses to those of us ‘regular folks’ and let them eat Spam & Ramen noodles for a few months while trying to scrape together mortgage payments every month. Maybe then they’ll agree gas prices are high and we need more support & understanding from our governments.
Although, I disagree with Mr. Racco’s ignorant remarks about the East Coast, I am unsure regulating the price of gasoline would work? I heard on the news awhile ago that one of the East Coast province’s (Nova Scotia, I think) regulates the price of gasoline at it is consistently higher than most other provinces. It is also putting pressure on independent distributor’s ability to compete and make a profit.
Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to the gasoline price crisis. Especially, since most of us have to drive. Part of the problem has been the short-sightedness of the automotive manufacturers in not developing fuel efficient vehicles sooner, and in developing alternative fuel vehicles. They continue to build far too many gas-guzzler vehicles. We, also have to accept responsibility for our part in this situation, because we continue to buy and drive these vehicles, instead of more fuel efficient models.
One wonders whether the level of apathy voters feel toward politicians that it doesn’t seem to matter what they say, we just ignore them. If that is the case, then it speaks volumes about ourselves that we, by our silence, condone the verbal drivel from our politicians.