Mike Harris And The Ontario Conservative Party: Ceos Of The Year? Essay

Private universities, private jails, private health-care and private water testing. What do all of these things have in unwashed? They are all services the Tory government in Ontario has been trying to privatize with some disastrous results and possibly more to come. The Ontario government, lead by Progressive buttoned-down leader Mike Harris, has been slowly trying to do away with services that are currently administered by the province. The ideology in question, privatization, has been a hallmark of the general Sense revolution. But so far the Tories have been slow to make a success of it. Attempts to privatize the Liquor Control Board and TV Ontario were put in on the back burner because of low public support. As well, privatizing hydro utilities has already led to charges of price gouging. But by far the biggest headache is coming from the public call option over the deaths from the E-coli outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario. Regardless of who the Tories look to blame, the issue continually keeps coming back to the privatization of water labs by the province. Yet now, with these other efforts stalled or creating policy-making turmoil, the government is pushing ahead with its prison agenda. The first of the new superjails pass on be opened in Penetanguishine, a small rural community normality of Toronto. This jail is slated to be home to the provinces first privatized superjail and the issue has created a storm of controversy. In November of 1999, the Ministry of Corrections announced that the new 1200 bed facility would be move over to the private sector, contrary to what the municipality had been previously told. Wayne Redditt is a member of a local citizens committee opposed to the privatization venture. The municipality entered into this deal because they thought they were divergence be acquire a lot of good paying OPSEU (Ontario Public Sector Employees Union) jobs. People were told it was going to be a publicly run facility. Then after the choic e we are told that it will be private. People here didnt expect to be treated like guinea pig. The Ministry of Corrections has defended themselves by stating there will be a strict code of standards imposed before private corporations are allowed to take control of the prisons. They have gone on to say that there will also be constant monitoring of the prison by ministry officials. This had done very little to quell public fear ... ...t money and then pickings your house if you dont pay it back? Will there be two lines in the emergency room One for the wealthy who posterior swipe their credit cards and one for the others who will use their health cards? Since these services have felt the pressure, you can be sure that it wont be long before other important and crucial services in this province feel the pinch. In essence, if private corporations are going to be running all the services that the province of Ontario used to run, why bother having a provincial government? whitethornbe some day before long well all be electing a CEO and not a premier.Bibliography1. Redditt, Wayne. Interview. HighGrader Magazine Summer 20002. Scanlon, Barry. Press Release. OPSEU Website Sept. 7, 20003. Dawe, Brian. Interview. HighGrader Magazine Summer 20004. Daniels, Mary Lou. Press Release. OPSEU Website Dec. 03, 1999.5. Casselman, Leah. Press Release. OPSEU Website May 26, 2000.6. MacDougall, Doug. Press Release. OPSEU Website Aug. 08, 20007. Cunningham, Diane. Interview. Ministry Website (Hansard) October 2000.8. Casselman, Leah. Press Release. OPSEU Website June 23, 2000.9. Taylor, Darryl. Press Release. OPSEU Website Sept. 21, 2000.