News Updates

School boards will have to cut elsewhere to fund costly program

January 12, 2010

BROCKVILLE. Premier Dalton McGuinty needs to explain to Ontarians how he’s going to pay for a costly new all-day kindergarten program unveiled Tuesday, says Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman.

It’s been nearly three months since McGuinty’s government revealed it faces a $25-billion deficit, yet not a single meaningful restraint measure has been announced, Runciman said.

“And now we have this announcement, which confirms that the McGuinty government’s only plan for the deficit is to increase it,” Runciman said. “At some point, the premier has to understand that his warm-and-fuzzy photo ops come with dire consequences for the taxpayers of Ontario.”

McGuinty announced a list of almost 600 schools across the province that will provide all-day instruction to four- and five-year-olds. When fully implemented by 2015, the Liberal government claims the price tag will be $1.5 billion annually.

“Based on this government’s track record, we have a pretty good idea that the number will be far higher,” Runciman said. “And there are only two ways to pay for it: hike taxes or force school boards to cut somewhere else, short-changing other students.”

Some school boards say the program is poorly thought out, details are vague, and there’s little indication that it will be fully funded, particularly to create the space that will be needed.

Runciman said there are arguments for early childhood education, but questions why the haste to implement all-day kindergarten in light of the province’s dire fiscal circumstances.

“It looks like another example of the government catering to the teachers’ union, while ignoring the interests of taxpayers at large,” the MPP said.

For more information:
Bob Runciman (613) 342-9522

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