Ontarians are going to the polls
On Thursday, May 1, the Liberal minority government under Premiere Kathleen Wynne presented their 2014 budget. By the afternoon of Friday, May 2, Ontarians were notified that they would be heading to the polls on June 12. The expedited nature of the process has left many voters wondering how Ontario went from the proposed Liberal budget (which presented a ten-year plan to invest in job creation funds, schools, hospitals, and transportation infrastructure, as well as increase the minimum wage) to an election in only twenty-four hours.
Wynne initially gave both parties one week to review the budget to see if their respective parties would support it. Almost immediately, the Progressive Conservative leader, Tim Hudak, said his party would not support it, and the following morning, the New Democratic Party (NDP) leader, Andrea Horwath, said in a press conference that the NDP could not support the budget. At that point, Wynne had two options: either wait until the following week for a vote on the budget that she knew would not pass and result in a non-confidence vote, or meet with Lieutenant Governor David Onley and recommend that Parliament be dissolved for a general election (informally known as “dropping the writ”). Upon recommendation of the Chief Electoral Officer, the June 12 date was set.
Parties have not wasted any time, as leaders from the Liberal, Progressive Conservative, New Democratic, and Green Parties held campaign kick-off events within the first twenty-four hours of the election being called. All candidates and parties have five weeks to campaign in their respective districts, with the leaders making stops throughout the province.
The cost of the 2011 Ontario provincial election was around $79.2 million, and it is estimated that this year’s election will cost the same, if not more.
Thankfully, the election process is not all spending. Several employment opportunities will be made available during the election, and residents of Ontario 18 years of age or older can apply to work for Elections Ontario.
Voter turnout has been on the decline in Ontario over the past twenty years, reaching a record low in 2011 with a turnout of 48.2 per cent. To ensure this number does not decline any further, all parties and leaders are stressing the importance of eligible citizens informing themselves about the issues and voicing their opinions through voting at advanced polls or on June 12.