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Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan speaks at the Economic Club of Canada on eliminating Ontario's deficit in Toronto on Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. (Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS) The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is considered to be a prime target for privatization.

All-day kindergarten not going anywhere: Duncan

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Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan speaks at the Economic Club of Canada on eliminating Ontario's deficit in Toronto on Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. (Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS) The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is considered to be a prime target for privatization.

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Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan speaks at the Economic Club of Canada on eliminating Ontario's deficit in Toronto on Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. (Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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Date: Mon. Feb. 13 2012 11:11 PM ET

Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says the province will not cancel or scale back its all-day kindergarten program, regardless of what a spending report suggests later this week.

Duncan made the announcement during a speech at the Economic Club of Canada Monday afternoon, outlining a series of spending adjustments intended to battle Ontario's multibillion-dollar deficit.

The speech comes two days before TD Bank economist Don Drummond is scheduled to release a massive report detailing a solution to the province's $16-billion deficit.

CTV Toronto's Paul Bliss says the report will include 362 recommendations.

While Duncan said Drummond's report will suggest cancelling all-day kindergarten, the province will not do it.

Premier Dalton McGuinty considers the kindergarten program to be one of his crowning achievements, which the PCs and NDP both promoted similar programs in last year's provincial election.

Duncan did say the government would sell off a valuable plot of land on Toronto's waterfront that currently houses the LCBO headquarters.

The property on Queen's Quay, east of Yonge Street, could net Queen's Park more than $200 million.

Also announced was a plan to reconsider an annual $345 million horseracing subsidy.

Duncan also said that the province could sell off more of Service Ontario.

With files from CTV Toronto's Paul Bliss

Comments are now closed for this story

Jim in Ontario
said

This is all about payback for teachers' unions political support. I don't know any parents who think this expensive daycare is beneficial to their children's development.


Mark
said

Did anyone catch this little ditty from Dwight? "Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says the province will not cancel or scale back its all-day kindergarten program, regardless of what a spending report suggests later this week".

SO...regardless that this programme is WAY TOO EXPENSIVE, McGuinty isn't going to cancel it. This programme folds like a sodden tent to his teacher union "Working families coalition" that got him elected. Of course he's delighted to spend our tax dollars on a programme that is not necessary because he thinks it's a vote getter.

Far be it from this guy to propose and promote something that makes sense when he can engineer reality to fit his little vote-buying agenda.

Can you say "e-health"?




Lee in Ottawa
said

Hey Gord,
Perhaps you should learn your laws...
Clements is a person of public office so he is a public figure therefore people are allowed to have an opinion of him and can't be sued for libel.



Alice says
said

So an economist has been hired to put forward a spending report for the provincial governement but the Finance Minister & Premier aren't going to pay any attention to what he has to say?
Typical of this party. Full-day kindergarten was rammed through to appease those who believe the education system should be used as daycare, hopefully ensuring some votes for the Liberals in the next election.
McGuinty believes this is his legacy regardless if it financially breaks this province in the process.
Shame on Mr. Duncan & Mr. McGuinty for thier stuborness & selfish behaviour.


catsrulz
said

@M Clement is is fed. not provincial


Gord
said

When I moved to Toronto thirty years ago, the Toronto Star building at 1 Yonge St. stood all alone down there. CKEY radio had studios there and their morning traffic reporter used to call in Gardiner Expressway traffic from inside their bay studio windows. It was a real hoot to see him waving at the traffic. Now the building is buried in a forest of new hi rises and hardly seen from the Gardiner and CKEY is long gone.

Next door to the LCBO HQ and warehouse once stood the OPP HQ,at the foot Of York St. The OPP has since moved to Orillia and the site is now undergoing redevelopment. The LCBO HQ can just as easily be moved too, prehaps also to Orillia. The LCBO is well represented in that area with the a store in Loblaws at Lower Jarvis and Queens Quay and another store at Front St and the St Lawrence Market.

That area south of the Gardiner is prime re development land. Soon Redpath Sugar will be left all alone and lonely. New neighbours are Corus Entertainment and George Brown College. Driving down lower Jarvis is often spooky when a huge ship is offloading raw sugar from Brazil or Cuba at Redpaths. Redpath's is all that's left of what used to be called the Port Of Toronto. Times change.


Sahib Reginawale
said

My parent, Saskatchewan, is booming. My neighbours Alberta and Manitoba are booming too. We don't need to sell any assets.


Gord
said

Hey M. You got the wrong government. Clements is Federal.Also be carefull who you are calling a criminal without proof. We have libel laws here.


MJ
said

Maybe if we didn't PAY for others to take our electricity also we would be better off. Didn't need the windmills!


AM
said

It would be appropriate if we, the taxpayers, were told exactly what these profits will be used for.
Somehow I imagine they will just get lost in the pockets of the Ontario government and not make a difference one way or the other.


peter
said

@ M. excuse me but is the LCBO not fall under the provincial government jurisdiction? All liquor boards in Canada are handled by the provincial governments. The fed have nothing to do with them and has nothing to do with Tony Clement. But I guess you haters have to hate.


Anne
said

We subsidize horseracing for $345M/year???? What kind of absolute nonsense is that? We have children whose parents can't afford dental care and seniors who cannot afford required medication but we have money for THIS?? Our screams of outrage should be heard right across the country. I am totally disgusted.


M.
said

Maybe if they didn't let Tony Clement mishandle (illegally too) so much money in G20 funds they wouldn't have to sell off assets.


Pasha
said

Good, the LCBO only uses a portion of the property, they can sell the property to developers and if necessary lease back the space for a store but with the one at Loblaws and at the one in the process of being expanded and renovated at Esplanade do they really need another one on Queen's Quay. If necessary they could open one in the Queen's Quay Terminal or more to the west end of the quay.


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