Oct 10
26
Dalton McGuinty – A walking economic disaster
October 25, 2010
Ontario Premier named worst fiscal manager
The Fraser Institute has named BC Premier Gordon Campbell as Canada’s most astute fiscal manager at the provincial level. Ontario Premier Dalton Mcguinty was rated shockingly low.
By CanadianManufacturing.com Staff
VANCOUVER: British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell ranks as the best of 10 provincial premiers at fiscal policy management, according to a new study released by the Fraser Institute.
The peer-reviewed study, Measuring the Fiscal Performance of Canada’s Premiers, ranks Campbell first overall with a score of 89.1 out of 100. Former Manitoba premier Gary Doer ranked second with 78.2. Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams scored 71.0 and ranked third. Premiers Ed Stelmach of Alberta (66.4) and Brad Wall of Saskatchewan (57.9) followed in fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Of the remaining premiers, only Québec Premier Jean Charest (53.7) scored above 50.0. Three of the four remaining premiers were from Atlantic Canada: Rodney MacDonald, former premier of Nova Scotia (33.7), Shawn Graham, former premier of New Brunswick (33.2), and Robert Ghiz of Prince Edward Island (30.0). Ontario’s Dalton McGuinty ranked last overall with a score of 29.7.
The institute studied relative fiscal performance of 10 Canadian premiers for the duration of their time in office up to this year, covering government spending, taxes and debt/deficits.
“In a world of increasing competitiveness, sound fiscal policy is a critical determinant of long-term economic success, so it’s important that provincial premiers show leadership by prioritizing, rather than simply increasing, existing government resources. They must ensure balanced budgets and focus on improving incentives for individuals and businesses to engage in productive economic activity,” said Niels Veldhuis, Fraser Institute senior economist and co-author.
Read a column by the Financial Post’s Niels Veldhuis and Charles Lammam here.