Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Tim HudakRafal Gerszak
This has been a remarkably active year at Queen's Park, perhaps the most tumultuous since 1996. There was a major tax reform, huge moves in energy, new leaders for both of the opposition parties, a couple mid-level scandals and a few personal tragedies.
Without further ado, here are the top ten moments at Queen's Park this year:
HST Introduction
Without a doubt, the harmonization of the GST and RST is the single biggest move by any government since the massive reforms under Mike Harris circa 1995-1997. It will dramatically lower the cost of doing business in Ontario, while actually saving lower-income individuals money and basically being revenue neutral for everyone else. It is the single biggest job creation spur in the provincial arsenal, potentially creating 600,000 new jobs over the next ten years.
And it is about as hard to sell as electric eel underwear.
If ever the gulf between good politics and good policy was visible, this is it.
If the McGuinty government is reelected, this will be their greatest legacy. If they fall in 2011, the HST-induced jobs boom could keep Tim Hudak in office for a generation.
John Tory Defeated
Poor John.
Doubly defeated in the 2007 election, the PC Party leader lost both the election and his attempt to win a Toronto seat.
After a year of trying to get one of his MPPs to step aside, Laurie Scott finally gave up the safe seat of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock.
But the local electorate shocked the province by rejecting Tory and electing Liberal Rick Johnson as their MPP.
Has any Ontario party leader even been so abused by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune?
Tim Hudak Elected PC Leader - HRC attack
After Mr. Tory's defeat, the PC Party was suddenly thrust into a leadership race.
Four candidates emerged: Finance Critic and Harris stalwart Tim Hudak; So-Con Frank Klees, Red Tory Christine Elliot and radical anti-government landowner Randy Hillier.
Hiller's quasi-endorsement of Hudak, thanks to their mutual agreement that the Human Rights Commission has to go, propels Hudak past a surprisingly strong Klees to win the race, and the top job in the winning-est political party in the Western World.
Thanks to a bucket full of luck and troubles on the government side, Mr. Hudak now finds himself leading the polls.
He will also find himself under a great deal more scrutiny over the next year, as the Gallery kicks the tires on a potential Premier to see what he actually stands for.
$24.7 billion deficit
All summer, senior Liberals were almost spastic with frustration.
They were inundated by expense scandals at e-Health Ontario and the OLG, while knowing the real issue was the exploding deficit. Day after day, they watched the Gallery chase five dollar choco-bite stories, while Finance department documents warning of the looming fiscal crunch were issued and ignored.
Finally, the fall economic statement allowed them to change the channel and get out the truth of a $24.7 billion deficit.
The next election won't be about e-Health (or the HST, I bet). It will be about how the Liberals handle the economy and accompanying financial challenges.
Asset Sales
Speaking of Liberals handling the fiscal crisis, this week's news that the province's assets are under review is evidence that big things are looming.
LCBO, Hydro One, OLG and countless other smaller assets are being looked over by investment bankers for potential restructuring or even sale.
Early rumblings from hospitals about declining patient care if budgets are restrained show the trades offs that make an asset sale seem more appetizing.
Far from floating balloons, this could be one of many front-page stories we confront over the next year.
E-Health Report and Caplan Resignation
The PC Party lost far more money on the Integrated Justice Project, but e-Health had choco-bites and other memorable expenses that pushed it into the public imagination.
Politically, the government lost its Health Minister, the jovial David Caplan, and two senior civil servants.
While all three will be forced to spend some time in the penalty box, they are all smart and resourceful people who still have bright futures.
Far more damaging, a culture of process, process, process will slow down any attempts at reform or result-driven transformation for the next two years.
Andrea Horwath Elected NDP Leader
The Howard Hampton years were a disappointment for the NDP, and a leadership race was a chance to shake things up.
The NDP had two options: stick with the Hampton strategy of Northern and Industrial issues and seat targeting on offer from Andrea Horwath, or Go Green and try Peter Tabuns environmental strategy that would try to graft the Green Party onto the existing union and academic base.
The NDP took the safe choice, and it remains to be seen if it was the right one.
Certainly, Ms. Horwath has grown by leaps and bounds on the job, but the math that gets the NDP to government from its present coalition remains daunting.
Nuclear Delay
The twenty billion dollar Ontario nuclear procurement is probably the biggest single purchase underway in Canada today.
Its delay in the summer, with Energy Minister George Smitherman citing declining demand, put this massive project on the backburner for at least six months.
The recent news of AECL's sale adds additional uncertainty that clouds Ontario's energy future.
A major decision is looming for 2010.
Smitherman Runs for Mayor
Something seemed funny when Deputy Premier George Smitherman started picking up garbage during the City of Toronto strike this summer.
By September, he was openly musing about running for mayor, and by November he had resigned from Cabinet.
Smitherman delivered for McGuinty, lowering the number of Ontarians without a doctor in half, authoring the Green Energy Act, and pushing billions of infrastructure dollars to shovel-ready projects.
His spot on the front bench will be hard to fill.
Bryant Charged
Probably the saddest news in the Queen's Park universe this year was the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard after a traffic incident with former Attorney General Michael Bryant.
One man is dead. Another sees his freedom in jeopardy.
Certainly, this is the one everyone wishes hadn't happened.