The economic decisions of grasshoppers and ants

In a field one summer's day in Ontario, the grasshoppers were hopping about chirping and singing to their hearts' content. In contrast, the ants marched by, bearing, with great toil, the kernels of corn that they were taking back to their nest for the winter. And the grasshoppers asked, "Why are you ants toiling and moiling in that way?"

"We are working. We are helping to lay up food for the winter," said the ants, "and recommend that you do the same."

"Why bother about winter?" said the grasshoppers. "We have plenty of food at present. Times have been good."

But the ants went on their way and continued their toil. When winter came, the grasshoppers had no food and found themselves dying of hunger while they saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores that they had collected in the summer. For you see, the grasshoppers had spent, they had consumed all and they had nothing in reserve.

When I think of the past five years of over-spending by the McGuinty government, and economic mismanagement, I can’t help but think of this parable of the ants and grasshoppers.

Perhaps grasshoppers don't understand that economies go in cycles but elected representatives should know better. The good times do not last forever – that’s Economics 101.

 I find it unconscionable that at the end of five years of prosperity this government ran us right into a deficit, as well as have-not status. Over- taxing and spending and consuming in the good times leaves nothing for the tough times, and that's exactly where we stand today.

We have left nothing for a winter day.

It’s not as if this government was not warned.

In spite of the warnings, spending over the five years skyrocketed from $68 billion a year to $96 billion. Where did that money go?

Regrettably, these happy-go-lucky government grasshoppers, these devil-make-care grasshoppers, these "What, me worry?" grasshoppers, were too busy spending the ants' hard-earned money, the ants' tax dollars, to listen. Even the ants started to question, "Why should we be moiling and toiling and dragging corn back to be redistributed? Why should we work overtime? Why should we strive to get ahead?" knowing that at least half their corn was going to the grasshoppers, who were sitting back living the life of Riley.

So, despite five years of prosperity, we have now achieved have-not status and have accrued a made-in-Ontario deficit. The shortfall is resulting from what works out to a 50 per cent increase in program spending despite this government slapping taxpayers with the largest tax increase in the history of Ontario. We're in trouble as well, in part, because of the creation of more government jobs than all the other provinces combined. Mr. McGuinty has increased the size of the civil service by more than all the other provinces put together, and the number of Ontario civil servants making more than $100,000 is now up by 27 per cent.

Like grasshoppers, this Ontario government has been complacently sitting back, resting on its political laurels with no thought for the days to come. And while the grasshoppers in this parable eventually learn, out of necessity, the importance of preparation, I am not convinced this government has.