THUNDER BAY – Dalton McGuinty will be in Thunder Bay on September 15th. That is four years, and one day after the Premier’s pronouncement in our city that “Ontario Liberals think Ontarians can – and should – lead the development of hydrogen alternatives for the world.”
In a press release, the Liberals said, “The hydrogen commuter train is exactly the type of initiative envisioned when the Ontario Liberal government created the new $650 million Next Generation Jobs Fund”, McGuinty said. “Ontario Liberals want to expand the Fund by a further $500 million after the October 10th election”.
In the four years since, Premier McGuinty has remained silent on the progress toward Ontario leading the world in “the development of hydrogen alternatives for the world”.
It is a promise that fired up advocates for hydrogen powered rail around the world.
The Liberals announced “Accompanied by Liberal candidates Bill Mauro (Thunder Bay-Atikokan) and Michael Gravelle (Thunder Bay-Superior North), McGuinty announced that there have been discussions with Bombardier to help create an Ontario-developed and built hydrogen-powered commuter train”.
The quotes are from the Ontario Liberals. The promises are from Premier McGuinty.
What is wrong is that in four years of silence the opportunity to “lead the world” as the Premier vowed, has been lost. The United States, China, and Turkey have taken the lead that four years ago could have been Ontarios for the taking. http://netnewsledger.com/2010/11/30/china-drops-the-hydrail-shoe/
Election campaigns are all about promises. Governing is all about keeping those promises.
The promise of researching, designing and building hydrogen powered rail locomotives in Ontario is one that could bring good paying jobs to Ontario, take our province into a leadership role in hi-tech research and innovation.
Four years ago today, Premier McGuinty was on the right track when he made his promises in Thunder Bay. Four years later to see no substantive progress is realize that sometimes politicians will say almost anything during an election campaign.
Its really too bad. The Premier’s vision of four years ago could have resulted in Thunder Bay being at the forefront of some of the most exciting research of our time.
Generations of our young people would have had the opportunity for jobs that would be solid good-paying careers.
All one can wonder is what went wrong?
James Murray
