Voters plugging into short-term rate relief

Incredibly and against all odds, Ontarians may be prepared to forgive Premier Kathleen Wynne and her Liberals when they go to the polls in June 2018.

According to a Mainstreet Research/ Postmedia poll, approximately 47 per cent of Ontarians approve of Wynne’s decision earlier this month to lower electricity rates by an average of 17 per cent, beginning with the June billing — even as that decision would create additional long-term debt of an estimated $26 billion.

Indeed, the same poll found 41 per cent of Ontarians believe the Liberals’ electricity plan is really a ploy to put the controversial issue behind them as Wynne and her party gear up for the next election campaign. But guess what? They’re also willing to accept it for what it is and enjoy lower electricity bills.

It’s not only the Liberals who are cynical here; it is also those who support them while acknowledging and even applauding their opportunism.

What’s interesting is even as Wynne’s personal approval rating drags, her party continues to enjoy more support than the New Democrats, for whom only 17 per cent of Ontarians would vote if a general election was held today. The Liberals stand at 22 per cent, while the Progressive Conservatives are at 32 per cent.

But the number of undecided Ontarians sits at 25 per cent, and they will probably be the ones to elect the next government. Their decision will not be based on electricity rates alone but on a wide variety of issues, including the popularity of party leaders.

But by slightly moving the issue of electricity rates off the table, the Liberals have potentially removed an enormous obstacle to re-election. And with their plan set to begin in June, they’ll have 12 months to remind Ontarians they were able to cut electricity rates.

The Mainstreet Research/Postmedia poll illustrates a compelling truth: many voters are searching for short-term and immediate solutions while disregarding long-term consequences. They are willing to be bought.

The NDP’s Andrea Horwath has also put forward a plan to deal with Ontario’s electricity challenges but the New Democrats have received little public traction, and what they have received pales to the Liberals’ ability as the sitting government to simply cut immediate electricity bills while pushing the actual cost down the road.

Many voters aren’t worried about “down the road” — they want relief, and are apparently willing to reward the party that provides that relief, even while understanding their relief will leave a substantial debt for future generations.