Premier Miller? (en francais)

After reading this article, it's not hard to figure out why Toronto Mayor David Miller was helping so many Liberals campaign. Combined with the new taxing powers the province is poised to bestow on Toronto, it sounds like they were beginning to approach Territorial status.

Ottawa has more than enough issues on it's plate of a truly national scope than to be wasting time negotiating with cities. That is a clear Provincial responsibility. The dreaded "de-centralization" supposedly championed by Stephen Harper is nothing of the sort. The federal government has been increasingly encroaching on territory where they have no business, while woefully neglecting their own responsibilities.

The Gas Tax/New Deal for the cities? Simple. The federal government reduces the gas tax by 5 cents and allows the provinces to increase their own by the same amount. No need for melodramatic First Ministers meetings, hoards of bureaucrats and reams of paperwork. Give the money back to the provinces where it belongs and get on with putting the federal house in order.

Miller hopes urban ministry survives
Feb. 6, 2006. 01:00 AM
BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH
OTTAWA BUREAU

He said it was thanks to the department that the City of Toronto was just days away from signing an "urban development agreement" with Ottawa that would have co-ordinated how the two governments, as well as Queen's Park, work together.

The document, delayed by the election, would have given Toronto a central role on issues facing the city, such as community safety, immigration, waterfront revitalization, public transit, child care and housing.

Spanky for Prime Minister?