Harris' Nightmare Legacy

Harris is finally resigning. YAAHH!! The nightmare is finally over! He is leaving on March 23/2002. Our prayers have been answered, at last. Let's have a party. Yes, Harris is gone, but what kind of legacy has he left?

He came to power in 1995 with a majority to rule the province of Ontario for the next seven years. A reign of terror that has decimated Ontario He won because he promised tax cuts for the rich. He also promised not to touch education or health care, a promise he later reneged on.

The first attack he launched was against welfare recipients. Harris cut welfare rates by 21.6%. This one act began a descent into Hell for people on welfare who later became homeless when they couldn't pay their rent. I can speak from personal experience. When my cheque was cut, it made my life very difficult. I had just moved into my apartment in Parkdale where I was paying $575.00/month. This rent was easily covered under the old rate of $663.00. When the rates were cut, this meant that I was only getting $520.00/month, $55.00 less than what I needed for my rent. It was rough for a while with my landlord bugging me for the rest of the rent and Welfare pressuring me to move to a chaeper apartment. But then I agreed to do some work around the building in return for a reduction in my rent. This deal still continues with a rent of $520.00/month. So again, my cheque covers my rent although it means I pay my whole cheque for rent.

Harris once more attacked tenants when he eliminated rent controls. This was the program that controlled the amount of rent that landlords were allowed to charge. With rent controls removed, the sky's the limit for landlords. they have more incentive to evict tenants because they can raise the rent to whatever level they want. The prospective tenant has to negotiate with the landlord lower the rent that the landlord wants them to pay. This makes it a landlords' market. Again, more homeless people.

Here are a few words from my husband, Kerre, who was also a victim of Harris' legacy.

Some people compared Harris to Adolf Hitler. Both men hated a certain group of people. Hitler hated Jews and Harris hates poor and homeless people. Harris was allowed to to put this hatred into law. This can never be allowed to happen again nor can another Government like the Tories be permitted to exist. This departing "Premier of the taxpayers" and his cohorts should be put on trial for crimes they have committed, including Walkerton among other things. Social Justice must be achieved.

Hi,I'm back. Yes, hate for poor and homeless people is part of Harris' legacy. He has done everything he can to make life hell for them. Poor and homeless people Harris too. In fact, Harris is the most hated Premier that Ontario has ever had. He has, many times, demonstrated his contempt for for low-income people. The only people that Mike Harris likes are rich people and that's why he is constantly trying to curry their favour.

He has shown his contempt for protestors many times. Who can forget June 15th or the huge demo in Ottawa? Also, let's not forget OCAP's mock eviction of Jim Flaherty's office where the cops arrested everyone in attendance. The homeless people who sleep in Toronto's parks know of Harris' legacy, especially the ones who have been beaten up by Toronto's Harris-sent cops.

The George family has a regular reminder of Mike Harris; it is the empty chair at their table. Dudley George was shot by the OPP during the stand-off at Ipperwash. We firmly believe that Mike Harris was instrumental in Dudley George's death. He should be put on trial for that too.

Yes, Mike Harris will leave a nightmare legacy. The damage is extensive and the cuts are very deep. His decisions and deeds have caused wounds that may never heal. Harris' resolve to take the Government out of housing in 1995 led to a homelessness disaster that will take years to repair and also to the deaths of many homeless people on the street. Can this damage be fixed? Yes, but only if we get rid of the Tory Government, completely. Harris is resigning; let's make sure he takes the rest of the Tories with him. Down with the Tory Government!

Now, a final word from Kerre.

There should be an election, not just a leadership convention. Get rid of this Government, which never won the popular majority in an election. The election rules must be changed. As they said in 1945 after the defeat of the Nazis, "Never Again"!

Let's go back to my Home Page.