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As Ontario was girding its loins this spring for the June election, the government of Kathleen Wynne was cranking up all kinds of new spending.

The entire effort obviously was an attempt at vote buying in its traditional and ugliest form. In other words, it was blatant. No attempt at subtlety here. There was nothing more to it than an effort to retain power.

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The people of the province found this strategy, along with so much of the Liberal platform, to be wanting and it’s one of the reasons the Wynne Liberals were sent packing in such an ignominious fashion.

The party, you’ll recall, was reduced to seven seats, one short of official party status.

It might not be fair to suggest this business of adding to expenditures in an attempt to survive politically is typical of Liberals. And yet.

Take the Justin Trudeau government in Ottawa, for example. The prime minister just increased the size of cabinet by five ministers, thus increasing the day-to-day costs of government with not a single indication of benefits.