We do not want to become endless critics, complainers and whiners but once again, government does something which would cost them their job in the real world.
For some reason, Ontario motor vehicle license plates were inadequate. Perhaps dated is the better explanation. But the provincial government, in its goal of being on the job, creating more jobs and improving life in the province, decided vehicle license plates needed replacement.
Above is the result of their efforts. Now consider: the trillium in the centre is the result of a design makeover, to the tune of $89,000. According to sources who we consulted, the plate’s overall design cost was in the range of $500,000. A half a million dollars taxpayer dollars thrown at something which will remain behind even as replacement plates are issued. Remember, many of us will be driving around with old plates. Oh, we the great unwashed are out of fashion, out of date.
Meanwhile, minor issues like Indigenous rights and transportation access on their lands and education negotiations remain on the table of unfinished business. The Ford government seems to care little about big issues, and a lot about minor ones. Perhaps new license plates are not a minor issue, but major.
We do not think license plate replacement is a major issue. But spending more than half a million dollars on what many would label as a minor issue turns it into a major one, a major waste of taxpayer money.
The short of all this is that replacing license plates at this time may be of arguable benefit to the vehicle owners of the province. Keeping current is important; keeping fashionably current may be moot. But how the Ford government wastes money is not so debatable.
Surely the government explored provincial colleges of art to find the design possibilities. Such exploration would have cost taxpayers very little. If anything, these provincial schools would have chomped at the bit to have their students given the opportunity to show off their academic programs. No, the government would likely have offered that working with professionals was more cost effective.
Then consider the result of the professionals’ work have a major problem with night time visibility. Again, non-professionals discovered the flaw. A member of a police force in the province did a little night time testing. Lo and behold, the plates cannot be read in certain light. More than half a million dollars, huh?
We voted for them. They earn the big bucks. They spend our money like drunken sailors. You be the judge! You will be in less than four years.
