Mr. McGuinty and Faith-Based Schools II

Ouch. The Post's Andrew Coyne has fisked Mr. McGunity on his position regarding faith-based school funding, calling it both hypocritical and indefensible.

He makes another good point... basicly saying to Mr. McGuinty, "You made your bed, now it's time to lie in it."

So Mr. McGuinty, asked to respond to the Tory proposal, might have simply shrugged and said: "Not my policy." Or, seized of the unfairness of funding one religion over others, he might have followed Quebec's lead, and amended the Constitution to remove any reference to religious schools.

But Mr. McGuinty did not do that. Instead, in a calculatedly inflammatory move, he chose to make religious schools the central issue of the campaign. "I'm hoping to grab Ontarians by the earlobes," Mr. McGuinty told reporters, "and say, 'It's not just another election, it's not just business as usual. It's about the kind of Ontario you want.'" Then that business about students being "segregated," followed by a sweet-faced appeal to "bring our kids together, so that they grow together and learn from one another."

So the Premier cannot disavow the passions he might thus have ignited: That was his intent -- to "grab Ontarians by the earlobes," to warn them of ? what? What dark fears does he wish to arouse? Or to be specific, why does he believe other religions would "segregate" their kids, when that has not been the case with the Catholic schools?