TORONTO - Many Ontarians were upset with the poorly devised all-day kindergarten program that Dalton McGuinty unexpectedly foisted upon the province during the recession. Of course, many people had different reasons to be unhappy. Many were upset by the expense of such a program, while others were upset that there schools would not offer it. In essence, whether you support the idea of all-day kindergarten or not, there are a multitude of reasons why this particular program has not been carried out effectively.

As Ontarians became more informed about the new legislation, an even bigger reason to protest emerged. This all-day kindergarten also included provisions that essentially provided for government-subsidized day care both before and after school. It would be hard to conceive a more deceitful way to bring about such an expansive government program. Even with the unadvertised caveat that the all-day kindergarten would only be available in some areas to begin with, the price tag for the rollout surpassed $1.5-billion this year. This, of course, would only increase as the program was expanded across the province.

Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of this affair is the lack of confidence it inspires in Ontario's Premier and the Liberal brain trust. Who thought this would be a good idea? It is unclear, in fact, who exactly McGuinty is pandering to in this disastrous quagmire.

With an election looming next year, it would be unwise for McGuinty to do battle with Ontario's school boards and teachers - yet he ought to have known this would be inevitable if he pursued this legislation. Even at the price tag of $1.5-billion, this program is underfunded. School boards, already under extreme budgetary pressure, have had to absord millions of dollars in associated costs. Naturally, this has created a culture of emnity where constructive collaboration is required. Furthermore, the staggered introduction of the program has fostered inequalities within the province and this has angered more parents than it has pleased. Again, it is necessary to ask who thought this was a god idea?