I've given this quite a bit of thought.
My area would be Ontario, and I'd separate it from Canada, of course, on the presumption that other people would become Dictators of the other provinces. I'd be keen on getting a hold of military assets in case any of them decide to invade.
I'd also begin, in supersecret, a program to build our own nuclear weapons and do it as fast as humanly possible. With our high level of technology I don't see why we can not build one within a year. We have a huge north where we could test one and hopefully get away with it without anybody noticing.
I could combine the Federal and Provincial MP and MPPs into a single legislature with dual member ridings. I've yet to decide if these dual members would be elected in a block (each voter gets 2 ballots and each party fields 2 candidates) or in a General Ticket (two identical ridings where voters get a ballot in each and each party fields a single candidate) and that will depend on how my research over on the IntElect forum turns out as to which one is more likely to elect a higher variety of parties from each new riding. I'd also examine the possibility of holding elections for each at 3 year dates so each member sits a 6 year term. I'd lower the voting age to 16, and give everyone who votes a $50 tax refundable credit for casting a ballot.
I'd abolish and re-create the Senate to contain 72 members and be weaker. 24 members would continue to be appointed directly by myself to sit for as long as it pleases me. 24 members would be chosen, fully at random, for all registered and capable voters. The last 24 would be chosen based on who they are. They would be:
4 Women
4 Senior Citizens (over the age of 70)
6 Young people (under the age of 25)
6 Poor people (Income less than $20K, adjusted for inflation, each year for the past 3 years)
2 Current Military Soldiers (who have served for over a year)
There could be overlap but everyone must qualify for whom they are selected (IE many of the non-women posts would likely be female, but they are being picked because of their age or their income, not because they are women)
I'd replace the 13% HST with a 12% VAT, with most remaining exemptions removed.
The current Ontario Income Taxes, when combined with Federal, are like so:
$0-$39,021 = 20.05%
$39,021-$42,707 = 24.15%
$42,707-$68,719 = 31.15%
$68,719-$78,043 = 32.98%
$78-043-$80,954 = $35.39%
$80,954-$85,414 = $39,41%
$85,414-$132,406 = 43.41%
$132,406-+++++ = 46.41%
I'd adjust this as so
$0-$40,000 = 20%
$40,000-$80,000 = 30%
$80,000-+++++ = 45%
The personal exemption for Ontario is $9,404 and Federal is $10,822, both would be at $12,500
In 2013, Ontario's corporate rate is going to 10%, and federal rate of 15% in 2012. I'd combine these now for a rate of $25% today, and look at further decreases, but no commitment just yet.
Ontario has been a net contributor to federal revenue, it gives billions more than it receives, so despite the tax cuts we should be closer to surplus. I'd ban any further tax cuts until we can get out of deficit, and I'd remove indexation of the tax brackets for 2 years so we can dig ourselves out.
The current combined gasoline excise tax is 24.7 cents. I'd increase this to 31 cents across Ontario, and increase it in urban areas in steps to a high of 40 cents in downtown Toronto.
I'd mandate that the Ontario government subsidize $2 of every transit trip across Ontario, increasing with inflation. I'd also upload all the sh*t that was downloaded to the cities during the Harris era.
I'd move the Capitol to Ottawa. I'd personally take, by force if needed, the 407 back from the companies and it would become mine. I'd also mandate that the Ontario government give me 2% of all of their revenues. This would be my "personal budget" which would be spent on whatever projects around Ontario that tickle my fancy. I would have residences (normal houses) in various places across Ontario (Windsor, London, Owen Sound, Kitchener, St.Catharines, Brampton, Uxbridge, Downtown Toronto, Barrie, Peterborough, Kingston, Ottawa, Barrhaven, Sudbury, Sault Ste Marie, Thunder Bay, Timmins, and at a bunker in the far north) All of my housing, food, drink, transportation costs, and clothing would be covered out of that "personal budget" of mine. Anything else would need to be covered out of my "salary" would be pegged at mean wage a year (around 40K). Every penny I spend out of either of my personal budget or my salary would be 100% public.
I'd appoint a Regent to serve as the Lt.Gov and Gov.Gen has - and I'd one of the current of those to do that job. The regent would sign off, without question, on bills on my behalf unless I specifically tell him not to. I would retain the right to veto bills, and only a unanimous vote from the house could over-rule me, and force the Regent to sign despite my objections. I'd also have an honorary Senate seat, and the ability to strike joint senate-house committees to examine whatever I feel like. I could also submit bills to the house and senate whenever I feel like.
I'd begin, one by one, to sit down and work out every native land claim across Ontario, starting with the reserves who do not make trouble. I'd be very friendly towards their claims and give them greater freedoms rights and incomes. I'd also keep track of which reserves reject census takers for the 2016 census, and those reserves would go on my "naughty list", along with any reserve illegally occupying any land they do not own. Once I've finished all the land-claims of the reserves that behave, I will hope the naughty ones would have learned their lesson and smartened up, and if they let in 2021 census takers, I'll settle with them. If they do not, I'll reroute highway, hydro, and rail lines away from their reserves, and put up army postings to ensure they do not try anything crazy. If however they continue to occupy land outside their reserve, and refuse to submit to my authority, I will give them a final warning - get in line by 2026 or I will invade. If they refuse to get in line, I will invade, guns blazing, and disband the reserve. I only expect 2 reserves to be problematic, and hopefully they'll see the wisdom in acting like adults and not children.
I'd put all the funding needed to build extra connections to the USA especially in and around Detroit and other parts of Michigan. I'd also build new highways as noted on the map below. Note that this map also shows where I'd improve highways to freeway status.
MAPAs well as further maps I'll attach within the day
I'd improve transit as noted on the map below.
MAPAs well as further maps I'll attach within the day.
I would for the most part allow the legislature to continue to operate in a democratic manner even if they propose silly ideas like "civil rights" - so long as they can prove to me that these ideas have public backing.
Lastly, starting, at the latest, in 2030, if not earlier, I will stop collecting 2% from the budget, and freeze it at a set amount not indexed to inflation. By 2050 I expect Ontario to be a world leader.
