Deal … No deal … deal?

Stop the buses.

It looks as though we’ve been saved from an unwanted and unnecessary election by a last minute bit of budget brinksmanship.

Premier Dalton McGuinty announced this afternoon he’s reached a deal with New Democratic leader Andrea Horwath for her support getting the budget through the Legislature.

In addition to the additional support for welfare and childcare that he threw her way last week, he also agreed to a tax on the rich – an NDP idea that is popular with voters. His compromise? The money raised by the tax will go to pay down the debt.

So it appears to be win, win, win.

Voters get not to have another vote. The Libs get to cling on to their minority government. And the NDP get to look like they wrung concessions from them.

Horwath is taking her time responding to the premier’s statement, but if she turns this down, she will be toast.
Next year, of course, all bet are off.