And that's where the statistic comes in that Harper debt grew by 28%, while McGuinty/Wynne debt grew 100% over the same time. Factor out the recession, and its clear how bad Ontario was.
How bad exactly? Let's take a look at Net Debt to GDP percentages for 2015-2016 for all provinces then, shall we?
http://www.rbc.com/economics/economic-reports/pdf/provincial-forecasts/prov_fiscal.pdf (page 12)
The west does pretty well, Saskatchewan (9.9%), Alberta (-1.2%), BC (15.5%). However, a lot of that is tied to oil, and SK, AB debts are expected to rise.
Manitoba: 33.6%, Ontario 37.8%, Quebec: 47.2%, New Brunswick: 41.6%, Nova Scotia: 37.5%, Prince Edward Island: 35.3%, Newfoundland & Labrador: 42%.
Nationally, it's 31.8%
Notice a trend here? Ontario seems right in the middle of the pack for debt and the three western provinces have large long-term unsustainable revenue due to oil & natural gas production. Yeah, Ontario has a lot of debt, but it also has a markedly larger population (nearly 1.5x the next biggest, Quebec) it also makes a lot of money.
And take note, Ontario's 37.8% is far lower (ie; better) than the OECD 2015 average for developed countries (111%) and
nowhere near the US's 104%, the UK at 103% and Japan at a whopping 232%. In short, this means Ontario (and Canada in general)'s ability to pay back its debt is quite good.
But sure, Ontario's debt is just so very, very, unbelievably bad that we shouldn't stand for it.