Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Enjoy the show - Updated

Warren Kinsella sits back smugly and marvels at the fact that John Tory is even considering hanging on to the faith-based funding issue.

...John, who I like, has perhaps lost his marbles. He needs to get back to Florida for a really long vacation. That, or this is a cunning ploy to get the Ontario Conservative party to fire him so that he can go back to making money and having a life.

Either way, it’s time for Ontario Liberals to get out the healthy snacks, put up their feet, and watch the show. It’s going to be entertaining.

Well, at least they've given up on the popcorn & beer.


3:30 P.M. Update:

Sorry, Warren. The show's over - Tory backs off from contentious funding policy.



Meanwhile, Christina Blizzard clues us in on the real upcoming entertainment in Ontario Legislature, whenever they finally get back to work - Randy Hillier vs. George Smitherman.

This is one pit-bull fight you won't want to miss.


* * * *
Evening update: I think I might end up becoming a Liberal Lemming after all. Dalton is so cute you just want to follow him no matter how many promises he breaks.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry Joanne - even THIS conservative can see that Kinsella's bang on this one.

I have heard that not all of Tory's caucus was at that meeting today. What can we gleen from that??

Maybe a coup or a resignation? Maybe both?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

even THIS conservative can see that Kinsella's bang on this one.

I'm not disputing the notion that John Tory needs to give this up. Clearly the people of Ontario only want Catholics being allowed to have public funding for education.

However,I find Kinsella's schadenfreude somewhat disconcerting.

Matt said...

Sorry Joanne - even THIS conservative can see that Kinsella's bang on this one.

I have heard that not all of Tory's caucus was at that meeting today. What can we gleen from that??

Maybe a coup or a resignation? Maybe both?


I think you missed Joanne's intent. Unless, of course, I'm missing your intent :)

Where did you hear about the absences from the caucus meeting today? Not that I don't believe you, rather I'd like to learn more about it.

Raphael Alexander said...

Looks like Tory's going to do the right thing and let it go in favour of a better shot in the 2011 election. God, that sounds so far away...

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Raphael - I don't know if it's the 'right' thing, but it is most definitely the smart thing.

Matt, I'm with you. I'd like to know more about the caucus meeting too.

Raphael Alexander said...

Well, politics hasn't always been about "right and wrong" but about winning the war. Is it "right" for Harper to foist an election onto Canadians right now? Is it "right" for Harper to treat Bill Casey the way he is out of partisanship?

But Harper shows he is willing to take this party to a federal majority, and that he isn't willing to go along with any dissidents. I may not like some of the political methodology, but ultimately the ends may justify the means. Just look at Dalton. Instead of running his campaign on principles, he runs on promises. It's not right, but it seems to have worked to his benefit.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of Harper. It was Harry Potter day on the hill today as the Lib. finance critic accused Jim Flaherty of being like the Dark Lord(I thought immediately of Kinsella), Voldemort......only it came out Voldeman.

Flaherty, always quick on his feet responsed well.

Critic then suggested he go back to
Financial Wizard School. Pretty funny and enteraining. Too bad it's how things seem to play out in question period these days.

re: Tory caucus meetings - some may be on holiday?

Nicol DuMoulin said...

What does it say that the socially conservative Hillier was elected while Red Tory John lost his seat?

Raphael Alexander said...

Nicol, I'm not sure it says anything yet. Post-mortem analysis of the election doesn't conclusively show that Tory's centrist policies were rejected as a reason for voting McGuinty.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

What does it say that the socially conservative Hillier was elected while Red Tory John lost his seat?

Exactly. What's interesting is that Ontario is made up of two solitudes - urban and rural. Unfortunately, the urban one holds most of the cards.

Matt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Matt said...

What does it say that the socially conservative Hillier was elected while Red Tory John lost his seat?

It says if the PC Party is going to completely bungle the education issue in an election campaign, they'd better not have their leader running against the incumbent education minister.

Also, Hillier was elected in Ontario's right-wing heartland, between Renfrew-Nippissing-Pembroke and Carleton-Mississippi-Mills.

I'm not by any means a red tory but if we ever want a PC government in Ontario, we're going to have to have red tory candidates so that we can get red tory votes.

That said, with the need for red tories candidates recognized as an advantage, I am starting to suspect that the leader of that party has to be a blue tory in order to be successful.

Anonymous said...

By the same token those red tories can't keep distancing themselves from the blue tories. It's counter productive and unless the reds reconsile with the blues we stand to lose future elections.

We need purple.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

with the need for red tories candidates recognized as an advantage, I am starting to suspect that the leader of that party has to be a blue tory in order to be successful.

Matt, I think we need Red Tories in the urban centres, but not the party leader running against very popular ministers!

Blue Tories in the rural areas.

And Anon, yes, we need purple Tories in the 905.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Matt, I do agree that the leader shouldn't be a Red Tory - maybe purple.

Matt said...

By the same token those red tories can't keep distancing themselves from the blue tories. It's counter productive and unless the reds reconsile with the blues we stand to lose future elections.

I don't see that happening at all, rather I see the opposite. During the campaign and it's lead-up in the summer, the BT blogroll was full of people whining about "Tory and McGuinty being the same ideologically" blah blah blah.

Many expressed subtle desire for a more right wing party. Those bloggers include (don't quote me): myself, Sandy, Joanne, Canadian Conservative...

Others even voted Liberal or stayed home (quote me): BaconEatingAtheistJew, Kitchener Conservative, Gay And Right...

By far, at a ratio of at least 3 or 4:1, it was blue tories "distancing themselves" from the reds. This may not always be historically true but for the whole of 2007 it was very much the case.

The blues + the partisans were the tories that voted in 2003 and got 35%. The reds + the partisans were the tories that voted in 2007 and got 30%. We need both groups to get along.

Matt said...

What are purple tories? red + blue? Getting specific are we? ;)

bluetech said...

BBH!!

Joanne (True Blue) said...

What are purple tories? red + blue?

Exactly. But I agree with you that we all need to get along.

This is almost like the PC vs. Alliance split. Someone needs to address this schism and bring the two factions together; not unlike what is happening with the Federal Liberals right now.

Möbius said...

Raphael - I don't know if it's the 'right' thing, but it is most definitely the smart thing.

It is the right and smart thing. As a true conservative, he should be fighting to remove Catholic education funding as well.

But then, I'm pretty contrary...:)