Showing posts with label Ontario politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ontario politics. Show all posts

Monday, April 21, 2008

Province-wide pesticide ban coming

Dalton McGuinty will be introducing legislation tomorrow as the first step towards a province-wide pesticide ban.

Reader Ruth tipped me off on this, and expresses concern about people with weed allergies.

I want to know what the penalties will be and how much of a bureaucracy will need to be created to police it.

And will all pesticides be banned from store shelves?

A lawn can get wiped out by cinchbug or grubs in a matter of weeks. If we lose our lawns, then the cities will heat up even more, and we will also lose an important source of carbon dioxide absorption.

Reader Fred had a great suggestion a while ago:

Leave pesticides to the professionals (lawn care companies) and take them off the store shelves. This would reduce improper pesticide use greatly. The people who know pesticides (University of Guelph) say they are safe if used properly. Let's trust them (we have to believe someone) and not the fanatics who use junk science in their argument against good products.


Sounds good to me, Fred.

* * * *
Update: Can someone please explain to me why golf courses will be exempt?


I'm not doing an Earth Day post per say, but please check out ChuckerCanuk for an excellent piece on how our highly-esteemed Elections Canada is not being very responsible about its carbon footprint. Tsk-tsk.

Chucker, you rock!

National Post - Why Ontario's pesticide ban bugs me (and may bug you too).

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

La révolte silencieuse against the emperor with "no instinct"

For Canadian political junkies, these are interesting times.

The Globe's Daniel Leblanc gives us a peek into the inner turmoil of the Liberal party's Quebec ranks, and it ain't a pretty picture (Dion facing revolt in Quebec ranks).

We first heard of this discord several weeks ago when Joël-Denis Bellavance alluded to a révolte silencieuse on Mike Duffy Live. Both Bellevance and Jean LaPierre had heard rumours that Bob Rae had control of the Quebec wing and was wanting to wait until the March 17th by-elections had passed and Rae had time in front of the cameras in Parliament before forcing an election.

However, the Silent Revolt is getting louder - LeBlanc suggests even more serious in-fighting and lack of faith in Stéphane Dion. Lisa Frulla in particular is surprisingly candid with her remarks:

“He has no instinct,” former Liberal minister and political commentator Liza Frulla said in an interview.

“At a certain point, people feel it if there is something wrong, even if they don't know exactly what it is. But he, poor Stéphane, doesn't feel it.”

She also has strong words for Dion's Quebec lieutenant:

Ms. Frulla also said publicly what many Liberals are saying privately about Mr. Dion's lieutenant in Quebec, Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette.

“She is abrasive and she is narcissistic,” Ms. Frulla said.

The former minister of Canadian Heritage argued that Ms. Hervieux-Payette is failing to connect with grassroots organizers.

The more people know her, the more they run away. She has met a number of riding association presidents, and these people … are leaving,” Ms. Frulla said.

(I sure can agree with her on that one. I can barely stand to watch the woman on MDL.)

In any case, it would appear that Quebec cannot be counted on for Liberal support at this moment in time, which may push the likelihood of an election off until the fall or later - especially after the dismal performance of the LPC in two of the four recent by-elections.

If that happens, it will be hard to imagine Bob Rae ranting about the government on one hand, but then actually joining the Party of Hand Warmers on the other, as the LPC continues to run away from votes in the Commons. Will Bob Rae declare mutiny?

Which leads me to the slugfest between Jim Flaherty and Dalton McGuinty. Why would Flaherty continually poke McGuinty in the eye regarding tax policy and its alleged affect on the economy?

The answer may lie in John Ivison's observations in today's Post:

...But Mr. Flaherty's unprecedented interference in Ontario's budgetary process was not designed to persuade his Ontario counterpart, Dwight Duncan, to shred the already printed budget and present a cobbled-together alternative more to his liking.

It was designed to send the message that, even though many Ontarians often think of the federal Conservatives as villains, they are really the "goodies" -- the guardians of fiscal probity. By contrast, Liberals, both federal and provincial, are spendthrifts who will lead us all into a new era of deficits, unemployment, homelessness and rickets...


So all this may well be a carefully honed-plan to set up the CPC as looking like the party to rely on in times of economic difficulties which would, if it all goes according to Hoyle, allow a rich harvest of discontented Ontario voters assuming a worsening of the economic downturn - especially if provinces that follow Flaherty's advice end up faring better than Ontario.

And with the Quebec wing in tatters and Ontario voters looking for responsible, effective fiscal policy, the scene becomes fertile for either an election with positive results for the Conservatives, or else the Liberals continue to enable the present government to enjoy a tacit majority.


Your move, mon petit empereur.

* * * *
Update: Via Jack's Newswatch - This is an absolute must read by Luc Schulz: Ontario's Economy Run by Monkeys.

Another interesting theory here: Ottawa Citizen - Bash Ontario, Win Voters Elsewhere.

CTV - Dion urges restive Quebec wing to pull itself together.

Also worth reading - Fuschi's Canadian Forum - The great (taxcuts vs. bribes) debate.

Terence Corcoran - In Ontario, it's spend and be damned.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

One sorry Tory - Updated

3:30 Update - We now have some Live-blogging going on courtesy of Darryl Wolk!

* * * *

This should cinch the question about whether or not John Tory deserves to remain as leader - Mailing of support letters from party HQ a 'mistake': John Tory. (H/T National Newswatch)

...Mr. Tory said his supporters made an "inadvertent" slip when they used party resources to mail out hundreds of letters of support for him. Party headquarters and its staff are supposed to remain neutral in leadership matters.

"It was a mistake," Mr. Tory told reporters yesterday afternoon. "It was admitted and dealt with. ... It was just something that happened that shouldn't have."

And as The Politic pointed out a few weeks ago, this isn't the first time that John Tory has been forced to apologize for something his supporters have done. Matthew rightly asks, "What if this happened during an election?"

These violations and lack of control demonstrate once again that John Tory needs to agree to a proper leadership campaign.


And if that doesn't convince you, how about this? -

...The anti-Tory camp also released polling numbers backing up their claim that the party is unlikely to win the next provincial election in 2011 with Mr. Tory at the helm.

Just more than half the people surveyed said they were less likely to vote for a John Tory-led Conservative party according to the poll, which was conducted by BBM Analytics and sampled 380 people. Thirty per cent of respondents said they were more likely to vote Conservative if he remained leader. The poll has a margin of error of 4.5 per cent...



Say goodnight, John.


* * * *
Update: Do or Die for John Tory - LFP. Schedule of events at the end of article.

John Tory woos PC delegates, nixes faith-based schools funding - CNEWS.

Back off Government - Tory or not to Tory?

6:30 Conservatives back Tory - Star (But not a whole lot)

7:30 PM - Ontario PCs in limbo as Tory receives lukewarm support (Globe)


Tuesday, January 22, 2008

John Tory's Counterpoint

John Tory appears to have taken exception to the National Post's January 19 editorial, The Coward at Queen's Park, which was mainly a slam at Premier Dalton McGuinty for his lackadaisical attitude regarding Caledonia and the HDI's so-called native 'extortion racket'.

The Post had taken Tory to task as well:
...The saddest part is that the disgrace here is bipartisan: This is not merely an indictment of Ontario's governing Liberals, but also the opposition Conservatives. In the face of Mr. McGuinty's spinelessness, the best John Tory's party could do was suggest bringing civil lawsuits to try to recover lost income. Among other things, this is a pathetic microcosm of why Mr. Tory can't win an election...
At the time I thought it was a trifle harsh, but nobody seems to be taking a tough stance in this matter, so I reasoned that the criticism was warranted.


In today's Counterpoint - At Caledonia, the rule of law must be upheld, Tory clarifies his stance on the issue:
...Since the beginning of the dispute in Caledonia, my colleagues and I in the PC Party have been unwavering in our argument that the rule of law must be respected and upheld. Quite simply, actions must have consequences.

I have said repeatedly that no negotiations should be held with any person or group involved in an illegal occupation, or any other illegal activity. Otherwise, a very dangerous precedent will be set...

That's true. I must give credit where it is due, and I strongly feel that Tory's solution is the best. It is non-confrontational, but it does imply a certain consequence when the rule of law is broken.

Too bad that the one myopic issue derailed the whole election. John Tory would have done far better on this file than Dalton McGuinty.

I could almost support John Tory to stay on as leader - if it weren't for the Prince of Darkness.


* * * *
Related: Great letter in today's Post by Mike Quattrociocchi - 'Lawlessness' in Caledonia:

As a small developer in Brantford who has dealt with native protesters and their demand for "development fees," I can say that your editorial was bang on. Truer words could not be spoken than, "It is a case study in cowardice, and everyone who voted for Mr. McGuinty should be ashamed of it."

However, I don't agree with tarring all politicians with the same brush. While Mr. McGuinty took his firm stance on the fence, John Tory was busy visiting Caledonia on several occasions to witness firsthand what was happening. He wanted to understand the challenges and concerns many residence faced, and even accepted an invitation to sleep over at a Caledonia residence. While Mr. McGuinty was busy pitting natives against non-natives and promoting vigilantism, John Tory was the only politician who spoke for the rule of law and constantly pushed for a resolution.

( . . . )

When I confronted Mr. McGuinty at a campaign stop in Hamilton to question his government's lack of resolution, he was more concerned with threatening media outlets who dared to air the story than addressing my problem. Mr. Tory, on the other hand, in the middle of his campaign, took time to talk to me and to listen to the problems I and other developers were experiencing. Mr. McGuinty attempted to stifle the subject, Mr. Tory listened and addressed the issue.

Mike Quattrociocchi, Brantford, Ont.

(Links added by yours truly)


* * * *
Wednesday Update: Oops!! Gary McHale is not impressed - John Tory failed Caledonia.

O.K. then. Let's just say that there are degrees of spinelessness. Realistically no Ontario politician is going to rush into Caledonia with guns a-blazing.

Thursday Update: Ontario reaps what it sows - Gazette. H/T Jack's Newswatch.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

The high cost of 'Family Day'

The next time Dalton whines for money, let's throw this one back at him:


A media request to McGuinty's office about whether the province would help municipalities with the extra cost was forwarded to the Ministry of Labour.

"The government believes that Ontario's economy is strong enough to accept an extra public holiday," said spokesperson Bruce Skeaff.


Well! That's good to hear. No new taxes, right? No more griping about infrastructure and rapid transit either.

And I trust that the ROC shouldn't have to worry about Dalton's hands in your pockets.


* * * *

Unrelated: Going to take a bit of time off to catch up on reading, etc.

Comment moderation will be on, but I'll check from time to time, and will also supply any important updates. Also please feel free to leave any tips via comments. Thanks.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Should retailers be banned from buying OLG tickets?

Christina Blizzard still questions the integrity of the OLG, in spite of the supposed clean-up after lottogate earlier this year - Lottery still not a safe bet.

...As Sun Queen's Park Bureau Chief Antonella Artuso reported last week, over the past year, one in 20 big jackpots went to lottery insiders -- either retailers or people employed by the lottery corporation.

And while a spokesman for the OLG says the reason for that is there is now greater scrutiny of wins over $50,000, it's hard to escape the conclusion that something is horribly wrong...

...The government is happy to wash its hands of whole issue. Their mantra is that they've implemented the recommendations of KPMG auditors and the ombudsman - so their work is done.

I don't think so. Because as long as you're relying on lotteries as a major source of government revenue, you have to ensure the integrity of the process. As long as your hospitals, your schools, your police forces, are paid for from the proceeds of gambling, you'd better make darn sure it's fair...



The reference to schools being funded by gambling proceeds reminded me of a post from Nov. 18. I had been surprised to find out that the TDSB topped the list of Canada's richest charities, pulling in a staggering $2.4 billion dollars.

Interestingly, the Ontario Trillium Foundation ranked first in the most generous foundation category. A reader reminded me that funding for the OTF comes largely from lottery proceeds.

So, just remember. If you buy a lottery ticket in Ontario, not only do you have reason to still question the fairness and integrity of the system, but you are also putting money into the hands of a corporation that turns around and gifts it to rich 'charities' like the TDSB with their most interesting experiments in public education...

Just thought you might want to know.


* * * *
Related: (Somewhat) Mayors singing the same old funding tune - John Snobelen.

More education links: Moira Macdonald - Start asking new questions.


Friday, November 23, 2007

Should the Catholic School Board be allowed to pull atheist's book?

This one is sure to get the old school-funding debate rolling again!

The Halton Catholic District School Board has pulled "The Golden Compass" from school library shelves after receiving complaints that the book was written by an atheist.

The comments following this CTV report are fascinating.

I'm not entirely sure where I sit on this one, but I think it's safe to say that the public funding of the Catholic school board in Ontario remains a contentious issue.

* * * *

Sunday Update: School leaders have lost their golden compass - Marianne Meed Ward. this one makes a lot of sense. You can't have it both ways.



Thursday, November 22, 2007

Small man; small minds

Continuing the 'Small man' spat (which is really quite hilarious when you consider the relative size of Dalton McGuinty vs. Peter Van Loan) . . .

Brother David's compatriots are now rushing to little Dalton's defence. That big bully Van Loan should apologize, according to Stephane Dion. Never mind that the LPC would benefit enormously from any increase in seats in the land of Lemmingville, so his actions are hardly altruistic.

The Post article quotes Dion as saying, "Premier McGuinty is taking his job seriously, and representing the people of Ontario ... The ridiculous comments made by Minister Van Loan are contemptible at best, and disrespectful of the office that Mr. McGuinty was recently reelected to hold."


Yet it is perfectly fine for Stephane Dion to call the Prime Minister 'pathetic', and infer that he is a liar, thereby disrespecting the highest political office in our country:

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is pathetic. Court documents show that he misled the House. Court documents told the truth, not the Prime Minister...

But of course, that is Liberal entitlement.


Meanwhile, Dalton McGuinty tries to keep his hands clean. Other people do his dirty work for him.

He will rise above all this name-calling:
At Queen's Park, McGuinty insisted he had no interest in a petty squabble with Van Loan and warned that Ottawa should look at the bigger picture. "Why is it that whenever we Torontonians Ontarians stand up for ourselves we're accused of being un-Canadian?" he said.


As John Stossel would say, 'Give me a break!'


Thursday, November 15, 2007

Another McGuinty Smackdown

Dalton McGuinty - 'partisan'?

Nah... Never!


'Doesn't even understand the federal bill'?

C'mon, Peter. That's really pushing it!


* * * *
Oh, and BTW, New holiday bad for employers: CEO (Star) - "... last thing we need ..."

Friday Update: Some interesting posts here regarding John Tory's future as a leader - Victory 2011. (Good grief! That is a long time off...)


Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Now is the time for the education debate

In the interest of fair play I am showcasing the 'other side of the education story', in sharp contrast to Leonard Baak's highlighted comment from several days ago. Mr Baack advocates for a single public school system, which includes the defunding of Catholic schools.

The following editorial was published in the Goderich Signal Star on October 24, by Cathy Cove who is a freelance writer for the Signal Star (no direct link available). In the article, she references a London Free Press editorial that was published in the Signal Star on Oct. 17.

In her article, Cathy points out the hypocrisy of the McGuinty government which frantically extolled all the horrors of 'segregation' if faith-based school funding were allowed to exist in Ontario.

Here is Cathy's editorial:


GHOSTS OF RELIGIOUS SCHOOL CHOICE WILL HAUNT GOVERNMENT

An editorial in the Signal -Star entitled “Faith-based school debate is not over yet” (October 17) suggested that there was a “debate” that took place during the provincial election on the issue of allowing other faiths to opt into the public education system.

Let’s not kid ourselves. Nothing close to a “debate” happened. I’m even hard-pressed to suggest that any rational discussion on the subject was engaged in anywhere in the province.

What we witnessed was something else entirely.

We saw a premier defending is own religious choice yet no one else’s, while playing on the fear that allowing other religious choice into the system would lead to “segregation” of children or worse.

That line of reasoning is not only archaic, but more proof that neither the premier nor his election team did their homework.

If they had they would have known that schools of other religious choices exist in Ontario now thanks in large part to the funding they get from the provincial government itself.

Does the government suggest that schools like the five Ukrainian Eastern Rite school, Burkevale Protestant School (Penetanguishene), Eden High Christian School (Niagara), or the Christian School Cooperative (Rainy River), or the new native school in Toronto are bastions that breed segregation and work to weaken the public system? These are all schools other than Catholic currently being funded by the public tax dollar. No segregation or weakening of the system happening at these schools.

The mantra of the media, expert panels and talk radio seem content on blaming the outcome of the election on John Tory because it unearthed old feelings about religion and education which were never fully satisfied in the days of Bill Davis.

While Ontarians got sucked into a perfect storm, what we failed to recognize is that the Ontario of 2007 is not Bill Davis’s Ontario. Not by a long shot.

Ontarians also failed to realize that the question of funding and faith wasn’t initially brought to the forefront by John Tory for his campaign.

The first salvo in the current education funding wars was fired by the Grand Erie public board this past February when it asked other school boards to join them in lobbying the Ontario Public School Boards Association to move to one single publicly funded school system.

Locally the lobbying effort proved fruitful when at a March 27 board meeting the Avon-Maitland District School Board trustees voted to support the one system concept and encourage the Ontario Public School Boards Association to do the same.

It didn’t seem at the time that the Avon-Maitland trustees could agree on why they were supporting the move.

In his recounting of the decision journalist Stew Slater reported that South Huron trustee Randy Wagler insisted that the move to one system was all about finding efficiencies.

His colleague, former chair and Stratford trustee Meg Westley felt differently. Quoted, trustee Westley stated “if you’re going to allow one religious group to have their school system publicly funded, then you have to have it for all.” She added, “It’s a bit discriminatory.”

I thought it oddly counter-productive for the Avon-Maitland DSB to so overtly hop onto the bandwagon in support of a move to one system, without consideration for what it threatened to do to our other local coterminous Huron Perth Catholic School Board.

The HPCDSB must have indeed felt the heat. In June Director Larry Langan and board chair Ron Marcy sent a letter to parents and parishes within its jurisdiction supporting their existence. The letter shared that the Catholic schools in Ontario “enjoy the publicly stated, unqualified support of our government and all major opposition parties.”

Mr. Langan and Mr. Marcy also challenge the notion of efficiency, suggesting that “their assumption that amalgamations lower costs is incorrect.” They remind that historically amalgamation of boards, as we saw in 1998 actually cost taxpayers more money, not less because costs rose to the highest denominator. The HPCDSB resisted amalgamation in 1998.

Bigger does not mean better when it comes to small town and rural communities. Moving to a mega-system moves boards farther away from the individuals they serve. Local control of schools by its community would be at risk.

When left to their own devises and by their own admission both the Avon Maitland and Huron Perth Catholic boards work well together, but they also, thus far, have respected the rights of the other to exist.

The Huron Perth Catholic DSB has also publicly supported the move to bring other faiths under the public education umbrella.

While pundits believe the issue is over, I don’t.

As for “discussion” and “debate” on the future of faith funding in Ontario. That hasn’t even begun, but I predict it will under McGuinty’s watch. Just how he deals with it will indeed be interesting to watch.

Toronto Sun’s Angelo Persichilli said it best in “Don’t Mess with Tradition” (Oct. 2) “The Charter of Rights and Freedom, rightly or wrongly, has successfully been used to challenge the Canadian constitution and the BNA act. Some could even argue that the Charter has made the BNA act and the Constitution irrelevant. I’m betting another battle will happen in Ontario pretty soon, and McGuinty will have to choose between funding everybody or nobody. I think I know what he will decide. Catholics, consider yourselves warned.”

The region needs to look to those best practices, such as our own Stratford community where Catholic and public schools are sharing facilities, and experiences.

Hopefully, we can achieve efficiencies and cost savings without compromising the option of faith-based education that Ontario’s Catholic schools offer to parents who choose that option for their children.

In the end Ontario is still left with systems that are suffering from too few students and where resources are being spread to the max.

Civil, positive discussion about what comes next is far preferred to that of threats or bandwagon politics.

- Cathy Cove, freelance writer for the Goderich Signal Star.




I agree with Cathy that this discussion is far from over. It will continue, as it should because if not, then we resign ourselves to complacency. We should always be striving for improvement, and sometimes that requires thinking 'outside the box'.

We need civil, enlightened discussion on this subject; not fear-mongering.

And that is exactly why the election was a poor time to introduce it.


* * * *
Background - Black-only school proposal draws criticism, praise (CTV):
Education Minister Kathleen Wynne last week praised the school board for looking at ways to improve student achievement. She said the province would not intrude if the board approves the initiative.

Also, lots of interesting posts about education at Crux-of-the-matter.

Sunday Update: Black schools in focus. (Star)


Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Maybe Dalton should read National Newswatch

Dear, funny Dalton.

He wants the federal government to lower interest rates. (Can the federal government do that anyway?)

Dalton, please read National Newswatch. The article just below yours is the one to pay attention to - Central Bank won't clip dollar's wings - Quote by Bank of Canada senior deputy governor Paul Jenkins:

“We judge that the risks to the bank's inflation projection are roughly balanced, with perhaps a slight tilt to the downside,” he said. “And we also said that we judge, at this time, that the current level of the target for the overnight rate is consistent with achieving the inflation target over the medium term.”

Several economists and currency traders said Tuesday that the central bank is in a difficult position, and that even if it were to cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point, the effect on the Canadian dollar would likely be minimal. One of the chief difficulties is trying to determine how much of its appreciation is due to strong demand for domestic products, and how much can be laid at the feet of the enfeebled U.S. dollar.


But hey. Blaming the feds is Dalton's preferred modus operandi.


As everyone knows, the real culprit is global warming.


* * * *

Update: Even the strategists have given up trying to make forecasts - Globe. Just hang on and enjoy the ride, baby!

Loonie falls this afternoon. Wow! Whatever Dalton wants, Dalton gets! And the Bank of Canada didn't even have to lower interest rates.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Who's telling the truth? With update

Update on hydro increase: It gets worse - Government caught in middle of electricity rate battle Nov. 5 (Ian Urquhart):

...But just in case, the Liberals kept one foot firmly on the brake, with a hard cap on rates charged by government-owned Ontario Power Generation (OPG) for electricity from its "heritage assets," the nuclear plants and major hydro facilities such as Niagara Falls.

That cap comes off on April 1, 2008, however, and now the province's tolerance for higher electricity rates is really going to be put to the test, as OPG served notice late last week that it will be seeking a 14-per-cent hike...
...The government was silent on the matter last week. "The intention is just (to) leave it with the OEB," said a spokesperson for Energy Minister Gerry Phillips...
A footnote: It is no accident that OPG's proposal for a rate hike was released three weeks after the Oct. 10 election. An informed source says OPG was ready to roll last summer but was prevailed upon by its single shareholder, the government, to wait until now.
So that's a second source saying the same thing. Sounds like somebody was pulling some strings.

* * * *

From Nov. 3 Globe - OPG to seek 14-percent rate hike:


...The spectre of rising electricity prices is a sensitive topic for the government. OPG's announcement comes just three weeks after the provincial election, when Premier Dalton McGuinty's Liberals won a second majority. Energy industry sources said government officials instructed OPG not to apply for the higher rates until after the election.

Energy Ministry spokesman Steve Erwin responded, "It's up to OPG, not us, to decide when they do or do not want to file such an application."

"McGuinty gets re-elected, and the cost of living goes up for Ontarians at a time when they can afford it least," said Progressive Conservative MPP John Yakabuski...


Yeah, that's sure going to help the old manufacturing sector.


More Ontario comment: Cross-border medicine (Christina Blizzard)

We don't expect much from this Liberal crew
- (John Snobelen):

...The dismissal or demotion of several senior ministers and the promotion of many new MPPs will consolidate more power in the premier's office. Dalton and a few key ministers will run the show and that tells me Dalton isn't planning on leaving any time soon. Why should he? He has won two majorities in a row and both opposition parties are now in disarray having squandered the chance to defeat McGuinty over his broken promises.

No opposition, low expectations and a very compliant cabinet spells a cake walk for this premier into the next election. Maybe McGuinty will go for three majorities in a row. Maybe he will be handed a third election victory by opposition parties that just aren't up to the job of defeating him. Maybe.

There is some good news in all the changes. Michael Bryant can't be happy about the shift to aboriginal affairs but the creation of this ministry is a good idea and maybe the energy Bryant brought to banning pitbulls will help bring some justice to Caledonia...

On that last note, we can only hope.


* * * *

Update: Halls of Macadamia features a great link that gives us a glimpse into Dalton's cold, calculating mind. Tony covers this too.

In case you missed it, please read Linda Leatherdale - Unions feed at the trough.




Friday, November 02, 2007

Ontario Post-Election Blues

Various voices of discontent across the province:

Christina Blizzard - A stain on our ballot boxes. Christina highlights some voting issues that have bubbled to the surface. Some First Nations communities were without ballot boxes, and other horror stories...


The Sun also features a North Bay Nugget editorial criticizing Dalton's pick for Minister of Natural Resources - Can Cansfield do the job?:

The largest forests in Donna Cansfield's urban Toronto riding are two of the ritziest, most exclusive golf courses in the city, which makes her a poor choice to lead the province's Ministry of Natural Resources.

Brilliant choice, Dalton.



Sign of things to come - Court decision could mean huge windfall for First Nations. Prepare to shell out even though Hallowe'en is over.


3% Hydro Hike sought
. And would you like taxes with that?


Globe - Strike at Sarnia border crossing could create traffic chaos.

National Post - Ontario is bad for business:

...Unfortunately the road isn't equally smooth for everybody, and the reduction in the federal take will only tend to highlight the startling differences between provinces when it comes to corporate tax policy. And one is sticking out like a sore thumb more than ever -- Ontario, which now imposes the highest effective tax burden on corporations of any province and has done less than most to program for future reductions...

( . . . )

...As things stand, we take well over twice as much on every dollar of return on capital (36.6%) as does Sweden (17.5%).

The Conservative government in Ottawa is doing its best to change this, as did the prior Liberal government when the problem became too big to ignore, circa 2003. Ontario hasn't, by and large, although it is slowly phasing out its direct tax on capital (even as provinces like Saskatchewan and New Brunswick simply abandon theirs). Its government seems to prefer to engage in increasingly strident pleas for federal assistance, with its municipal offspring tugging at its hem and joining in the chorus. Meanwhile, it lags behind the other provinces in broad measures of capital reinvestment, and the headlines continue to bring troubling reminders...

Get ready for it Canada! Four more years of Dalton and his socialist union friends demanding your tax-dollars.

Bad news for Brampton - Daimnation!

Star - Diabetes a huge problem for Ontario's poor.


Ian Urquhart thinks McGuinty blew it - Mini-budget a wasted opportunity.


Connie Woodchuck tells us that the black-market for cigarettes shows no sign of going away - Why I cough up cash for black-market smokes:

...Because nobody in government wants to mess with the natives. Not at Caledonia. Not at Oka. And not at my little local reserve. And really, in my heart of hearts, I know this is simply not right.

We're all expected to obey the laws of the land -- but not when it comes to anything involving aboriginals. They might get mad.

Youth puffing black-market smokes
- Globe.

Newmarket, Aurora schools top list for contraband smokes: survey.


Hey, other than all that, things are just peachy!



* * * *

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Post reports Sorbara to be included in 'silly' lawsuit

And in more news completely unrelated to Greg Sorbara's resignation from cabinet (Post - Sorbara dismisses 'silly' lawsuit):

None of the allegations contained with the Access Health Vaughan's lawsuit have been proven in court and York Central Hospital is currently listed as the lawsuit's sole defendant. However, Tony De Cicco, the company's director, confirmed plans yesterday to amend the statement of claim to include Mr. Sorbara. Mr. De Cicco declined further comment, as did Emilio Bisceglia, his lawyer.

"I've been instructed by my client not to comment beyond what's in the claim," the lawyer said when reached by phone.



Interesting that this is only in the Post.

* * * *

Cabinet Shuffle update - *Yawn*

Adam Radwandki's reaction
is worth reading though.

Wednesday Update: McGuinty shows ruthless side in crafting new cabinet - Ian Urquhart.


Monday, October 29, 2007

Has the buck finally stopped?

Dalton McGuinty's decision to have the Aboriginal Affairs ministry stand separate from Natural Resources, sounds like a good one at first glance. Natives and non-natives alike think it's about time.

Yet, I can't help agreeing with Aaron Detlor's take on things:

Detlor also described the post-election move as a "reluctant admission" on the part of the government that land claims are in fact a provincial concern.

That was exactly what I was thinking.

Time to start actually taking responsibility, Dalton.


Meanwhile, there's a throne speech coming.

Smitherman and Wynne are staying put.

*Sigh*


And I didn't see that one coming.

How many more sleeps til the next election?

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Time for John Tory to face the party faithful

John Snobelen lays it all out for John Tory in this morning's Sun - Conservatives need a leadership contest.

One of his main points is that the so-called 'unanimous' caucus endorsement of Tory as leader is hardly a cause for celebration:

Provincial politics is a team effort so it is neither surprising nor meaningful that caucus would endorse the current leader.

All we have to do is look at Stephane Dion and the Federal Liberals' attempt to give the appearance of solidarity to see how flimsy the reality is. In both cases, the knives can barely be contained.

Snobelen's also points out that Tory was supposed to be assuming responsibility for all his decisions in this disastrous campaign, but his response was to fire his polling firm; not himself.

Sun columnist and defeated Liberal candidate Marianne Meed Ward also expresses some candid thoughts about John Tory's leadership abilities this morning (Tory has an uphill climb in the 905 area). Ward suggests that one of his biggest problems is his corporate background which does not translate well to politics:

In politics, you use polling data to craft your policies, not defend them. In corporate circles, it's the other way around. The joke about corporate consultants (of which pollsters are but one variety) is this: You hire consultants, give them a watch, and ask them to tell you the time. The more sophisticated consultants will first ask what time you want it to be.

Tory wanted faith-based schools to fly, and somebody told him it would.


Snobelen is asking John Tory to show some real leadership:

Leadership is about taking responsibility for your team and taking the blame when things go wrong. Tory's current strategy has his team taking responsibility for his loss.

So here is my advice to John, again: Resign and ask the party to hold a leadership contest as soon as possible. Let's get the leadership issue resolved once and for all and get on with the business of being a great opposition party and a creditable alternative in the next election.


I agree. Let's put it to the party in a free and democratic process. If John Tory emerges the undisputed leader, fine. He then deserves unanimous support.

A fractured party won't be able to hold the McGuinty regime to account. The PC party needs strong leadership, with its leader actually able to sit in the Legislature - not observe from the gallery. It also needs to develop clear, practical policies.

Otherwise, we'll be picking up the pieces of this province four years from now.


* * * *

Update: Jeff Allan has a segment on first thing Monday morning that looks interesting - "Faith-based school issue here to stay".

My prediction is that four years from now we will either have funding for all faith-based schools in Ontario, or else none.

The status quo is no longer acceptable in such a culturally diverse province. I'm not saying I'm for it one way or the other. It's just that it's no longer a defensible position.

Friday, October 26, 2007

John's sad 'tory - Updated again!!

Friday A.M. Update: Our own Adam Daifallah has an excellent, no-nonsense editorial in today's National Post - Bye-Bye, Mr. Nice Guy.

Well, somebody had to say it, and Adam did it very well. Time for some Tory tough love.


Ian Urquhart - Tory convinces most important backer - himself.


* * * *

Thursday Evening update: Star - Public Funding Fight Far from Over: School groups. They might even fight it in court.

Good idea, John; but bad timing.

* * * *

Good column by the Globe's Campbell Murray, who seems to think that we should be giving John Tory a second chance - Tory has a chance to transform himself, just like McGuinty once did.

This contrasts with the Star's Ian Urquhart whose column contains a very candid interview with Frank Klees - Faith-based plank not mine, Klees says:

...Nonetheless, Klees said he "implored" John Tory to get out in front on the faith-based schools issue and define it in his own terms before Liberals framed it in theirs.

However, according to Klees, Tory got conflicting advice from his "communications strategists," brandishing polls that said the issue was not a big concern to the public.

"The advice that he (Tory) received was that we should not focus any attention on this issue, that we should allow this to be dealt with quietly and focus on other issues," said Klees. "My warning to John was: you risk having the Liberals distort this proposal and you will find yourself on the defensive and your good intentions will end up causing us great difficulty."

But Tory accepted the advice of his campaign team and chose not to highlight the faith-based schools policy in his campaign speeches or advertisements, until near the end of the election...


Too bad John didn't listen a bit more to Frank Klees.


Campbell Murray informs us that Tory has now "deep-sixed his faith-based schools proposal", and that "John Laschinger's Northstar Research will no longer be doing Conservative polls".

Finally!


My personal feelings at this point are that John Tory should stay on as leader for a while, to do what he does best - help the party recover from the past election costs.

However, he needs to demonstrate some humility and ability to learn from his mistakes, and listen to his caucus when they tell him he is going off in the wrong direction.

A good leader makes tough decisions, but he also values and listens to those under his command.


And the biggest lesson of all is this, John - Never, ever underestimate the moral depths to which the Liberal war machine will descend in order to win an election.


* * * *
Sunday Update: From a defeated Liberal candidate and Sun columnist Marianne Meed Ward - Tory has an uphill climb in the 905 area.


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.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Still on the rehash (if Dalton can break promises, so can I)

Very thought-provoking column by Norman Webster in today's Montreal Gazette - Lessons from the Ontario election.

He discusses the results of the election from the point of view of how the MMP system might have altered the results. No doubt this is a hollow victory for Dalton McGuinty:

"Sweeping victory," said the headlines, and so it was - in seats, which are all that count in our system. McGuinty can now, if he wishes, slide into comfortable-dictator mode à la Jean Chrétien, based on the support of less than one-quarter of the voters. You don't have to be a political scientist to discern further questions about legitimacy...

He states that we still need to be looking at some kind of electoral reform that delivers results more in line with the voters' wishes. I agree.

This past effort was a sham. There was no time to properly educate the electorate and debate the issue in an effective way. Personally, I felt that MMP was too fraught with pitfalls, but I don't feel that we should therefore unquestioningly accept FPTP as the single, perfect system.

However, the second half of Webster's column is even more intriguing:
Finally, a bit worryingly, the whole election turned on Conservative leader John Tory's pledge to support faith-based separate schools with public funds. The promise turned out to be political suicide. McGuinty seized the issue and ran with it, summing things up in his victory speech Wednesday night: "We work and build and dream together ... always, always, always, together."
That's a fine sentiment, but to some those are code words for not accommodating the immigrant Others and their differences in the new Canada. And so we have an Ontario election lost on unspoken fears of Islamic madrassas in Toronto the Good - not to mention a Quebec election hijacked by a soccer player wearing a head covering, or wacky proposals to ban hijabs and yarmulkes on public employees.

Canada's largest, most important province has sent a message about integration and cultural differences; it wants more of the first and less of the second, at least when it means special treatment. Politics, religion, schooling, race are potentially volatile areas.

This of course, brings to mind all the current debate in Quebec about 'reasonable accommodation'.

Here is my theory: Canadians are indeed a tolerant and welcoming group of people. Other than the natives, we are all immigrants to some degree. However, the problem is that a culture of political correctness has taken away our right to voice our concerns publicly. We smile, but inside we're furious and fearful that so many immigrants prefer to cloister themselves rather than blend in.

When we see Muslim women walking behind their husbands with only their eyes visible, we are reminded again and again of the differences. Some of us find that disturbing. But we are told to be quiet.

What happened this past Wednesday, I believe, was the collective voice of Ontario voters saying that this is where they draw the line.


* * * *
Christiana Blizzard - Grits getting too comfortable?

Linda Leatherdale - Ready for more hikes? (H/T to reader Bluetech)

Randall Denley - Liberal Special the easy choice. This is priceless:

...Voters are busy and impatient. Our jobs and families occupy most of our time and there just aren't enough hours in the day to attend to the demands of both. We are more interested in entertainment and consumerism than public policy. We demand instant results and get frustrated if something doesn't download in five seconds.

We don't have the mental energy or time to really think through an election. Instead, we take the same approach as we do when ordering a pizza. We just pick what we had the last time. That's why the incumbent special was a big hit again.

Premier Dalton McGuinty and his Liberal strategists understood this new Ontario reality best, and that's why they won the election. It's not that we can't think, but we don't want to think, and the Liberals know that. That's why the religious schools issue was so perfect. It let us choose who to vote for based on emotion, not reason...

See also Education still a big issue by Moira Macdonald.

Ontario Tories pit centre against right - Star's Ian Urquhart.