'Don't give Dalton McGuinty a Blank Cheque'

NDP leader Howard Hampton is begging the people of Ontario to think twice before rewarding Dalton McGuinty's broken promises with another majority government, which would be a blank cheque with little opposition oversight and control.

Hampton points out that McGuinty is acting as if he already won the election:

"I've got news for Dalton McGuinty: That kind of arrogance, that kind of taking the people for granted in Ontario doesn't wash," said Hampton.

Howard has been blaming John Tory's Faith-Based school policy for taking the focus off more important issues, but as I explained earlier, John Tory was not running after reporters and begging to be interviewed on this issue. His mistake might have been that he underestimated the degree to which voters could be distracted with fearmongering and exaggerated rhetoric emanating from the Liberal spinmeisters as they cranked out their daily news releases.

I still believe that of the three leaders, John Tory is the best option. The Sun seems to agree with me - John Tory for Ontario.

However, if you're mad as hell at Dalton McGuinty's broken promises but you can't bring yourself to vote PC, then as Howard says don't Get Mad - Get Orange.

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Related:

Dalton to give $80 million to Reisman and Indigo Books - Just between us girls.



Don't Mess with Tradition:

A BATTLE IS COMING

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 again 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.

ASTTR - Looking inside Dalton McGuinty's Liberal Election Campaign.

Tuesday Update - Colby File - Reflections: The Ontario Election.

Free advice for John Tory - (Bumped with Update)

It is excruciating to be a (small c) conservative blogger and watch helplessly while a single issue such as Faith-based funding seems to hijack the whole election and all the other worthy issues that need to be addressed.

Mr. Tory, if I were your campaign manager, I would be advising you to declare that the Faith-based issue would be a vote of conscience based on the individual MPP and his or her constituents wishes; not unlike the federal vote on same-sex marriage. (Although some leaders did not allow a free vote for their caucus.)

This gets you off the hook, so to speak, and allows democracy to prevail.

Each MPP would be responsible to his or her constituents on the matter.

Please, John. Don't let Dalton get another majority.

At least don't give it to him gift-wrapped.

Thanks,
Joanne

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Update: It's been a busy day and I missed this, but Joan Tintor has the whole story here - McGuinty hits iceberg named Kwinter:

...Kwinter was the only member of the Liberal caucus to vote with the last conservative government for a tax credit for faith-based schools.

"Constituents in my riding supported it, and I'm their representative so I supported it," he said. "Certainly I would be a hypocrite to say that suddenly I don't think it's something that should be done."

Kwinter noted he has six grandchildren in faith-based schools.

Good catch, Joan!

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Licia Corbella says John Tory should have done his homework first - Lesson for Ontario.

Christina Blizzard has her own take on things - Loose Cannon Candidates Serve No One.

Post - Faith funding may sink Tory, expert says. (Yeah, that's news...)

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John Tory should read Don Martin's column - "Liberal Help for Tory Majority". It relates to Federal Politics, but there are some valuable points in there for any politician:

The most insightful map to victory is a book written by University of Calgary professor Tom Flannagan, a friend of the Prime Minister's and Conservative campaign manager for a trio of elections.

His top ten commandments for happiness on the hustings include the need for party unity, policy moderation, ethnic outreach, show-no-mercy negative advertising, gagged-candidate discipline, baby-step policy changes, youth-friendly technology and improved communication.

John. Did you catch that? Policy moderation! Baby-step policy changes!



Star - Tory admits sales pitch lacking. Ya think???

Arrogance, thy name is Liberal

From this morning's Star:

Campaign chair Greg Sorbara, key architect of the 2003 landslide when the Liberals won 72 of 103 seats to the Tories' 24, predicted "a strong victory."

"Certainly a majority. There is no appetite in Ontario to change the government," said Sorbara.

Well then. Perhaps we should just cancel the actual vote. No need to bother, right?



Yesterday afternoon, I was listening to a phone-in show from Toronto where the hosts were asking the listening audience if Dalton's broken promises made a difference in how they would vote. One woman called in and said she would vote Liberal no matter what; that they all make promises and everyone knows they won't keep them.

Has it really come to this? Is a promise just a bunch of meaningless words designed to achieve some goal?


If we don't even expect accountability in government, where are we headed?

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Oh, and here's Warren Kinsella in his 'hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life' moment (background here in case you've forgotten):

And I deserved to get in trouble.
In case you thought I'd forgotten. Which I haven't. And I won't.

Thanks, McWar. Or is it DalKin?

Don't choke on your humble pie.

Staggering, but still standing - Bumped with Slimy update

Wow! Did we all watch the same Ontario Leadership Debate last night?

Depending on which editorial or column you read this morning, opinions range all the way from a clear win for McGuinty to an uncontested Tory victory; with Howard Hampton picking up a few points along the way. (Interesting to see the Star and the Record at odds.)

However, the biggest surprise by far was reading Lorrie Goldstein's Point of View - Game, Set and Match to McGuinty. What??????? But on closer inspection, I wonder if Lorrie is suggesting that it wasn't McGuinty's actual performance which won the debate, but rather his handlers' clever manipulation of the media and public opinion:

Even the wording of the questions revealed how McGuinty has convinced everyone -- including the debate organizers -- that a relatively minor promise by Tory is the defining issue.

So is he saying that the Liberal strategists won the debate?


Geoffrey Stevens doesn't think so. I rarely agree with Stevens' POV, but today I almost choked on my morning java:

Whoever prepared Premier Dalton McGuinty for the leaders' debate last night should be fired. He or she should be drummed unceremoniously out of the Honourable Fraternity of Political Savants and Gurus.

The Liberal strategy was appalling. McGuinty did what a prize fighter should never do - he led with his chin. He opened with a video in which he did a mea culpa, apologizing to Ontarians for breaking his 2003 election promise not to raise taxes. "I hated it," he declared, rather pathetically.

Yes, I wonder who had that brainstorm? Stevens goes on:

I've been covering leaders' debates for years and I have never seen one as one-sided as last night's. If TVOntario's Steve Paikin had been a referee rather than a moderator, he would have stopped the carnage at the 30-minute mark and declared a TKO victory for the tag team of Tory and Hampton.

And here's his knock-out punch for McGuinty:

If other people watched the same debate that I did, John Tory should gain some momentum. He looked stronger and more confident than McGuinty. He looked more like a premier than the premier did. If I were grading the leaders' performances, I'd give Tory an A, Hampton a B-plus and McGuinty, to be charitable, a D.

Will Dalton have time to heal before Ontario voters have to make a final decision? I suppose it depends how gullible and disinterested the electorate is.

One thing for sure. The Hampton-Tory tag team worked remarkably well, as it has in the past when dealing with 'Colle-gate' or Cricketgate, when the NDP and PC's combined force and persistence finally led to Dalton crying 'uncle' and calling in the Auditor General Jim McCarter to investigate the slush fund controversy.

Leadership debates allow the candidates to talk straight to the people. With the exception of those new taped bits at the beginning, the format is relatively free of spin and interference from handlers who try to divert attention and control access.

Make your decision, Ontario.

Do you really want four more years of a healed Dalton McGuinty?

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Update: Joan Tintor - Liberals didn't lower expectations enough.

Matt - Pundits Agree: Liberal Dalton McGuinty pummeled in debate.


Slimy Update - Check this out (under the category how low can you go?):

September 21, 2007 – I just got this press release in my mailbox. Is it, um, for real?

...

Coyote Ugly

Toronto – This morning, Howard Hampton showed up at an NDP rally missing his left arm from the forearm down.

“I woke up this morning, looked over and saw John Tory,” said a visibly disgusted Hampton. “Instead of waking him up and having to talk to him, I decided I would rather chew my arm off. So I did.”

Hampton also expressed some anxiety.

“I hope John understand this was a one-night stand and doesn’t try to pursue a serious, long-term relationship,” said Hampton.

When reached for comment, Tory was eager to get on the phone. “I should call him. Do you think it’s too early to call? Maybe I should wait another day. No, I should call him now.”

As Tory and Hampton sort out their unholy love affair, Ontarians across the province are reacting with disgust.

Newsflash: The disgust is not because of Tory & Hampton, Warren.

Saturday Update: Star - Debate hasn't dimmed McGuinty's hope for a majority:

"Well, last night I got to meet our latest glam couple, Howard and John, or as now they are ... affectionately known in the hearts of Ontarians, HoJo," McGuinty told 300 supporters at a morning rally in Vaughan.

HoJo. Cute. Very professional, DalWar. Or would that be McWar? Or DalKin?

Keeping the peace by gagging MSM

Good for the National Post. The aggressive thuggery of McSlimly's handlers have been exposed in black and white for the world to see - Gagging the Messenger.

Today's editorial chastises McGuinty's communications adviser Ben Chin for attempting to intimidate Hamilton's CHCH-TV from running a clip showing Ontario citizen and developer Mike Quattrociocchi asking the Premier a very legitimate question: "What are you going to do about the natives occupying my site?"

I guess that Ben Chin doesn't like it when the Premier looks foolish and unprepared, because he accused the station of setting up McGuinty and proceeded with various threats.


The Post concludes:

Such thuggish tactics are not the way to manage the media. Freedom of the press is a key right in a democracy, one that is especially important during an election. It should not be trampled on by backroom political flacks seeking to censor legitimate political commentary. Mr. McGuinty should apologize for Mr. Chin's over-zealous behaviour and assure CHCH-TV that he will not boycott the station.

It would also be nice if he answered Mr. Quattrociocchi question, too.

Exactly. Instead of trying to blame the Feds and run for cover every time an Ontario citizen asks a legitimate question during the rest of this election campaign, I suggest that Dalton McGuinty actually try to deal with this issue rather than passing the buck to the federal government at every opportunity.

Both levels of government have a role to play, and Dalton's isn't simply to 'keep the peace'.



And BTW, he's not doing a very good job of that either.

Earlier in the day, Sam Gualtieri, 52, was found unconscious on the floor of the home he is building for a daughter. He was taken to hospital where he is in serious condition...

...Gualtieri, 52, of Caledonia, was found unconscious on the floor and rushed to West Haldimand General Hospital in Hagersville. Gualtieri's brother, Joe, said last night his brother was in serious condition with a broken nose and bruised skull. Carter said the victim was to be transferred to a hospital in Toronto because Hamilton hospitals were unable to take him.

"He's barely conscious," said Joe Gualtieri. "He can't communicate right now."

Joe said Gualtieri's wife, Sandy, and his three daughters were at his bedside and described his brother's face as "all smashed in and cut and bleeding."

Ontario deserves a real leader.

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Related: SDA - See McGuinty threaten media.

Hamilton Spectator - Builder calls Natives' fees 'Mafia Shakedown', and Tory: One Law for Everybody.

Globe - Builder injured in clash at Caledonia site. (H/T National Newswatch):

"The Indian was striking him on the head with a two-by-four while he was unconscious."

Star - Homebuilder injured in fight with Indians.

570 News - Aboriginals maintain protest at Ontario housing site; homebuilder in hospital.


And a big thanks to Jack for highlighting this post on his Daily Blogger feature page.

Videos now available at Caledonia Wakeup Call.

Record - Homeowner injured as Aboriginals protest at Ontario housing development.


Brantford Expositor - Occupying the Agenda:

Native land claim protests could quickly become the defining issue of this provincial election campaign and Brantford could become the focus for the contentious issue.

That would be good news for John Tory and the Progressive Conservatives, bad news for Dalton McGuinty and the Liberals and really bad news for Brantford...

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Saturday Update: This actually doesn't have anything to do with the above story other than it's another example of McGuinty's credibility being questioned: McGuinty on thin ice when it comes to health-care spending (Globe).

And they're off and running

The Promise-Breakers plod out of the starting gate.

It's going to be a long summer.

Oh, and how convenient. Minister Colle will now not have to face the Estimates Committee. Don't you just love democracy?