But he still plans to do a flip-flop on the issue, possibly as early as tomorrow.
Stick a fork in the Tory Thanksgiving turkey. It's done.
September 29, 2007 - After the leader's debate, quite a few of us were angry. In the debate, we heard John Tory say, over and over, that Ontario was "last." Last.
So some of our volunteers - not ad agency folks or anything like that - wrote and produced a little ad to respond to what John Tory said. It isn't Madison Avenue glossy or slick, but I think that's what makes it work so well.
Here it is.
September 28, 2007 – I have just returned from Toronto's Bovine Sex Club, where I interviewed Nikki Sixx, the guy who played - and in fact still plays - bass for one of the craziest bands on the planet, Mötley Crüe.
Sixx was in town to flog his new book, The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life of a Shattered Rock Star. It is an extraordinary book, and one that intimately - and I mean intimately - details the horror of addiction. Calling it a cautionary tale does not begin to describe it.
But what persuaded me to interview Sixx for the Post was not his band, nor his travails with drugs, nor even his preferred brand of mascara. What interested me, instead, was that Sixx - a songwriter, a record producer and a single father with his own clothing line - is clearly a pretty good writer. And a diarist.
Our discussion, then, was all about diaries. I've been writing one since I was eleven years old, allegedly - every single day, too - and I think diarists are a different species. Nikki Sixx agreed.
I plan to save the good bits for the Post story, but I knew I had picked a good interview subject when I started to tell Sixx about William Lyon Mackenzie King, our famous Prime Minister who was also a famous diarist. He stopped me. "I'm familiar with it," said Sixx. "The dog and the mother, right?"
Wow. Mötley Crüe, historians-at-large. Who'd have thunk it?
September 28, 2007 – Something tells me John’s going to have a bad day:
...
“PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY ILL-INFORMED”
…or so says Conservative leader John Tory
TORONTO – In a campaign that has been characterized by gaffes and missteps – and no shortage of poor judgment – it’s difficult to get surprised, anymore, when Conservative leader John Tory says something ill-considered. It’s been happening so often, after all.
Since the campaign began, officially and otherwise, John Tory and his maladroit Conservatives have made plenty of mistakes:
Said it was okay for creationism to be taught in schools
Took 82 days to cost his platform – and still won’t say where he’ll make $1.5 billion in cuts
Demanded “one law for all" – except for his own star recruit Randy Hiller, that is, who has illegally blockaded highways
Started to oppose a proposed holiday in February, until he saw how popular it was
Said they wouldn’t make a lot of promises – then made at least 244
Called a respected Canadian university “U of Zero”
Said that Ontario teachers “rig” test results
Called for fees to visit hospital emergency wards
Called one of his own MPPs a “jack-in-the-box”
…and watched as more than a dozen Conservative MPPs and candidates publicly opposed the funding of private religious schools
But in this morning’s Globe and Mail, John Tory surprised many of us. He admitted that many of his policies – in particular his wildly-unpopular scheme to fund private religious schools – are not “vote winners.” True enough, say Ontarians, in increasing numbers.
So where does the blame for all of this lie? In a meeting with the Globe and Mail’s editorial board, the Conservative leader said the blame lies with, well, you.
You, Ontario.
Instead of admitting that his education plan is unpopular because Ontarians have considered it and rejected it – instead of listening to his own MPPs and candidates, even – John Tory chooses to blame voters. Because the rest of us are, and we quote, “generally ill-informed.”
If that sounds a lot like Kim Campbell’s admonition that an election isn’t a time to discuss policy, it does to us, too – and, after all, John Tory chaired that disastrous campaign. And if you think it’s an inappropriate thing for a leader to say, how about this gem, also taken from Tory’s visit to the Globe: the Conservative leader arguably likens the future of our children's education to a breakfast cereal. After all, Tory said, “French on cornflakes boxes was a huge issue at one time.”
More bad judgment from John Tory. (And, remember, he says you are to blame. Not him.)
- 30 -
...
September 28, 2007 – Ouch. But it’s not like a few of us didn’t warn him, or anything.
...
John Tory's great campaign blunder; Wrath of the Tories will cost PC leader his job within a year of the vote
St. Catharines Standard
Posted By Den Tendt, Michael
John Tory likes to talk about how he's really not a politician. That's good. Soon, he really won't be.
After he loses the provincial election on Oct. 10, Tory will no doubt face a leadership review. He may try to hang around for another crack at the Liberals in four years. But really, what would be the point? As a man of principle and purity, this Progressive Conservative leader can't change his mind about anything important, ever. So John Tory in four years will necessarily be identical to John Tory now. And that particular package isn't selling so well.
Now, don't get me wrong. Most people like Tory well enough as a person. They think he's smart. They think he's honest. They think he'd make a pretty good premier of Ontario. But they hate, just plain hate, his notion of extending government funding to religious schools. They've told him so, loudly. His own internal polls have told him so. Two of his MPPs, Bruce-Grey Owen Sound's Bill Murdoch and Simcoe North's Garfield Dunlop, have told him so, in public. When that happens, you know there are many more shredding their hair behind the scenes.
But none of it makes a dent in the man's armour. He's as certain of his righteousness and as stubborn in the face of the obvious as ... Mike Harris?
Hmm. Maybe these two guys aren't as different as the new Conservative spin machine would have us believe. Perhaps they're identical but opposite, like Spider-Man in the new black outfit, versus Spider-Man in the old red one.
But let's get back to life after politics. John Tory has many skills, we know that. He can go back to business and head a big company. He can pilot a think-tank. He can run a charity. He can, let's see ... get himself appointed to the federal Senate? That's a good perch for a former future premier of Ontario. Tory could give speeches. He's pretty good at that, even though he's really not a politician.
In retirement, John Tory will tell everyone who cares to listen (that number will dwindle rapidly after Oct. 10, but what can you do?) that he had no choice but to stand his ground on faith-based schools. His entire campaign is about leadership. It's about character - about principle. Therefore, any deviation from a core pledge, which he has deliberately framed in stark terms of right vs. wrong, would make him look weak. Shifty. Inconstant.
A sterling fellow such as John Tory can't afford to look shifty, can he? He's above the moral muck of politics - the compromises, the half-truths, misdirections and gamesmanship. Tory will peel off his socks and shoes and roll up his pant legs and wade gingerly through the cesspool, but don't expect him to go hip-deep, let alone dive in. He's better than that. Think of him as Arthur, boy king, preparing to draw Excalibur from the stone. Would Arthur back down on faith-based schools? No way.
Come to think of it, maybe that explains it. John Tory's too good for politics. No matter how hard he tries, he just doesn't enjoy it. So he's committing seppuku, what we in the West commonly refer to as hari-kari. The only difference being that in feudal Japan, a Samurai warrior committing ritual suicide took just one life - his own. Tory's schools stance, by contrast, will end not only his political career, but also those of many of his camp followers. That doesn't seem particularly fair, but there you go.
Speaking of camp followers: As mentioned above, not every Conservative is willing to join Tory on his slow march to oblivion. Bill Murdoch, in Owen Sound, revealed this week that the party recently took a poll, yielding a result of 70 per cent against funding for faith-based schools. Elsewhere in the province, a new poll taken for Sun Media shows just 25 per cent of respondents think Tory's notion is sound. Murdoch came out against the policy this week, he says, because he was getting brutally hammered at the door, by virtually everyone he met. He told his leader this and begged him to revisit the platform. No go.
Here's the kicker: Tory had a plausible way out. Murdoch, whom the great leader casually dismissed Tuesday as a "jack-in-the-box," handed him the exit ramp with a call for a free vote on schools. Remember the debate in the federal Parliament two years ago about gay marriage? There's a precedent for putting important decisions concerning faith and personal belief to a free vote. Arguably this is such a decision. The opposition would have carped about a climbdown, but the criticisms would have had little traction. It's hard to argue, in mid-campaign, against greater power for constituents in a representative democracy.
...
September 27, 2007 - Ouch. No wonder the Harper guys I know wince whenever Mulroney is allowed near a microphone. "Sooner or later, we are going to be forced to distance ourself from this guy," one told me recently. No kidding. A loose cannon wrapped in a five-thousand-dollar suit and Gucci loafers.
Oh, and guess where I am going to be with my peeps in early November? At this. I have a nice spouse, maaaan.
September 26, 2007 - ...oh, and here is that release I mentioned. One law for all, except Conservatives who put up illegal blockades.
September 26, 2007 – Bits and pieces, this and that:
Hate to get all Biblical and that, but reap what you sow. And I can assure y’all they are getting heat at every second door, too.
Like I wrote a month ago, John Tory’s plan will lead to the funding of the Church of Satan, Scientologists, Raelians, Moonies and (pun intended) God Only Knows what else: "The constitutional requirement is that, if religious education is to be funded, every religious group must be entitled to funding. Any religion or sect, no matter how obscure or problematic, could claim entitlement to Ontario tax dollars for their schools. This is hardly the basis of sound public policy. There is no half way in this decision…"
Well, okay then, Randy: you’re a red-necked, mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging Trogoldyte. And you are quite a bit more sensitive about what is said about you than you claim. As a release from the Liberal campaign shall shortly make clear.
This is extremely, extremely interesting. What does it mean? It means the knives are out, and the fingers of blame are already being pointed. Just like John Tory’s last Conservative campaign, in 1993 – where he helped lead his party to an impressive, um, two seats.
Oh my Lord. This one is a keeper. Check out the cutline for Howie’s flattering photo!
…oh, and in an unrelated development, Dave Gene and I have been married for fifteen years today. (Not to each other, although if I were to marry a man, it would almost certainly be the Windsor Liberal legend.) To women who are very, very, very patient.
September 25, 2007 - A smart friend's guess? They're using the afternoon to shoot new spots, because the ones they have on-air are total crap, and are scaring away voters.
But that's just a guess. Their campaign defies all logic, so who really knows.
September 25, 2007 – Look behind the curtain…
September 25, 2007 – You’ve heard of Jack-in-the-box? We now give you Bill-in-the-box!
September 25, 2007 – Remember Solange Denis, clobbering John Tory’s pal Brian Mulroney? I sure do.
This YouTube bit below, from last night, is John Tory’s Solange Denis moment. Ouch.
September 25, 2007 - The new SES is out:
...
Question: For those parties you would consider voting for PROVINCIALLY, could you please rank your top two current local preferences? [Unprompted]
The number in parenthesis denotes the change from the previous SES Research Survey completed on August 26th, 2007. (Committed Voters Only - First Choice)
Ontario Provincial Ballot
Liberal 41% (+1)
PC 33% (-1)
NDP 18% (-1)
Green 8% (0)
...
What does it mean? It means we work harder, that's what it means.
September 24, 2007 – Jack-in-a-box.
This isn’t verbatim, but it’s close. It just happened, too.
In the Ontario Conservative Party, when you disagree with the leader, he mocks you and calls you names. The obvious question: if John Tory feels that strongly, if he’s that angry at this man, why doesn’t he kick the MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound out of caucus?
Because he’d have to kick out nine other Conservative candidates who have publicly questioned Tory’s judgment, that’s why.
This thing is getting worse every day. Why doesn’t John Tory simply admit he made a mistake, and drop his private religious schools plan?
...
Unidentified Reporter : You have a caucus member drop out [on funding private religious schools] and this is a sign that you haven’t been able to convince your caucus; you are trying to persuade voters one-on-one as you know – how are you going to convince voters at large about this plan?
John Tory: Bill Murdoch has a different opinion on this issue now than he did before. He is a bit like a Jack-in-the-box, where you wind the handle for a while and eventually it pops out of the box. If it wasn’t this, it might have been something else.
...
September 24, 2007 – A press conference worth attending:
...
September 24, 2007
For Immediate Release
MEDIA ADVISORY
Murder Music Artists Do Not Belong In Canada
Minister of Immigration Ignores Request to deport Anti-gay Artist
TORONTO: Lyrics by anti-gay dancehall artists' Elephant Man and Sizzla violate the Criminal Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act by inciting violence and murder against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified (LGBT) communities.
WHAT: Stop Murder Music (Canada) campaign is a coalition of human rights organizations who advocate on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified (LGBT) communities
WHEN: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 12 NOON
WHERE: 519 Church Street Toronto
WHO: Akim Larcher, Coalition Chair, 416 268-1622
Rinaldo Walcott , Professor of Cultural Studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
September 23, 2007 - Dear Diary: Like, my week totally sucked!!! Love and kisses, John
September 23, 2007 - ...oh, and I forgot to link to this week's Post column, in Saturday's paper. Here she be. As all of you know, I have loved reggae for thirty years. But not this homophobic, sexist, racist variant.
Also: around the time the campaign ends, I will start writing for the Post about five times a week, mainly online. I will still be irritating folks in the treeware version, but not just on Thursdays anymore.
It's exciting, but I don't want to give away any secrets. The competition is reading, even if they pretend they don't!
September 21, 2007 - And I deserved to get in trouble.
In case you thought I'd forgotten. Which I haven't. And I won't.
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.
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...
September 21, 2007 – Debate morning-after stuff you should know, from two big-circulation newspapers:
Toronto Starheadline: “McGuinty emerged as winner, readers say”
Toronto Sunheadline: “Game, set and match to McGuinty”
September 20, 2007 - The rave reviews keep rolling in!
...
Dalton McGuinty: sole champion for Ontario
Toronto - - Following the Leaders Debate, people continue to praise Dalton McGuinty.
“McGuinty wins… Tory [had] none of the spontaneity voters might have come looking for.” John Moore (CFRB), National Post
“Both Tory and Hampton are making a mistake with the "sky is falling" approach. It makes McGuinty look like the sole champion for and of Ontario.” Akaash Maharaj, National Post
“I don’t think the issue of faith based education is off the table and as a result I think that the Premier did what he had to do tonight.” Dave Cooke, former NDP Cabinet Minister, TVO
“McGuinty wins [the debate] as long as nothing serious happens…Something really, really extreme has to happen for Tory to win - win in the sense that it will make a big difference to his campaign, because he has done very badly in the first couple of weeks and seems to have a talent for identifying with issues that aren't working.'' Stephen Clarkson, Political Science Professor, Canadian Press
“If faith based education continues to compete with broken promises in the way that it really did in the debate tonight then I think that the Premier comes out of this unscathed tonight” cbc.ca
-30-
...
September 20, 2007 – We had this one out two minutes after the debate finished, at 8 p.m. Says it all:
...
Commentators praising Dalton McGuinty during the Leader’s Debate
Toronto - - Here’s what commentators are saying about Dalton McGuinty:
“[I] credit Dalton for bridging back to his message.” Guy Giorno, former Mike Harris Chief of Staff, National Post
“McGuinty's making a decent case for his government having invested well in [post-secondary education].” Adam Radwanski, Globe and Mail
“It's clear that [McGuinty] is prepared to face the barrage of attacks.” Adam Giambrone, National Post
“McGuinty seemed the most confident in the early going.” Kathy Rumleski, Sun Media
“Either way, the Liberals are stronger on education than the Tories, who get stuck with dealing with the faith-based school issue. Call it an early Dalton lead.” Toronto Sun
“McGuinty's opening video: Admits right off the bat why he broke his tax pledge. Smart.” Dan Cook, Globe and Mail
“[McGuinty] pointed out quite efficiently that the NDP energy position is insane.” Adam Radwanski, Globe and Mail
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...
September 20, 2007 – Howie Hampton has his own “por favor” moment; Windsor Dipper candidate reacts with enthusiasm.
September 19, 2007 - Man! It is amazing the stuff you can find when you go "surfing" on this Inter-weeb thing! Wowie zowie!
I didn't know that John Tory was so close to the most unpopular Prime Minister in Canadian history, did you?
September 19, 2007 – Just got this news bulletin:
...
Major Power Outage Hits Downtown Core Wednesday September 19, 2007
CityNews.ca Staff
A major chunk of the downtown core is without power after an outage that hit at about 11am.
According to Toronto Hydro the affected area is from Yonge to Spadina and from Queen down to Lake Ontario.
It's believed a large conductor was lost and that's what caused the outage, but there's no apparent reason as to why that happened.
Hydro crews are on their way to pinpoint and fix the problem but there's no word on how long that might take.
In the meantime, stores and restaurants were forced to stop doing business at one of the busiest times of the day - the noon hour.
Lights were out across the affected section of the city, and there was no immediate indication on when they'd come back on.
...
Maybe it has something to do with this. Someone hooked up a lie detector while he was speaking, and bingo!
September 19, 2007 – Interesting. I think the Tory homework one (“Dalton McGuinty Comes Out Swinging”) is useful, actually. Shows everyone Dalton has a sense of humour, and likely reminds folks that John and Howie don’t. Thanks, Conservative War Room!
September 19, 2007 - The minute it hits a buck, the managers of the Ontario Liberal war room are jumping in my car and heading Stateside to Target - pronounced "Tar-jay" - to shop, baby!
September 18, 2007 – Ouch.
The Outremont result was anticipated, but what really got me is this – the popular vote. Here is, give or take, the vote in all three of those Quebec byelections:
Conservative
31475
36.9
Bloc
23983
28.1
NDP
14587
17.1
Liberal
12118
14.2
Green
2197
2.6
Like I say, ouch.
What does it all mean? It all means that asking an academic with no political experience to run in that riding was a mistake. Clearly. They should have brought back Martin Cauchon to run in Outremont. Or let my friend Justin Trudeau run in it. Either guy would have kicked ass; I don't think the NDP would have even bothered to try, had they been facing Justin or Martin.
It also means – as I have maintained for quite a while – that the Martin regime muddied the Liberal brand in Quebec with the Gomery Circus, perhaps for years to come. Good work, guys. Thanks.
And it means that the Liberal Party of Canada needs to get its head out of its arse. Staff changes, organizational changes, policy changes, you name it. Top to bottom, all of it. This was big, and that needs to be acknowledged.
Anyway, Wells says it all better than I can, this morning. Read his whole take, here (and this, too, is a clear indication he needs to be brought back from Europe, which is boring, so he can do what he does best in Canada, which is exciting):
...
"... It is now clear, and will become more so over the next 48 hours, that the two most powerful forces in Canadian politics are Liberal neurosis and the willingness of the Globe and Mail to hang stories off of anonymous quotes. Together they may end Stéphane Dion's political career, although as we've seen, beating Dion is less of a challenge than it used to be when Jean Chrétien had his back.
One hesitates to try to talk sense to Liberals these days, but let us indulge the mad fantasy a few of them seem to entertain - eliminating Dion - and see where it gets them."
September 17, 2007 – Oh really? And it isn't, um, because it's becoming the ballot question, Howie, and because NDP voters are recognizing that the only party that can stop the Conservative scheme to fund private religious schools is the Ontario Liberals? It couldn't be that, could it, Howie?
Anyway, for NDP folks who worried about the Tory plan, Howie has just signaled that he doesn't think it's a big deal. We're saving that quote, pal.
...
Focus education debate on funding formula, not faith based schools
NDP (Elxn-Ont-NDP)
Source: The Canadian Press
Sep 17, 2007 11:08
…"It may take time, but I think by the end of this campaign people will grow tired of talking about a more philosophical issue and return to what I think is the practical issue for most parents," [Hampton] said…”
...
September 17, 2007 – That Howie. What a kidder. Says he cares about the environment, but doesn’t.
New campaign slogan: Forget the Ozone.
...
Idle thoughts
Tenille Bonoguore, today at 11:21 AM EDT
It seems nothing stops the NDP campaign bus ... not even a 90-minute break at Queen's Park. We're currently sitting in the parking lot, engine running and air-con blasting, as we journos use the vehicle's wireless to file and the NDP crew prepare lunch. The idling engine isn't my most pressing concern though: it smells like lunch may be burning.
Question: In case of emergency, do I grab my laptop and make a dash for it, or that of my competitor?
...
September 17, 2007 – A shiny new video! About education!
September 17, 2007 – Bits and pieces, this and that:
As Bjorn, me and 200 skinheads discovered last night, the Sham 69 now touring the Great White North does not feature Jimmy Pursey. It is, therefore, not Sham. Shame!
The Conservative hidden agenda for health is now being exposed here and elsewhere. No Klees Fees, please.
Reggae star Elephant Man is coming to Toronto. I intend to write in the Post this week we should consider whether such an avowed homophobe should be permitted entry into Canada.
Chris works for a conservative paper, but she is always fair, in my view. And, as she reports: “A videographer for Hamilton TV station, CHCH, miked the protester, Mike Quattrociocchi, who went into a scrum to confront McGuinty. The Libs cried foul. They felt the station set up the premier. It turns out Quattrociocchi is on the executive of the Brant PC riding association…it probably wasn't a good idea for the station to mike the protester…And it's unfortunate the guy had political ties.” Exactly.
My university pal Jim Watson catches his Conservative opponent in a fib. The same guy told the Ottawa Sun last week he believes in UFOs, by the way. Accounts for this, perhaps.
Two noteworthy comments about the Conservative cash-for-private-schools scheme: If we're going to create an education system, I think the last thing we would to do is this. It really seems like a step backward.” (Lorraine Weinrib, University of Toronto law professor, Ottawa Citizen, Sep. 13, 2007)… “Public funding of some of these schools would only increase the number of children out of touch with the cultural diversity outside their classrooms… In a system that funds those schools, the best hope will be for a lack of understanding of the other, and the toxic worst is always a possibility - that those who are different and unseen will be perceived as different and dangerous. “That John Tory should look for votes wherever he can is not surprising, though in this case, his political judgment seems question-able. “ (Roger Hyman, Toronto Star, Sep. 13, 2007)
She’s right. The veils “crisis” is indeed manufactured.
…and, finally, from the Montreal Gazette (saw it when I was at my sis-in-law’s wedding Saturday night – yay Jules!). I like this part: “There is no getting around it: Financially, philosophically, politically, this is a biggie, the main issue of the election - and it is not going well for John Tory. The early polls show massive suspicion by the voters. There's reason for that suspicion. Ontario - especially Toronto - might be the most multicultural society in the world. But cracks are appearing in the racial facade - minority group gangs and gunplay, immigrants not integrating the way previous generations did, demands for sharia law and the like that make Quebec's "reasonable accommodation" a small and passing issue….”
Post-script: this is funny. Always suspected this is what pollsters did. Now we know.
September 16, 2007 - I seem to recall those jeans, actually. I think they had creases ironed into 'em, too!
...
Leader endures wardrobe malfunctions Sudbury Star (On)
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Conservative Leader John Tory revealed more about his recycled wardrobe - and the contents of his pockets - than he intended this week during a walkabout of a downtown market in London.
Tory stopped at a chocolate stand and decided to purchase an assortment of decadent delights (which he later left on the media bus to forgo temptation himself).
As he paid for the goodies, the former business executive pulled out a wad of crumpled bills and business cards from his casual black jeans. Among the $20 bills was a business card that read, "John Tory for Mayor."
Apparently the last time Tory wore his casual jeans (and used a wallet) was during his failed bid for Toronto mayor - back in 2003.
...
September 16, 2007 - From yesterday's Toronto Star:
...
"...HQ on Yonge St. could be Ottawa during the Brian Mulroney years. Tory, who worked for Mulroney (and was instrumental during the 1988 "free trade" election) has pulled together a team of old friends..."
...
Exactly. If you liked Brian Mulroney, you'll love John Tory!
But, um, no one does.
September 15, 2007 - The Ontario Conservatives' plan to privatize health care is never too far from the surface. You just need to scratch a bit, and it's there.
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Klees' idea for ER fees fires debate on medicare Sep 14, 2007 07:38 PM
Patrick Mangion
You could be charged $5 every time you visit an emergency ward, if Newmarket-Aurora PC candidate Frank Klees gets his way.
Liberal Christina Bisanz called Mr. Klees’ proposal to charge Ontarians $5 per hospital visit an affront to universal access to medicare.
However, Mr. Klees defended his idea, raised at a debate last week.
“A minimal dissuasion fee will cause people to think twice about going to a clinic instead of the emergency room,” Mr. Klees said in an interview.
‘A key concern is it would place a disproportionate burden on seniors, women and the poor. These are groups who use the health care system more.’
...It’s unnecessary and inefficient for patients to visit a hospital emergency room for minor conditions that could be handled at a clinic, Mr. Klees added.
It’s also too costly for Ontario doctors to bill the province when a patient visits for something as simple as a prescription renewal, he said.
Ms Bisanz called the proposal a violation of Canada Health Act.
“A key concern is it would place a disproportionate burden on seniors, women and the poor. These are groups who use the health care system more,” she said.
The question about how to address abuse in the health care system came from the panel at the Aurora Chamber of Commerce debate Wednesday.
Mr. Klees, who has served the past three terms in the Oak Ridges riding, is no stranger to controversy when it comes to health care.
During his bid for the PC party’s Ontario leadership, Mr. Klees suggested health care could be delivered by the private sector, yet still billed through OHIP.
...
September 15, 2007 - My goodness, one sure does see a lot of polling in election campaigns!
This one is obviously favourable to folks who, like me, favour Dalton McGuinty. But, on balance, the question I would like to see a pollster ask is this: are you paying much attention to this election yet?
My gut tells me the answer would be a resounding no, 19 times out of 20. Folks just haven't gotten reacquainted with politics, yet. They're still all up at the cottage or on a beach, mentally and emotionally - if not physically.
The Mulroney and Chretien books, the Quebec byelections, the Ontario leaders' debates - all of those things may persuade voters to get as excited about politics as my species is, 24/7. We shall see.
In the meantime, the Summer of 2007 continues.
September 14, 2007 – I am in the unusual position of being friends with Ben Chin and also many of the folks on the National Post editorial board. The latter wrote about the former today, but they did not make reference to the following bit of information, which I probably passed along to them too late. It kind of places the "incident" in a different light, don't it?
Yes, it certainly does. Ontario Conservative Party executive members being sent out, secretly miked, to confront Dalton McGuinty. They pulled this kind of crap four years ago, and it didn't work too well for them. Some people never learn.
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A matter of appearances Brantford Expositor (On)
Monday, August 20, 2007
Byline: Philp, Tim
In politics, as in life, it is often not what you do that gets you in trouble, but what people think that you do. It is for this reason that the Progressive Conservative campaign to put Coun. Dan McCreary in Liberal MPP Dave Levac's seat at Queen's Park is starting to show a few cracks.
At last Monday's city council meeting, Coun. Richard Carpenter, a well-known Liberal, accused McCreary of using his council position to further his provincial election campaign. While a sitting councillor always has some advantage when running for higher office, such as a place in the public spotlight, Carpenter's allegations were of a more serious nature.
Carpenter accused McCreary of using his council position to provide a benefit to a person who is working to get McCreary elected to the legislature. At issue was an application by developer and former councillor Mike Quattrociocchi to make some minor zoning changes to a piece of property on Grand River Avenue that Quattrociocchi is developing. The changes were minor in scope and would have been granted to any developer for the asking.
But that was not the point. McCreary voted to approve the zoning change. These kinds of issues are a matter of routine for city councillors, however, on this occasion it just looked bad for McCreary to vote on something that will help Quattrociocchi who is a member of the Conservative party executive.
It got worse when Carpenter overheard Quattrociocchi asking another councillor about sign locations for McCreary's campaign. This indicated that Quattrociocchi was more than just a bystander in McCreary's campaign, but an active worker.
In a clumsy attempt to still the controversy, Quattrociocchi denied that he was working on McCreary's campaign, however, he said that he wanted McCreary to win and that he fully intended to get involved in the campaign. It is difficult to imagine any private citizen who is not involved in the campaign making inquiries about sign locations.
This is the second misstep by McCreary. During the municipal campaign last fall, he declared quite firmly that he would not seek higher office during this term. Now he is a candidate for MPP…
Tim Philp is a political observer who lives in Brantford. E-mail him at tphilp@bfree.on.ca.
“I don't see greenhouse gases as the terrible evil that some others see.”
...
…oh, and here’s what his leader, John Tory, said yesterday about the selfsame subject:
“…for the sake of people’s health and the air we breathe, we cannot afford to do nothing.”
Just for the record, I think Randy’s the one who is telling the truth about the Ontario Conservatives’ position. Go, Randy, go!
September 13, 2007 - Pot, meet kettle. Black.
September 13, 2007 – I guess our view would be that “security of energy supply” is, well, kind of secondary if you can’t actually breathe.
...
Security of energy supply more important than climate change, Tory says (Elxn-Ont-Main) Source: The Canadian Press
Sep 13, 2007 12:30
By Colin Perkel
TORONTO (CP) - The security of Ontario's energy supply must trump the threat of climate change, at least for the time being, Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory said Thursday of his plan for cleaner coal-fired electricity until 2014 – a scheme the Liberals liken to putting "a filter on a cigarette."
Tory paid a visit to Nanticoke, Ont., near Hamilton, the home of Ontario's largest coal-fired power plant and most notorious polluter…
...
September 13, 2007 – Bits and pieces, this and that:
This week’s column in the Post. Go forth and buy books!
Every morning, the Conservatives send out a bulletin to news editors called “This day in history.” (Around the war room, we call it “This day in pre-history,” given John Tory’s affinity for allowing creationism being taught in class.) The contact person on the releases is Mike Van Soelen, a senior political assistant to federal Conservative John Baird – who is on a leave of absence, I guess. Anyhow, absent from their “This day in history” release is this– which happened FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY. Meow.
The Conservative scheme to fund private religious schools continues to fall apart. A legal scholar shreds it, here, saying: "It seems that the proposal really has not been thought out in any detail.” (Which is what George Smitherman had to say, by the way, at an event on the weekend). And one of the most senior Ontario Conservatives around, Dianne Cunningham, says John Tory “may go down on this.” Dianne is now frantically claiming on CFRB that she was “misquoted.” Does this, um, mean she was misquoted when she said her leader is a “straight-shooter”?
Yup. He won’t, however, because he knows he’s going to get his assed kicked. That’s why he’s holding onto the sinecure at the City.
…and the legendary Jimmy Pursey and Sham 69 are in town Sunday night. I invite John Tory to join me in the pit!
Buried at the bottom of a story about the conservative front organization stunt yesterday (where something very interesting and unreported happened): “Tory acknowledged to the noon crowd that this proposal is "not universally popular," and PC MPPs are saying privately that's an understatement, adding they are getting an earful at the doors. Several people at the luncheon sat in stony silence when Tory said it was the right thing to do.”
From the Sudbury Star this morning: “Quebec air under his wings…New Democrat Leader Howard Hampton yesterday journeyed from the tiny Buttonville airport, in Markham, north to Sudbury and Thunder Bay. His choice of aircraft was noteworthy - a Dash 8 from Air Inuit, a northern Quebec carrier, complete with logo including the map of the province just east of Ontario that's not having an election.”
From the web site of CKAT radio: “2 local candidates kick start the election campaign: “The Conservative candidate in Nipissing says he's skeptical of his party leaders stance on publicly funding faith based schools. Bill Vrebosch officially launched his campaign Monday with a host of activities, including a rally at his campaign office…Vrebosch also says if the people of Nipissing don't agree with the policy, he won't either. Overall, he says he'll bring northern issues to Queen's Park.”
September 11, 2007– Interesting. What does it mean? It means we keep working harder, that’s what it means. Never, ever stop.
(Nice to see the appropriately-initialed CP back, however!)
...
Canadian Press Decima/Harris poll: Liberals up lead over PCs as Tory stumbles (Elxn-Ont-Main) Source: The Canadian Press
Sep 11, 2007 16:16
By Colin Perkel
TORONTO (CP) - Ontario's Progressive Conservatives headed into the election campaign facing an uphill battle to form the next provincial government, a new Canadian Press-Harris/Decima survey suggests.
And there's evidence the hill became steeper in the days just prior to the formal start of the campaign, as Conservative Leader John Tory stumbled with his proposal to provide public funding for faith-based schools.
A survey of 721 residents, gathered over the last four days of last week, put Liberal support at 41 per cent, compared with 33 per cent for the Conservatives, 13 per cent for the New Democrats and 11 per cent for the Greens.
The poll's margin of error is 3.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. But the pollsters also combined their latest survey with polling conducted during the previous two weeks, creating what Harris-Decima president Bruce Anderson called a "rolling average" with an error margin of about 3.1 percentage points.
Anderson says the result is a "remarkable"' and "statistically significant" increase in the Liberal lead over the Conservatives.
"We had been looking at gaps between the two parties of three to five percentage points," Anderson said in an interview Tuesday.
"What we're really seeing (now) is a gap that is more like nine percentage points."
…Anderson said the general desire for change among voters appears weak.
In the absence of dissatisfaction, it is rare for voters to toss incumbents from office, as they did in 2003 when the Liberals under Dalton McGuinty successfully campaigned on the slogan "Choose Change" to defeat the Conservatives.
"This is not, classically speaking, a time when there's huge angst about government and a need for change that's felt very profoundly," Anderson said.
The poll also suggests the Liberals have managed to take better control of the agenda than have the Conservatives under John Tory, who is trying to frame his campaign around McGuinty's record for breaking his campaign promises.
Tory appears to be losing steam also as a consequence of a showcase commitment - bringing private religious schools under the public funding umbrella - that lacks public support, Anderson said.
Campaigning in Oakville, Tory conceded his education proposal wasn't "universally popular" but again said he would stand by it.
"It's a matter of inclusiveness," Tory said. "I believe in my heart it is the right thing to do."
The partisan crowd of about 150 enthusiastically applauded Tory's promise to cut taxes but seemed to sit on their hands when he talked about funding religious schools.
At a campaign stop in Ottawa, McGuinty defended his decision to break his promise and impose the health tax, a levy still needed, he said.
"I made a decision," McGuinty said. "I stand by that decision."
However, the Liberals won't be forced to raise taxes if re-elected because the province's books are much healthier now than they were in 2003, McGuinty said.
September 11, 2007 - I would never use a cricket bat. I would a Ramones-style baseball bat.
September 11, 2007 - Sad day.
September 11, 2007 - As Ms. Wente puts it in the Globe and Mail this morning:
...
"...This election was supposed to be a dull contest between two bland middle-of-the-road good guys. But Mr. Tory has found himself a pile of dry brush and lit it. It could be the most spectacular act of self-immolation since Kim Campbell declared that elections were no place to discuss serious issues..."
...
...And John Tory would know all about the Kim Campbell thing, of course, since he was the guy who helped pilot her to two seats in 1993.
What to do, what to do? Well, if you are a Tory Tory, do what you did before, I suppose: launch completely idiotic and unstrategic attack ads on TV. Which, I understand, John "I Won't Go Negative" Tory did this very morning.
In today walks tomorrow, I always like to say.
September 10, 2007 – To ring in the election – which is, um, anticipated this morning – there has been a revamp of ToryTube, with fun new stuff in it. Here it is!
“…The Liberal fiscal plan is the most straightforward. On the basis of private sector projections for economic growth, the Liberals assume that government revenues will rise $15.3 billion over the next four years. Of that amount, the Liberals commit $400 million to a few modest tax breaks for families, leaving $14.9 billion to pay for their promises and interest on the debt. Keeping revenues and total spending in balance, the Liberals aren't counting on any surpluses between now and 2012. The picture they paint looks reasonable, and so they should have no problems keeping their spending promises.
The same cannot be said for the Conservatives' plan.
To the cost of their spending initiatives must be added the $2.8 billion cost of eliminating the controversial health tax, introduced in 2004 by the Liberals. That pushes the total cost of the Conservative program more than $2 billion above that of the Liberals. Yet, the Tories are also predicting modest budget surpluses in each of the next four years. They say those surpluses will be spent on other initiatives, including the uploading of costs now borne by the cities.
But where does the money come from to pay for all this?...”
...
September 10, 2007 - The new Ipsos sees the 2007 Ontario election campaign kicking off with predictions of a Liberal majority, albeit a tight one. Over the next month, we intend to work really hard, and earn the support of the people to make it less tight.
The differences are clear.
John favours private education, private health care and monied private interests. We don't.
Oh, and John - who has been displaying appalling judgment in week one alone, with "U. of Zero," "por favor" and claiming that teachers "rig" tests - wants to use your tax dollars to teach your kids about creationism. We don't.
Here we go!
September 10, 2007 - Hmm. The "N. Spector" vandalizing Warren's Wikipedia page - and burnishing the Wiki page of Globe and Mail contributor "Norman Spector" - couldn't be one and the same, could they?
Say it isn't so!
September 9, 2007 - Bjorn or Boris overwrote the two emails from Tories who asked that their names be withheld. Here they are again.
Oh, and some turkey named Rob McIntyre sent a snarky note late last night saying they were made up. I bet him ten grand - or even a grand - they weren't. Didn't hear from Rob after that. How odd.
The emails, again:
...
As a life long conservative voter I have followed your blog since the last federal election.
I never understood your distaste for John Tory...until he started campaigning.
Two things will see me voting Liberal for the first time, maybe even a sign on my lawn.
First - The funding of religious schools. This is so foolish as to be breath-taking.
Second - Have you heard Tory's radio ad about criminal violence and the "summer of the gun"? It is fear mongering and lying at its worst. Doesn't John Tory know that violent crime is in fact down? The ad is also not so subtley divisive and racist.
We just got home from a drive to Trenton and saw the "Highway of Heroes" signs. I know that this was done quietly and not for political gain. But still...makes ya think.
PS. If you use this note on your blog please remove my name and address.
...
Warren,
You're doing it again. Not only are you kicking ass in politics again, but you're taking down another leader. Hats off to you.
I never thought I'd say this before the election, but Dalton McGuinty may win over my vote. He's not only appearing more principled and more trustworthy, but he's also appearing more conservative. I'm a red tory, but the way John's going, he's gonna lose my vote before the end of the campaign.
I volunteered on John Tory's leadership campaign a couple of times, still have my 4 not 8 ToryforOntario shirt. But at this point in the campaign, I'm hoping for 8 not 4 years before the PCs get back into power, after Tory's replaced. Hats off to Dalton on the Highway of Heroes and his recent string of promises, I'm liking what I hear (can't say the same from Tory).
Keep up the good work, and you might save the PC Party as well as keep Dalton as Premier.
XXXXX
P.S. Feel free to quote any of this, but please keep my name off of it. I'm not happy with John, and I may end up stating that, but at this point I don't want to offend anybody that I know within the party.
...
September 9, 2007 – In the past 24 hours or so, the NDP released an ad chock-full of lies, hypocrisy and their usual garbage. So we have put together an ad response that tells the truth.
Some folks will say it’s the new campaigning paradigm, and stuff like that. I think of it as telling the truth when a dishonest opponent doesn’t.
September 7, 2007 – Adler Online earlier today:
"Adler: We know what Kinsella did to Stockwell Day when the business came up about how old is the world...5000 years old and Warren Kinsella compared Stockwell Day to the Flinstones; has John Tory become the Stockwell Day of Ontario and is it over?"
September 7, 2007 – What I like, particularly, is McGuinty just went and did it. He didn’t brag about it or anything, he just did it. Signs went up this morning.
September 7, 2007 - …oh, and my favourite band in the known universe, Against Me!, have done a video for the stand-out song on their new LP, ‘Thrash Unreal’. (It’s in the top left.) God-like geniuses, they are, and they’re coming back to Toronto in a few weeks, I am told.
September 7, 2007 – Three-paper Barney/Flintsones round-up: read Murray, here. And Cosh in the Post. And, herewith, the brilliant Corrigan in today’s Star:
September 7, 2007 - Yesterday's Post column, here. Quite a lot was going on and I simply forgot about it. Please forgive me, por favor!
September 6, 2007 – Parlez-vous français, Juan?
September 6, 2007 – Right on. Good on Dion. Defaming the dead is, in this Irish Catholic’s book, the most despicable thing you can do. I only wish Trudeau was still alive, so he could wipe the floor with this sad old man.
...
Dion blasts Mulroney's comments about Pierre Trudeau (Mulroney-Trudeau)
Source: The Canadian Press
Sep 6, 2007 15:33
TORONTO (CP) _ Federal Liberal Leader Stephane Dion says Brian Mulroney said something right when Pierre Trudeau passed away, but said something wrong yesterday.
Dion is taking exception to comments made by Mulroney in an interview yesterday with CTV.
Mulroney said that Trudeau's antiwar activism as a university student and his refusal to serve in the Second World War rendered him unfit to provide moral leadership.
Dion says if Mulroney, a former Conservative prime minister, wanted to fight with Trudeau, a former Liberal P-M, when he was alive that would be one thing.
But he says with Trudeau longer being alive, Mulroney should ``respect the man,'' what he did for the country, and for the world.
INDEX: POLITICS
...
September 6, 2007 – From CBC Radio. My apologies in advance for any gaps, here. I will try to fix ‘em as I get ‘em.
...
12:10-12:18: Liberal platform, Tory clarifications (Jill Dempsey & John McGrath)
JD: What are they promising?
JM: Big ticket item, may grab most attention is extending full day JR & SR kindergarten. Over life of 4 year. Cost $300m. Affect 250,000 children. Less child care fees for parents. Perhaps after-school expenses. Real lifting of burden off parents. Experts say it could free up 20,000 child care spaces. Big ticket item. $300 grant for college/university students to pay for text books. For seniors who earn under $50,000/year, doubling of credit to help pay their property taxes. Affect a lot of seniors in Ottawa and GTA, who bought houses a long time ago but now seeing property taxes going up. More nurses hired, e-health records – would match John Tory’s promise, more after school help for students having trouble. Real focus, sources told me yesterday and Premier told me today is public education. There's where a lot of money is being spent.
JD: A little for everyone. A good platform?
JM: It’s focused. 71 commitments. That's a lot less than 2003. Premier said he learned something from 2003. Which is not to make too many promises. It’s fully costed. $15.3b in additional revenues that are going to pay for programs. Big problem is they are going to keep health tax. When it first came in, people were furious about broken promise. McGuinty and Finance Minister said it would be reviewed in 2009. Closer reading of platform shows it’s being kept past 2009. So, I asked "what's up"? Is this another broken promise? He confirmed, they are keeping it. He was upfront about it: This is what I stand for, if you don't like it don't vote for me. They are keeping the health tax.
JD: Religious funding making headlines and sort of came back to haunt Tory.
JM: Mr. Tory went up to Thornhill. Strategy for Conservatives is to not run away from the issue. John Tory is sticking with this even though it’s costing him support from conservative base. Big Jewish population in that riding. Close liberal riding. He wasn't going to equivocate about it. Mike Wise asked whether faith-based schools can teach creationism and this is what John Tory: "They teach evolution in the Ontario curriculum but they also could teach the fact to the children that there are other theories that people have out there that are part of some beliefs". That got Tory into a lot of trouble.
JD: Explain that more for the audience.
JM: Well basically he was saying, this was a broad statement, he didn't qualify it at all. He basically said they could teach creationism as part of the curriculum. And that flies in the face of his promise and that flies in the face of his promise that any of these schools would have to teach the Ontario curriculum. He's saying two different things and is also calling evolution a theory which is what creationists always believe it is rather than science. Mr. McGuinty today called it today, science and that its part of the Ontario curriculum and it has to be taught. Yesterday afternoon, after controversy broke, John Tory issued a clarification. Basically creationism could be taught as part of a religious course, but not a science or geology course or any part of the Ontario curriculum which has to be taught.
JD: Explain how a leader who raised contentious issue in first place could end up in that position?
JM: Good questions. It was sloppy and wasn't well thought through. That's what the education minister Kathleen Wynne said yesterday. Criticism that John Tory hadn't thought this through and hadn't thought through what you do when religious beliefs conflict with tenants of curriculum. It was his second sort-of campaign flub of the week. The first was calling University of Ottawa the "University of Zero".
JD: Thank you.
...
September 6, 2007 – Apparently Global TV actually used part of this in a news segment late last night. It’s a case of life imitating art – or, in this case, life imitating cartoon.
September 6, 2007 - …dum dee dum, dum dee dum, you love me, we’re a happy family…dum dee dum. If you have little kids, like us, you know the tune.
Oh, before I forget, John Tory’s despicable, repellant, unctuous, rebarbative (sound like him, don’t I) friend and former leader is in the media, attacking a great man who is not here to defend himself. Says it all.
Wow. And it’s not even 8 a.m. yet!
September 5, 2007 – No, I do not plan to say anything, or wave anything, about this. Period.
I am happy to just let it, um, evolve.
September 5, 2007 – Hmmm. And just who is the person doing all of the polling to support all this third-party advertising, hmmm?
September 5, 2007 – "Ontario’s Liberals did a masterful job on Labour Day of stealing the electoral spotlight from Progressive Conservative leader John Tory. By announcing plans for a new statutory holiday in February — the ever so generically-named "Family Day" — the Liberals forced Mr. Tory to spend most of his big campaign kick-off event answering questions about their press release."
I didn’t say it. James Cowan did, in the Post. Pick up a treeware copy too!
That’s what he said, "rigged." John Tory says – implicitly or explicitly – that Ontario teachers are engaged in a massive, province-wide fraud to "rig" standardized school test scores.
That’s what John thinks about any of you who are teachers. There’s also a subtle shot at Ontario’s kids in there, too, if you think about it.
Just when we all thought, with relief, that the legacy of Mike Harris had been wiped from the chalkboard. He’s baaaaa-ack.
September 5, 2007 – Bits and pieces, this and that about non-political writing stuff:
Yule reminded me that I had written this for the Literary Review. Pyjamahadeen is not my invention, but I’ll take the royalties, if you like.
The Post, landing on my doorstep at 5:00 a.m., reminded me that I had written this.
And this snippet from this week’s Post column: "While I have no relevant Audit Bureau data to offer, I suspect there is one very simple reason why lesser mortals increasingly seek out "news" about Ms. Hilton, Ms. Lohan and the former Mrs. K-Fed: we love to learn that the rich and famous are, well, miserable… With all of their money, with all of their mansions and cars and jets and assorted hangers-on, quite a few Hollywood scenesters don’t seem particularly happy, do they? If you are skeptical, let us conduct an experiment: how many times did you read, recently, about the Owen Wilson suicide attempt? Now, how many times did you read about Iran’s president boasting that his outlaw nation possessing 3,000 active centrifuges to enrich uranium? Which story is more important?"
September 4, 2007 - From CBC Radio tonight:
...
Announcer: Sometimes it's the small things about an election campaign that can blow it up into big issues. In the 2003 campaign, for example, the Tories accused Dalton McGuinty of being, "a reptilian kitten eater". That became an issue and they apologized. Now, even before the campaign officially begins there's another Tory apology after the Liberals caught John Tory, in their view, insulting the Premier's alma mater, the University of Ottawa, calling it U of 0 [zero].
John Tory: For anybody who was offended, and I exclude from my apology Senator Hugh Segal, who is the person who 30 years ago first called it in my presence the U of 0 [zero]. So I exclude him from the apology but for anybody else, I issued an apology and I think the University of Ottawa is a fine institution and this kid took it for what it was, which is a lighthearted reference to something we used to say as college students and I bet they still do.
Announcer: John Tory - campaign apology.
...
September 4, 2007 - Tory spokesperson Ingrid yesterday said it wasn't a mistake, Tory leader John today says it was.
It's kind of hard to keep track of what is up and down in the Ontario Conservative Party, most days, but I think most folks would say it was indeed a mistake. You don't win folks over by calling a great Canadian university (and, by extension, the people who went there) a "zero."
Someone should tell Ingrid.
...
Subject: Statement by John Tory regarding the University of Ottawa CNW Group Portfolio E-Mail
JOHN TORY
Transmitted by CNW Group on : September 4, 2007 00:28
Statement by John Tory regarding the University of Ottawa
TORONTO - John Tory this evening issued the following statement:
"Today while canvassing in Flemingdon Park in Toronto, I made a light-hearted remark in jest about the University of Ottawa.
It is clear from the video posted by the Ontario Liberal Party, the young man with whom I was speaking didn't take offense and was laughing.
The first time I heard the phrase in question was from my good friend Hugh Segal, who is himself one of the University of Ottawa's most distinguished alumni. He and Irespective alma maters. Students poked fun at their rival universities in my era and still do today.
What the Liberal Party tape does not include were my comments when I said, "the University of Ottawa is a really good school...."
Nevertheless, I apologize if my remarks offended anyone."
...
September 4, 2007 - Mud-slinging? Good-natured? Flying quotes?
Hmmm. I don't know about any of that stuff, or what they are doing in a CP news story, frankly. But I've been around this game long enough to know a mistake-prone leader when I see one. Yep.
...
Liberals quick to critique Tory's remarks as he launches election campaign
(Tory-Election-Campaig)
By Tobi Cohen
TORONTO (CP) _ With the official start of a provincial election still a week away, Ontario's two principal political parties got the mud-slinging off to an early start Monday as the governing Liberals pounced on an off-handed "insult" by Conservative Leader John Tory.
Tory, who began his campaign a week early, was talking with a first-year university student in the Toronto riding of Don Valley West when he referred good-naturedly to the student's choice of school, the University of Ottawa, as the "U of Zero."
When the Liberals pounced, Tory's staff dismissed the remark as a "light-hearted exchange." But Liberal cabinet minister Jim Watson, a former Ottawa mayor, wasn't laughing.
"To have a political leader just make a casual and derogatory comment is unbecoming of the office he holds," Watson said in an interview. "And I would hope that as opposed to brushing it off as a joke he apologizes publicly to the alumni, students, and staff of this great institution."
Tory's media director, Ingrid Thompson, accused the liberals of blowing the incident out of proportion... The official campaign launch took place earlier Monday as two Tory-blue buses bearing Tory's face rolled into Queen's Park, a good week before the official start of the Ontario election campaign.
"There's no substitute for taking as much time as you can to get out and meet people and listen to them," Tory said, his wife by his side.
"I'm just going to be hard at it because I want to make sure people have had a chance to see me, listen to me and talk to me."
But Liberal Finance Minister Greg Sorbara suggested the Opposition is out early because they know they've got their work cut out for them.
Sorbara said voters appear unimpressed with the Conservative platform, which was also released well in advance of those of the other parties.
"What our candidates are hearing at the door is that John Tory's campaign is in very serious trouble," Sorbara said, noting his opponent's plan to publicly fund religious schools isn't sitting well with voters.
Instead of more time, Sorbara said what the Conservatives really need are different policies.
"(Tory's) determination to cut about $3 billion out of health care, his determination to find $1.5 billion in efficiencies and particularly his proposals on religious-based schools are not going over well in the province," Sorbara said.
But New Democrat Peter Kormos attributed Tory's eagerness to a desire to simply catch up to the governing Liberals who've basically been campaigning for the last year. "...Clearly Mr. Tory is trying to catch up to Dalton McGuinty and the Liberals."
...
September 3, 2007 – While doing some door-knocking this afternoon, the Conservative leader spoke to a student, and called his chosen university, the University of Ottawa, "U of zero." Quote unquote.
I rather suspect this is going to be news in Ottawa tomorrow!
September 3, 2007 – Ontario Campaign '07 starts today, unofficially, and to celebrate that, I had my first sausage McMuffin at Corporate Death Burger on Yonge Street. Really, really early. God's teeth, the horror begins.
Anyhow, as I stood in line to purchase my little grease wheel (well, actually, at that hour, there is no line, anywhere) I heard this on CBC's Metro Morning. Sure is hard to type this stuff up with your thumbs, verbatim, but that is the kind of premium service we like to provide here at wk.com. (Bolding, too!)
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7:14am – 7:23am – Any day now you can expect a knock on your door from a politician for a vote. Provincial election campaign is going to be at the top of the news agenda this fall. John McGrath, CBC’s Queen’s Park reporter.
Andy: We are talking about polls, about the polls. The politicians. And what are the first kinds of polls saying right now?
John: The first kinds of polls are saying we could be headed for a Liberal minority. Which is not surprising, people have been sort of figuring that out for the past 6 to 8 months. What is interesting though is the recent changes. And its very small. It’s maybe 2% so that’s within the margin of error so you could actually say its meaningless. But when you look at the small little changes, there’s been growth in the Liberal support. And the pollsters say its because of John Tory’s stand on faith-based schooling. He wants to give public money to the private religious schools in the province and that’s been very controversial. And its allowed Mr. McGuinty to education as sort of the issue for him and to fight back at John Tory.
Andy: Of course Mr. McGuinty is himself the product of publicly funded separate schools in Ontario.
John: Yes.
Andy: This is really shaping up to be an interesting debate if they are ever to see each other face to face.
John: It could be a very nasty little debate. It could be a very nasty campaign. I mean that’s a bit of an ad hominem argument, ‘just because I personally was the product of a catholic school doesn’t mean I think it is right for everybody as well’ or the extension is. So it’s a bit of an ad hominem argument.
Andy: Speaking of nasty election campaigns, John Tory who had originally promised that he would at all cost avoid sort of mudslinging politicking. The Tories have come out with some ads that are pretty pretty nasty.
John: It looks like they are going to have a negative campaign. It looks like they are going to do everything they can to sort of damage the Liberal brand and Dalton McGuinty. And I don’t know if that’s going to work. We have to see if that’s going to work. Usually textbook politics is that you have to stand for something before you can go negative. And that’s the only way that works. And the problem with John Tory is that I don’t think he’s clearly defined yet in the public’s mind about what he stands for. Except for faith-based schooling.
Andy: And in the absence of any other major issues going into this campaign, what can we expect in the next couple of weeks?
John: Oh, in the next couple of weeks, let’s see, the buses are going to start rolling today. Conservative bus is going to be the first one off the mark. It rolls at 2 o’clock this afternoon. Then gradually the other buses will start rolling on writ day, a week from today, which is September the 10th. Going forward I think you are going to see two different types of campaigns. The Liberals are going to talk about policies, about what they’ve achieved about what they are going to do. We saw an earlier vision of that last week when the Liberals leaked that they were going to impose a pesticide ban right across the province for the home and garden and lawn use of pesticides. So its going to be concrete policies. The opposition parties on the other hand are going to, it looks like, be talking about Mr. McGuinty’s personality, his character, his integrity and the broken promises, so its going to be a very divisive campaign.
Andy: Going to be a very busy campaign. John McGrath is becoming tri-medial.
John: It’s a big experiment this time. For the first time on a campaign, CBC is going – I personally am going to be on the Liberal bus most of the time and I will be filing to radio, to television and to cbc.ca.
...
September 1, 2007 - Today's cartoon in the Star. Quite an accurate picture, I'd say:
September 1, 2007 - Not often that I agree with Ontario Conservative MPPs, former or otherwise. But here ya go:
...
There's a double-double and donut on the line
Mark Cripps, Mountain News
(Aug 31, 2007)
With a provincial election just a few weeks away, I was surprised to receive an email from former Conservative MPP and Cabinet Minister Brad Clark predicting, of all things, a Liberal majority after the votes are counted on October 10.
"I'm willing to bet you an extra large double-double and a donut that McGuinty wins a majority government," wrote Clark, who now represents Ward 9 on Hamilton council.
He continued with the reasons for this bold prediction:
"Why?
Nobody cares about Liberal broken promises - in light of Harper's broken promises.
Tory promises to cut Liberal health tax of $2.5 billion and increase funding by $8 billion... How? Even with my poor math skills, I can see that it doesn't add up.
Tory funding for faith schools; highly divisive. To promise to fund actual faith schools has started a highly divisive religious debate. The green party has now outdone the Tories by promising to create one publicly funded school system, no Catholic schools! The Catholic community now feels threatened. Ontario voters will not except [sic] the Tory plan...."
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September 1, 2007 - Another helpful new video!:
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