EnMasse

DSquared

So the results of Tuesday's election in Ontario, combined with Dalton McGuinty's general arrogant demeanour will certainly make Ontario politics more interesting. Any bets as to when Ontario will go to the polls again?
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This is pre-eminently the time, to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Vundo Draxon · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:39 pm Post subject:

The Liberals are only one seat short of the majority. Is it possible for them to find a disgruntled Tory or NDPer who will cross the floor to seal the majority for the Liberals without the hassle of having to negotiate at the party level?

TS. · Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:31 pm Post subject:

I think a floor-crosser is relatively unlikely at this point. The disgruntled PCs are on their right wing, and disgruntled New Democrats are likely to be on the party's left.
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"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear." - Thomas Jefferson

Corey · Non-Threatening Boy Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 1972

And disgruntled Liberals would not be unprecedented.

DSquared · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:27 am Post subject:

TS. · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:41 am Post subject:

DSquared · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:55 am Post subject:

So will Hudak be forced aside, or will the PCs stick with him out of uncertainty concerning the minority and whether or not a new leader would be ready in time?
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This is pre-eminently the time, to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Vundo Draxon · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 3:33 pm Post subject:

Corey · Non-Threatening Boy Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 1972

There is something here. There have to be establishment, country-club or even lingering wishful Red Tories, the people who kept the fires burning for Ernie Eves and John Tory, and Christine Elliot over Hudak – but probably fear a Hudak replacement could be Hillier or Klees or someone even deeper than Hudak into that side of the party – getting more and more comfortable with Dalton McGuinty, who ran for his leadership on the right of the Liberal Party and won with an centre-right anyone-but-that-new-guy-from-the-food-bank-guy coalition, and is widely cited as in effect a Red Tory himself, etc.

Sort of a reverse of Tim Peterson, David and Jim Peterson's brother!, narrowly elected as the Liberal MPP for Mississauga South in 2003, who crossed to the John Tory PCs in 2007 probably thinking it would save his seat in 2008; (it didn't).

DSquared · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:25 am Post subject:

McGuinty snub a sign?

TS. · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:19 pm Post subject:

There's that idiotic idea that voters punish whoever forces an election. There may be a negative effect in pre-writ opinion polling whenever a party muses about forcing an election, but that effect always, always, dissipates by election day. By the time voting actually rolls around, the voters have already forgotten about who was responsible for the election being called in the first place.
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"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear." - Thomas Jefferson

DSquared · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 1:50 pm Post subject:

Chester · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:21 pm Post subject:

Corey · Non-Threatening Boy Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 1972

Andrea Horwath introduces the Ontario NDP's new Shadow Cabinet.

Excerpting, the new MPPs:

Cindy Forster, Welland
Deputy House Leader
Municipal Affairs and Housing
[Legislative experience: She's been Mayor of Welland and Niagara Regional Councillor.]

Teresa Armstrong, London—Fanshawe
Training, Colleges & Universities, Seniors

Sarah Campbell, Kenora—Rainy River
Natural Resources, Aboriginal Affairs

Michael Mantha, Algoma—Manitoulin
Northern Development and Mines

Taras Natyshak, Essex
Labour, Correctional Services and Infrastructure

Jonah Schein, Davenport
Environment, Urban Transportation

Jagmeet Singh, Bramalea—Gore—Malton
Justice (Attorney General), Consumer Services

Monique Taylor, Hamilton Mountain
Children and Youth Services

John Vanthof, Timiskaming—Cochrane
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

voice of the damned · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject:

DSquared · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 8:18 pm Post subject:

Will Frank Klees cross the floor?

DSquared · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 5:47 am Post subject:

Horwath, Hudak, talk HST:

The Evil Twin · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 5:56 am Post subject:

From Dsquared's link:

TS. · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 8:23 pm Post subject:

I don't think that is an accurate statement about the government's ability to control the order paper. There are still opposition days on which the opposition can move and vote one what ever they like. They could use their opposition days to move and vote on second and third reading of this bill.

A better explanation of why this won't go anywhere is that it is a money bill and accordingly will be ruled out of order by the Speaker. Only a minister of the Crown may introduce a money bill into the legislature.
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"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear." - Thomas Jefferson

The Evil Twin · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 10:52 pm Post subject:

DSquared · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:44 am Post subject:

Changes coming to Ontario Place?

DSquared · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 3:40 am Post subject:

It's a good thing that the Mike Harris days are behind Ontario:

DSquared · Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:12 pm Post subject:

The case for strategic voting in Kitchener

Meanwhile, Liberals move forward in trying to limit teacher's pay in the ongoing labour dispute
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This is pre-eminently the time, to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

DSquared · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:41 am Post subject:

Catherine Fife takes Kitchener-Waterloo for the NDP
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This is pre-eminently the time, to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The Evil Twin · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 6:36 am Post subject:

DSquared · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 12:02 am Post subject:

Hey ET, what do you and other Ontarians think of the media puns about Hudak and McGuinty meeting their Waterloo? Wink

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This is pre-eminently the time, to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

al-Qa'bong · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 1:17 am Post subject:

Wasn't Kitchener once known as Berlin?

Is a red flag flying over its city hall these days?
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"The purpose of government is to protect the weak from the powerful" Hammurabi

"We can't all be Sam the Sham; some of us have to be Pharoahs" Larry, brother of Darrel, and his other brother Daryl

The Evil Twin · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 3:53 am Post subject:

al-Qa'bong · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 4:28 am Post subject:

Hmm, oliebollen and spatzle will do that to ya.
_________________
"The purpose of government is to protect the weak from the powerful" Hammurabi

"We can't all be Sam the Sham; some of us have to be Pharoahs" Larry, brother of Darrel, and his other brother Daryl

Cartman · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 10:44 pm Post subject: McGuinty resigns

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/10/15/toronto-miss...

Wow, I didn't see this coming! Sure hope Hudak doesn't benefit from this move.

Tehanu · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:06 am Post subject:

Well, this is a bit of a shocker. When I heard earlier he was calling a caucus meeting, I thought maybe an apology, certainly not a resignation. First thing that occurs to me is that there's more to come with the energy plant relocation that the opposition parties have been hammering him and Chris Bentley about and that this is pre-emptive.

Second thing is that the teachers' unions, which were pretty pro-Liberal in the past, are howling for blood (not surprisingly, given that McGuinty took away their collective bargaining rights) and that cost him at least one by-election. So McGuinty's probably feeling like the writing is on the wall. Plus there are various other Liberal-type mismanagement issues that are dogging him, like eHealth and the ORNG problems.

Possibly that construction + mafia scandal in Quebec is about to bust out in Ontario, although that's less likely to be an immediate concern.

Or maybe, after another day of getting hammered in the Ontario Parliament, McGuinty's just tired. Fair enough. Not an excuse to prorogue.

I don't think, fingers crossed, that Hudak is electable (but I thought that about Rob Ford, so I'm no longer underestimating the stupidities people will vote for). Given that the NDP won in the KW by-election, maybe there's a chance that the Bob Rae Chill is over in Ontario?

I'm not entirely delighted by this. Although there's plenty to criticize, we've done a lot worse in Ontario than McGuinty.

Seems the Liberals are spiralling down the drain right now.

And proroguing the Ontario legislature? Taking a page out of Harper's book, now, are we? Boo.

Cartman · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:37 am Post subject:

Yeah, something is about to come out. I suspect the opposition will be able to prove corruption.

Cartman · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 12:47 am Post subject:

You don't think he would run federally do ya?

Tehanu · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:10 am Post subject:

Only if he wanted his ass handed to him on a plate. So, I'd say, not a chance. He's tired and beleaguered and has too much baggage.

The Evil Twin · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:04 am Post subject:

DSquared · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 3:41 am Post subject:

Hey Cartman, is it okay for this discussion to be merged with this thread?
_________________
This is pre-eminently the time, to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Cartman · Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 4:16 pm Post subject:

Sure thing!

DSquared · Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 12:34 am Post subject:

Why the Ontario Liberals could go down hard:

Tehanu · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:07 pm Post subject:

Glen Murray has tossed his hat in the ring, no surprise there. He resigned as Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities yesterday. And Kathleen Wynne is supposed to be announcing her candidacy tomorrow; she's also resigned her cabinet position.

What's kind of interesting it that both of them are openly gay.

DSquared · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:48 am Post subject:

Wynne-win:

cco · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:29 am Post subject:

What is it with Canadians and really bad puns? Has a sociologist looked into this?

al-Qa'bong · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 5:00 am Post subject:

One made some initial investigations, but soon after starting she was hired by the CBC to write headlines for "As it Happens."
_________________
"The purpose of government is to protect the weak from the powerful" Hammurabi

"We can't all be Sam the Sham; some of us have to be Pharoahs" Larry, brother of Darrel, and his other brother Daryl

cco · Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:15 pm Post subject:

So, as I calculate it, between Ontario, Quebec, BC, Alberta, Newfoundland-Labrador, and Nunavut, 87.6% of Canadians now have a female premier (or will, once Wynne gets sworn in). That'll go down somewhat when Christy Clark gets shown the door in May, but it's still nothing to sneeze at.