Ontario General Election 2014

Moose wrote:

The thought process of Andrea and the ONDP to turn down the very, very NDP/left supported budget is beyond me.

I know, the entire left seems so addicted to smoking the neo-liberal crack pipe that they have been convinced that privatizing Ontario Hydro and TTC infrastructure projects, while promising a lower than the rate of inflation raise to social assistance recipients is "progressive".

Since when did privatizing anything ever show up in an NDP/left budget?

Rokossovsky wrote:

Moose wrote:

The thought process of Andrea and the ONDP to turn down the very, very NDP/left supported budget is beyond me.

I know, the entire left seems so addicted to smoking the neo-liberal crack pipe that they have been convinced that privatizing Ontario Hydro and TTC infrastructure projects, while promising a lower than the rate of inflation raise to social assistance recipients is "progressive".

Since when did privatizing anything ever show up in an NDP/left budget?

Also recall that, while not activly selling OPG assests, the Liberals have, through the Green Energy Plan, drastically increased private sector generation. OPG now owns around 50% of generating capacity in Ontario. This has all happened under the Liberals, when Ernie Eves was Premier I think OPG had about 80% of provincial capacity (the only reason it didn't have 100% is because the PCs leased Bruce Station to Bruce Power, a contract that is soon up for renewal, btw). Until recently OPG was prohibited from competing for OPA wind and solar contracts.

Moreover, last year, Bob Chiarelli directed the Ontario Energy Board to start issuing open bids for new transmission lines, ending Hydro One's monopoly. Leave to construct the new East-West Tie from Wawa to Thunder Bay has been awarded to a consortium comprised of a Florida energy company and Boralis Infrastructre (an OMERS company). Hydro One issued a bid along with a First Nations-owned company, and they lost. Privatizing electricty generation is bad enough, but having "competition" in transmission is just stupid.

Screw the Liberals. At least the Conservatives are honest about their privatization plans, and don't lie to their supporters.

Wynee and Glenn Murray say they support publicly operated and publicly run transit. Then why was is the Elington Crosstown line going to be maintained by a private-sector "partner?" They wanted the private sector to operate it too, but allowed the TTC to do it after Toronto City Council and the ONDP Caucus fought against it. The Union Pearson Express was also supposed to be a P3 (operated and maintained by a for-profit company), but the deal fell through (P3 deals are very complex and expensive and require lots of contracts and lawyers, accountants, bankers, and consultants to complete them). All Metrolinx trains are alos operated and maintained by the private sector, Bombardier. However, the Libs won't tell anyone that.

Good on Andrea for calling the Liberals out. I was skeptical about forcing the election now, but after her comments about the Libs and transit and her challenging Wynne and Hudak to three debates, I am more confident.

According to the Toronto Star the New Democrats still have to appoint candidates in 39 ridings, don’t yet have a fully formed campaign platform, and don’t have a bus for reporters covering them, as parties traditionally do.

Which is irking some members of the press and may taint the way they will be covering the NDP. The press like to be treated 'lavishly' while out on the road. As such with no amenities it has already tainted the press in being much harder on the NDP than the Liberals.

Already there are stories of the NDP having no platform, and turning down an NDP friendly budget. While the Liberals are getting somewhat of a free pass.

With two wrapped buses — a white one for her and a red one for reporters — the Liberals are highly visible on the hustings. Wynne’s campaign appeared to be a well-oiled machine.

The buses, equipped with desks, wireless Internet, a printer, televisions, fridges, a microwave, coffee machine, water cooler, and a bathroom, cost $100,000 apiece to equip.

The NDP better start rolling out the red carpet for the press. Because when they are treated first class it will result in better coverage.

Of courre as Wynne never expected her budget to see the light of day.

It was such a huge surprise for the Liberals that Wynne was all ready to go - 2 campaign busses ready to roll. Wynne was just shocked when Horwath stated she wouldn't support the budget which never got tabled, and was delivered  on a "take it or leave it" by Wynne.

People here are posting the Liberals are better prepared. Yes, perhaps, becaue all along they were planing to pull the plug.

So don't blame the NDP for Wynne's thinly veiled deceitful disguise: golly gee, I really want my election looking budget to pass.

terrytowel wrote:

According to the Toronto Star the New Democrats still have to appoint candidates in 39 ridings, don’t yet have a fully formed campaign platform, and don’t have a bus for reporters covering them, as parties traditionally do.

Which is irking some members of the press and may taint the way they will be covering the NDP. The press like to be treated 'lavishly' while out on the road. As such with no amenities it has already tainted the press in being much harder on the NDP than the Liberals.

Already there are stories of the NDP having no platform, and turning down an NDP friendly budget. While the Liberals are getting somewhat of a free pass.

With two wrapped buses — a white one for her and a red one for reporters — the Liberals are highly visible on the hustings. Wynne’s campaign appeared to be a well-oiled machine.

The buses, equipped with desks, wireless Internet, a printer, televisions, fridges, a microwave, coffee machine, water cooler, and a bathroom, cost $100,000 apiece to equip.

The NDP better start rolling out the red carpet for the press. Because when they are treated first class it will result in better coverage.

NorthReport wrote:

Why has there been so little discussion of the gas plants so far during this election?

Just askin'.

 

Keep askin'.

LP,

Thanks - Interesting.

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Important point from a Liberal.

Why democracy is necessary

Mortified, Wynne later appeared at a Toronto bar to sound mortified. “We would have loved to have had the opportunity to immediately implement that budget, but [NDP Leader] Andrea Horwath and [PC Leader] Tim Hudak decided they want an election,” she said, with a straight face. Behind her, Liberal staffers held up prepared signs reading “WHAT LEADERSHIP IS,” apparently unaware that you should never consciously try to talk like Yoda. (Or, politically, raise a question you can’t answer.)

Wynne’s candidates were also in high dudgeon over the opposition, you know, opposing. For example, the Liberal candidate for Algoma-Manitoulin, Craig Hughson, has been getting ready for an election for months. But there he was in the Manitoulin Expositor over the weekend, professing his shock and horror that democracy has unexpectedly broken out.

“I am surprised but ready for this unnecessary election,” said Hughson, an authority in sucking and blowing at the same time.

So too some media. The Toronto Star ’s biggest front-page story in Sunday’s paper huffed that the opposition’s desire to have an election was “backfiring." “Forcing” Wynne into the June 12 election, as the Star put it, was somehow a bad thing. Why?

Well, because a poll told them so. The Liberals were going to win again, decreed the pollsters, so why bother? Left out of the Star’ s analysis was disclosure that the polling firm in question, Forum, had previously declared the Wildrose Party would win a huge majority in Alberta in 2012 (wrong), the Parti Quebecois would win a huge majority in 2012 (wrong), and the B.C. NDP was on the verge of winning in 2013 (wrong).

But the message – from the selected premier, the unelected candidates and some feckless media – was the same: elections are unwanted. They’re “unnecessary,” even.

Sorry, but that’s a damnable lie. Every day, in every part of the world, millions of people pray that they could have what Canadians have. They risk life and limb to get here, in fact, to live in a democracy. And, at the risk of stating the blindingly obvious, they know that you cannot have democracy without elections.

The likes of Wynne and Hughson deserve to be condemned for implying that democracy is unwanted. It isn’t.

They, however, may well be after June 12.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/05/05/why-democracy-is-necessary

mark_alfred wrote:

NorthReport wrote:

People here are posting the Liberals are better prepared. Yes, perhaps, becaue all along they were planing to pull the plug.

So don't blame the NDP for Wynne's thinly veiled deceitful disguise: golly gee, I really want my election looking budget to pass.

terrytowel wrote:

According to the Toronto Star the New Democrats still have to appoint candidates in 39 ridings, don’t yet have a fully formed campaign platform, and don’t have a bus for reporters covering them, as parties traditionally do.

It's a bit alarming.  Both the Liberal and the Conservative sites have a listing of candidates, whereas the NDP site as yet does not.  Granted, it's not really a surprise.  The NDP is the underdog to the Libs and Cons, who are the two big business parties with more money.  Still, it's a bit alarming anyway.  Regardless, I'm hopeful.

It is quite obvious that the Liberal attack ad used against the NDP, pointing out what they rejected in the budget was shot on the same day, and at the same location as the Liberal attack ad on Hudak, which was released before the election call.

:)

Elections usually follow the same ole pattern.

Apart from the actual politicians, the political talking heads in the media, and a few others, like us here at rabble, most of the voters are in snooze mode.. Around half-way through the election period, and frequently at the time of the first debate, the voters wake up and start listening. Right now they are more interested in the Habs, the Jays or Raptors. Well maybe the Raptors not so much now.

Everything appears to be on track, and the universe is unfolding as it should. 

Thanks LP, but it would be helpful if the gas plant details are fully discussed here, to refresh people's memory of what was and is actually taking place.

And I'm not convinced it is the PCs that would benefit the most by a thorough airing. 

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440

Quite accurately said.

corruption

Partisan Liberals believe they are entitled to their entitlements. They think the purpose of the NDP is to prop up their minority governments no matter how corrupt they become or how many promises they break.

Clearly this position is absurd. If the Liberals need support to govern, it’s their responsibility to earn it, just like any other party.

There are many similarities between the Martin and Wynne governments, besides some Liberals trying to blame the NDP for their failures.

http://democraticvotingcanada.blogspot.ca/

terrytowel wrote:

With two wrapped buses — a white one for her and a red one for reporters — the Liberals are highly visible on the hustings. Wynne’s campaign appeared to be a well-oiled machine.

The buses, equipped with desks, wireless Internet, a printer, televisions, fridges, a microwave, coffee machine, water cooler, and a bathroom, cost $100,000 apiece to equip.

No surprise. Unlike the actually-progressive Jean Chretien's election finance reform, Ontario Liberals never banned corporate donations. In Ontario, corporations are still paying the shot. A corporation can give over $33,000 to Ontario parties and candidates this year.

For Ontario elections, corporations can donate, up to $9,975 to a central party in any year and an additional $9,975 for each campaign period. In addition, eligible contributors can contribute up to $6,650 annually to riding associations of any one party, but no more than $1,330 annually to a single association. Similarly, $6,650 can be contributed to candidates of any one party, with a limit of no more than $1,330 to a single candidate. That makes $33,250.

Pass it on.

NorthReport wrote:

Why has there been so little discussion of the gas plants so far during this election?

Just askin'.

The NDP and Cons can talk about it every day from now into the end of the election, but it hasn't and probably won't make any traction with the electorate. You need to compare this with the many scandals of the federal Conservatves such as the million dollar boondoggle of the G20 in muskoka to the in and out scandal.

Many commentators have said large sums of money don't make traction with the voters because it is not an amount they can relate to. In focus groups, they have said a million dollars or a billion dollars doesn't relate to them because it is not tangible. It is not in front of them

Wheras a $16 orange juice or $90,000 is something they could relate to as government waste. That is a number they can releate to. Where a billion dollars is just a number, and not relateable to them as a voter.

Strange as it sound, the lower the dollar value that is wasted or misused, the more outraged the public gets. When the amount is sky-high, they can't relate because it is just a number.

Rokossovsky wrote:

terrytowel wrote:

NorthReport wrote:

Why has there been so little discussion of the gas plants so far during this election?

Just askin'.

The NDP and Cons can talk about it every day from now into the end of the election, but it hasn't and probably won't make any traction with the electorate.

You live in the Annex or on Roncessvale? If it were not for those repeated scandals Hudak would be polling in the low 20s.

 

And the Liberals would be in the low 20s as well. They should be third behind the Tories & NDP.

At least they backtracked on their initial slogan, "The NDP makes cents."

How long have the Liberals been in power now?

Horwath questions Liberals ability to deliver on promisesLiberals need a 'time out', NDP leader says

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Andrea obviously is well organized and gathering steam talking about jobs on the first day of the actual campaign.

Horwath is definitely on the mark here, obviously knows what she is doing, and what the best approach is to win election campaigns.

Ont. NDP leader marks jobs, affordability as top election issues

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ont-ndp-leader-marks-jobs-affordability-as-top...

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When Wynne went to Lt.-Gov. David Onley Friday to ask him to dissolve Parliament, the election writ could not technically start for five days. Writs must be dropped on Wednesdays.

This convenient gap gave Liberals and PCs a few days to double their corporate donations.

Eligible contributors can contribute up to $9,975 to a central party in any year and an additional $9,975 for each campaign period. In addition, eligible contributors can contribute up to $6,650 annually to riding associations of any one party, but no more than $1,330 annually to a single association. Similarly, $6,650 can be contributed to candidates of any one party, with a limit of no more than $1,330 to a single candidate.

A candidate’s campaign cannot accept contributions nor incur expenses until a writ has been issued and the candidate is registered. However, a riding association can continue to accept funds if contributions are made to the association and not the candidate’s campaign. The association can also incur expenses on behalf of the candidate. These expenses are classified as pre-writ expenses.

I know that the minimum wage is a contentious issue, particularly with the demands for a $14 per hour minimum wage, based apparently on what is needed in Toronto. But Ontario is a big province. Are there perhaps jurisdictions where a liveable wage can be set lower at that? Could it be that voters in these areas balk at a minimum wage that high, thus accounting for politicians being reluctant to go that high? How do you meet the challenge of setting a liveable wage across a very diverse province where the costs of living may vary quite significantly depending on where you live?

Interview with Andrea Horwath

http://www.chch.com/interview-andrea-horwath/

The first day of the campaign was a bad beginning for the Liberals. Oh, well.

Quote:

t wasn’t the picture the Liberals wanted to see on day one of the formal campaign. Those aerial shots from CTV’s helicopter showing the demolition of the Mississauga gas plant put the spotlight right where the Liberals didn’t want it.

The opposition parties want you to never forget the money wasted there and the alleged cover up around the decision made during that last election. It’s a vivid reminder of one of their key themes - the Liberal government can’t be trusted with your tax dollars.

http://www.cp24.com/news/2014-ontario-provincial-election/notes-from-the...