I am setting up a blog page for each of the 3 main party leaders in the Ontario spring election 2013. Further news links will be added to each leaders blog over the course of the election, in descending order, for your convenience + reference purposes. For my overview of the election please see @ Visions of a Political Theatre of the Mind!
Tim Hudak: the Great White Hope/ or Beam Me Up Scotty?!
Provincial Conservative Party + Ontario opposition leader Tim Hudak is either the second coming of Mike Harris or the Ontario neo conservative movement's last strike. Expect Hudak to be dumped pretty quickly by his frustrated party if he loses again. He's got a lot on the line; it's sink or swim time for Tim!
Hudak's much touted "Million Dollar Jobs" plan uses kindergarten language and concepts to try isolate, in the voters mind, Ontario's situation outside the context of the 2008 worldwide economic meltdown and blame it on unions, progressives and the OLP + NDP parties. Once Hudak is elected the crisis will supposedly end cartoon style as our PC Peter Pan sprinkles neo con fairy dust on all that ails us to make it go away. It is a very thin veil for Hudak's American style neo conservative agenda. These positions are spelled out in his various election white papers, a Wiscon Redux plan to strip contracts and pension plans, break the unions, eliminate job protection and roll back other workplace gains while reducing Ontario to a low wage economy. Ignore Hudak's token "anti corporate bums" slogan , its sheer window dressing to hide his true aims.
Jobs?! Heck Timbo can create a kajillion of them folks!
Success will depend upon how gullible Ontarians are to Hudak's glib arguments in face of the complex economic, political and social issues facing the province as it crawls out from under the very economic meltdown ironically created by Hudak's neo con puppet meisters in 2008. Hudak's arguments will not bear close scrutiny despite his often self referenced economic degree. Expect glittering generalities, red herrings, just plain folk claims, name calling and avoidance of any indepth issue based discussion or debates. If the discontent of a voter backlash to "kick the bums out" [as portrayed by the Hudak generated double headed OLP + NDP monster] is strong enough, voters will be gulping down the Hudak draino to cure their pinko sore throat, destroying the progressive movement in Ontario for many years to come.
Hudak's liabilities will be his lack of an award winning personality, to put in mildly, and his irritating, shallow and condescending manner. It will be interesting to see how his aggressive alpha male style approach + style contrasts with his two female party leader opponents. There will of course be a lot of union bashing, attacks on the less fortunate as well as other scapegoats and boogy men in the typical Tory neo con divide and conquer strategy of years past. Keep a ear to the ground to hear when the homophobic and sexist fears will be quietly stroked among angry soft voters in the traditional right wing Catholic groups, Toronto Ford Nation and in the more white bread back road hinterlands of the province, once push comes to shove. In general. watch to see if Timbo or others in his party bear their teeth, drop their facade and go for their enemies jugular, a potentially very lethal mistake!
In The News:
In a move straight out of the Mike Harris playbook, Harris announces he would cut 100,000 public sector jobs @ Harris Redux
Hudaks "Dodge Caravan" Million Jobs Campaign: Timbo won't address reporters questions @ Dodgy!
Why the numbers don't add up for Hudak's "million jobs plan" explained @ CCPA
Hudaks economic plan based upon bad math @ Doesn't add up!
Why didn't Tim denounce Toronto Mayor Rob Ford after the latest outburst of drug allegations + recorded racist + homophobic comments? Truth be told, Ford Nation is a big part of his neo con vote @ Neo Consters
Hudak is aware that an election victory on June 12th might well just depend on whom can get their voters out to vote @ Online Strategy
Hudaks strategy of attacking the Working Family Coalition might well have backfired on him, by helping to mobilize the Ontario labour movement @ Bad Move!
Working Families Coalition is taking the Hudak PC's to court for false claims + defamation @ PC Con Game!
The optics were not good for the Hudak inopportune media event at the Metalworks Music Studio. He voted against the Ontario Music Fund to "balance the budget" @ Ironic!
Then he brought up his "million job plan" @ National Post
Educators beware: In a move straight out of the Harris Years, PC leader Hudak's latest white paper on education discusses cutting non teaching jobs in our schools + putting the breaks on all day kindergarten @ Harris Redux
Timbo would scrap the College of Trades because he says its just a cash grab + added tax. This is from the leader of the party that created the Ontario College of Teachers or Tories, as we once use to say during the Harris Years @ Ontario College Of Tories
Hudak's white paper on WSIB would let business decide what injured workers are paid. How do you spell conflict of interest? Read carefully @ WSIB
This Toronto Sun columnist is even aware that Hudak's arguments + campaign style are sadly wanting @ A Boob?!
Just in case you need convincing: Hudak stump speech about a successful business was staged at a "corporate welfare bum" plant @ Dem Bums!
Background Blogs:
Tim bits! Hudak, A Caucus Revolt + The Secret Mike Harris Agenda @ Here!
Hudak Blames Unions for By Election Defeat @ Here!
Hudak's Plans for Right 2 Work 4 Less Revisited @ Here!
Why Do We Need A Teacher Union? @ Here!
Ontario Election 2011: What PC Election Debates?!? Mum's the word @ Here!
COMMENTS?
Ready for some political theatre?!
Here is how I will cover the Ontario Spring Election on my blogsite: As you may or might not know I am a teacher union retiree with a strong social justice focus, but I feel no particular allegiance to any political party or group. I'm retired unlike in years past when I worked on the provincial election beat with my union's Political Advisory Committee. I bring along any knowledge + personal experience I might've acquired. However this blog always just represents my own independent grassroots point of view. I am not going to toe any party line, union, political or otherwise, nor do I speak on anyone else's behalf. This is + remains a teacher free speech blogsite.
I do not claim to be an absolute expert on Ontario politics, far from it. IMHO anyone who does is either self delusional or trying to pull the wool over your eyes. You are welcome to disagree with my point of view. You can Comment below each blog in our regular ongoing open forum discussions. Just show respect for all our writers.
Ontario Election Time: Make show!
Here's how I view the Ontario election:
I don't particularly care for any of Ontario's 3 main political parties. I'm not interested in wasting my good word or vote on anybody who has little chance of winning. Nor in helping facilitate a default election victory for the Provincial Conservatives by not being practical and realistic. Many teacher unionists + political progressives failed to do so in 1995 helping hand PC Mike Harris his first majority government.
Having fought + survived the Harris Conservatives from 1995-2003 I know it will be very unfortunate if PC Leader Tim Hudak is elected to pick up where Mike Harris left off. Without doubt our hard earned gains as education advocates will be erased for future generations of teachers, unions, working families and other progressives in our province. However, this is now first and foremost fast becoming the next generations fight.
Unfortunately, few have arisen to the challenge of fighting the good fight for quite some time now. Many if not most of the post Harris era teachers are basically apathetic and politically disengaged. Our teacher union leaders are often old guard fighters from the Harris years who have stuck around too long to be really fighting the good fight for the common good anymore. We have watched them allow our contracts to be stripped through appeasement and concession bargaining with the OLP government since the 2011 election. They no longer take a strong and unequivocal stand in their member interests. When the official "union position" thereby offends the sensibilities I will not go easy regardless of the affiliate.
We are watching Ontario's political parties practice brokerage politics. Each party has have put together a package of common interests and like minded thinkers to gain power through an election win. The party leaders are figure heads representing these interests. They have limited autonomy, as do the individual candidates and MPP's. Everybody will toe the particular party line like lemmings or minions, take your pick.
Reality: what a concept!
This shadow show we are about to see is basically a theatre of the mind. The reality of whatever unfolds between now and election day on June 12th is a perception that will be created in our minds through their relative ability to manipulate the main stream mass media. The majority of Ontarians will not vote. Victory will belong to whomever can get out most of their vote come election day.
All three parties fall within the centre of the Ontario political spectrum to varying degrees. The centralist Ontario Liberals [OLP] have been veering from centre right to centre left and could well be about to topple. Or maybe not. The New Democratic Party [NDP] has largely abandoned their traditional leftie support to shift just slightly left of the political centre in a gamble to try win the all necessary middle ground.
Should the OLP + NDP split the middle vote, the Provincial Conservatives [PC's] could win through default. Though they persistently remain to the far right of centre within the Ontario political spectrum, their hardcore support is the most consistent. In the worse case scenario, which is not entirely impossible, their voters will not show up to vote on election day. Indeed they often haven't come out in strength during the last 3 elections. However, the sniff of victory might be too strong now. Most might just hold their nose and vote for the Tim Hudak brand of Ontario neo conservatism, verses the more centralist + successful red Tory brand of conservatism last seen during the Bill Davis years.
In Ontario it is important to seem to be nice so as to not offend the common sensibility that we are spendthrift middle of the road people who do not seek to offend or be mean to anyone. Truth be told, God only knows what that really means. Premier Mike Harris won two back to back majorities with an Ontario blend of neo conservatism that emphasized a US style "Common Sense" brand of divide and conquer politics wherein only the strong survive + flourish. Many less fortunate Ontarians were excluded from this delusional vision of whatever being from Ontario really means. After all was said and done the Harris-Eves Tories did not even balance the budget. They left a huge deficit in their wake. However, then as now the PC's budget balancing act is their self professed motto and commonly perceived truth.
Will the formula work again for Hudak's Harris Redux Tories on June 12 2014? The PC's could win over a majority of the soft vote if there's a reactionary backlash against the perceived leftist budget threat they have managed to foster in the public mind. Will the average Ontario voter be convinced it's time to "throw the bums out" be they Liberal or NDP, as unpalatable as the actual PC positions might otherwise be? Collective denial of our Ontario leaders' true character and intent is not uncommon when the political perceptions are aligned just right, witness our Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. The truth need not be true. They just need to put on a good enough show to pull the wool over every bodies eyes about what they really intend to do if re-elected again.
Horwath + Wynne: Will they split the centre left vote facilitating a Conservative victory?
What would I like to see result in this election?
Well, a PC majority government means its game over for our progressive vision of Ontario for quite some time to be. Short of that though, I am not particularly enamoured with either the OLP or NDP party. The best outcome as I see it would be for an NDP +OLP coalition government. That way they could hold each other in check. An OLP majority win would not allow Wynne to possibly purge the party of its deadbeat rightest influences. An NDP win might well not result in a union friendly government, as we saw during the early 1990's when the NDP government failed to keep its left wing promises and turned upon us too. Neither in practice have been strong advocates for the labour movement in Ontario since the 2011 election. It's time for a check mate to hold the PC's at bay while we sort out and emphasize our important issues + support for either party before the next election.
So that dear readers is my point of view. I will cover the campaign in a number of blogs. I haven't quite sorted out just how I will organize that yet, but I will in the short days ahead. You are of course welcome to agree and disagree with me, or challenge any of the assumptions that will arise over the course of the spring election in our open forum discussions. You can find them below each blog.
Let the political punditry begin!
Pax/
Solidarity!
David Chiarelli
Stay tuned!
COMMENTS?
This is the first of my blogs between now and election day on June 12. My Teacher + Union Acronym Guide is Here!
It's a spring election! The morning after the Wynne Liberals announce their 2014 spring budget, NDP Party Leader Andrea Horwath pulls the plug! She says she she can't support the Wynne government + vote for any confidence motion on the budget. She doesn't trust Wynne to keep her promises anymore. She didn't follow through on those she made with the NDP in last year's budget. She denounces corporate interests. Earlier, Hudak the unions. Horwath is live on CP24 as I write making her statement.
Poll: Should Andrea Horwath have forced an election? Also a live Twitter news feed @ Star
Toronto Star emphasizes that many of the unions have urged her to support the budget @ Election Time!
The Globe + Mail too @ Unions?
Premier Wynne visited Lieutenant Governor David Onley to dissolve the legislature Friday afternoon, right after Horwath's announcement. At the media conference which followed she made it official: Ontario goes to the polls Thursday June 12. Wynne's election announcement is basically a campaign kickoff speech. She criticizes the NDP for it's economic "pipe dreams", the PC's for their regressive policies, especially in regards to creating a low wage economy. Here is the media release @ Spring Election!
The 2014 Ontario budget is posted @ Here!
Tim is him: Harris Redux! The union attacks have been front + centre of his election campaign launch. More @ Con-ster!
Does this sound like 1995 all over again? For more info on Timbo's secret Harris inner cabinet read my earlier blog @ Harris, Hutton, Hudak + Co.
The ThreeHundredEight.com aggregate polling numbers!
Are you ready for a spring election squeaker?! According to the 308 aggregate poll the party standings are: PC=34.2%/ OLP=34.2%/ NDP=24.7% What does that work out in the seat count at QP? The OLP would win 44 seats, the PC's 40 and the NDP 23. Then again among those Ontarians most likely to vote its a crushing 42% win for the PC's verses a 27% OLP + NDP tie. That would give Hudak a majority government when translated into seats! Crunch the numbers yourself @ So Tight It Squeaks!
An Oracle Poll released on May 7 seems to show the PC's headed for a landslide win. However despite claims to the contrary the methodology used by this little known group is suspect at best. Still, it does give one pause to think: what if they are right? See @ Reliable
Lay of the Land: Here's how Ontario voted in the 2011 provincial election poll by poll @ Ridings
Horwath's decision not to support the OLP "Trojan Horse" budget is a rejection of the era of centre left patronage + neo Liberalism according to this blogger @ Lavender Blume
Is Andrea Horwath the bravest person in Ontario or is she just counting on the other party leaders to screw up real bad on the election trail? @ Ottawa Citizen
Harris Redux! Tim is him ....
Has Andrea Horwath bit off more than she can chew? She will be campaigning against a progressive budget, and if the race becomes polarized between the PC's + OLP, the NDP might get crushed @ National Post
The new NDP has taken a dangerous political course @ Now Magazine
The Doug Little Report considers 3 very different minority government outcomes, and what is to be done @ Doug Little
IC Soapbox blogger explains why he will be voting NDP @ Reasons
Many pundits have felt it would be better for Wynne to have an election sooner verses later anyway @ Radwanski
Hooray: Election time in Ontario!
PC Hudak walks a fine line! Notice how he hasn't denounced Rob Ford after the latest outburst of drug allegations + recorded racist + homophobic comments? Truth be told, Ford Nation is a big part of his neo con vote @ Neo Consters
Why the numbers don't add up for Hudak's "million jobs plan" explained @ CCPA
The PC campaign advertising strategy emphasis will be on using the internet to get out the Conservative vote @ Online Strategy
Here's a review of Kathleen Wynnes environmental portfolio @ Ups + Down
Wynne will need to be able to leave McGuinty behind to win this election @ Duelin' Dalton
Pre budget leaks + a flurry of OLP announcements have kept everybody guessing about what would happen once the budget was announced @ Global News
NDP leader Andrea Horwath refused to meet with Wynne prior to the budget. Was this a sign all along that she had no intentions of supporting the OLP? Consider @ Canadian Press
COMMENTS?
Hope: April showers bring May flowers! And what showers they have been!
Welcome to the April edition! My routine is the same. I keep adding stories under each header below. New stories are often first included in large type for your convenience, once we get going. Please note: My Teacher + Union Acronym Guide is Here!
TEACHER + UNION
OSSTF D12 President Doug Jolliffe claims Toronto TDSB principals routinely try to cover up serious incidents at their schools. Listen: it's not just the public board. A school reports an incident and its labelled unsafe, rather than proactive. Another one down the street says nada when something happens there and is seen as the better school. Far from it. I spent over 20 years of my teaching career in the Jane Finch Corridor and the situation was epidemic. I can't see how it could even possibly get any better in the year since I retired. Story @ Cover Ups!
Sometimes the veil of secrecy is lifted just a little bit. Note the spin control as the powers that be play down the threat of violence in the recent incident at St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic Secondary in Woodbridge. Everything is under control folks, it was just an isolated incident involving "social media, a rival school and a gun." Nothing. Not to worry. Nope. BS!!! It's not just Brebeuf. Think carefully about the implications here @ No big deal! Under control?
Ontario will be going to the polls for a spring election on June 12! More in Party Politics below!
Alas! There's infighting among our illustrious union leaders about whether the Liberal budget was good or not @ Infight!
Spring Election: OPSEU President Smokey Thomas wants to hear a real discussion on what we want for Ontario. Acknowledges Hudak PCC's are out to kick our union butts. More below under Party Politics!
OSSTF President Paul Elliot criticizes lack of new education funding in the OLP budget @ Thumbs down
BC teachers set to begin rotating strikes @ Strike!
OECTA TSU Election results: Dave Szollosy is elected President. Gillian Vivona 1st VP. Peter McKay 2nd. Councillors are Sheila Gatensby, Mike Nicolaidis + Angela Tersigni. Bianca Hudak acclaimed 3rd VP + Veronica Tuzi as secretary. Rosemary Lavery is Treasurer, it's a 2 year term. Congratulations to all! This is public info + not the official announcement of course. Please go to @ The TSU Site
Ditto: Election results are in for the troubled OECTA Halton Elementary unit. Nina March took more than 64% of
the vote for president with 836 members voting. Also elected: Tara Hambley/ Vince E/ Anne M/ Krista H/ Mary Anne M/ Lee Ann B/ Patrick D/ Roberta M/ /Alicia N/ Anne Marie O.
BTW I understand there is a gag order of sorts in effect on all matters pertaining to our Bad Boy Brock. Even the status of the July 5 court date seems unsure. We wish Richard well and God speed! Also congrats to Nina + Co! Best wishes go to all at OECTA Halton Elementary unit for making do during what must be the most difficult + trying of circumstances.
PC leader Hudak's latest white paper on education discusses cutting non teaching jobs in the school + putting the breaks on all day kindergarten @ Harris Redux
Did Hudaks attack on the Working Families Coalition inadvertently help strengthen the Ontario union movement? More @ Cohn + TVO
Happy international workers day! Here's a link to my May Day blog @ Happy May Day!
A student of colour is bullied, taunted and badly beaten at school in Sutton @ ?!?!!!!!!
The Hamilton public board is creating controversy by allowing outside volunteers coach student sports without teacher superivision @ Safe Schools?
Do you Hop on pop?! Read further for the answer!
Political correctness almost run awry: The Toronto Public Library is refusing to pull Dr. Seuss's 1963 kids classic "Hop on Pop" from it's shelves because of complaints it promotes violence. Hey, lots + lots of children have learned the love of reading from this book for crying out loud! The story, besides being a whole lot of fun, is about as basic as it gets, in as few words as possible .... What's the good doctor's advice to hopping on pop? It's "Stop. You must not hop on pop." Thankfully somebody doesn't think kid's today are too dense to deal with that. Duh @ No hopping on pop!
How do you spell lazy? Canadian youngsters are getting a failing grade for being sedentary when it comes to physical activity. The study notes that the programs + opportunities are provided, the kids just don't seem to care @ Won't get up off their butts!?!
Here's an OTPP update on your indexed pension written to focus in the short term as a good news story @ Less
OECTA's Speak for Children campaign is up + running!
Videos, posters + info on OECTA's "Speak for Children" educational advocacy campaign during the spring election is posted. Nice one Cheryl, Vic + Co! @ Speak 4 Children!
Penny wise + pound foolish: Hudaks education cuts threaten Ontario's economic future @ Failing grade!
Ahead of the 8 ball: OECTA's position papers + video ads for its "When You Speak for Students" 2014 provincial election campaign are posted @ Election Readiness
Understanding what's driving them NUTS [National Union of Teachers]: Here's why progressives don't like the UK Tories explained in a rap song. Hmmm. Wonder if the kids for hire @ F The Tories 2.0
PARTY POLITICS
It's a spring election! NDP leader Andrea Horwath has decided to roll the dice! My blog coverage has been moved to the new May 5 blog.
Andrea Horwath claims she's not worried about vote splitting resulting in a PC win! Maybe she should be, it certainly isn't without precedent! You know, if you look at the combined OLP +NDP numbers in seats and popular support, the PC neo cons would no longer be a threat if the two could unite ..... Perhaps it's about time?! Anyway, story @ NDP vs OLP!
Ontario election ads can officially begin at midnight May 20. Brace yourself @ Ads
IPSO poll finds Hudaks PC are receiving 62% of the action on Twitter, Unfortunately for Tim 59% of them are negative. Well, that accounts for my tweets! What if you add in everybody elses?!? :-) @ 2 Thumbs Down!
What do Ontario + Quebec elections have in common? Not much @ O Canada!
308 aggregate poll puts the OLP + PCs back in a dead heat after a scary surge in their numbers put Hudak into majority territory. It seem anything might still happen @ 308
Adding insult to injury: Hudak kicks off his campaign at the Metalworks Music Studio after having voted against the Ontario Music Fund to "the balance the budget". Needless to say the optics were not good @ Ironic!
Then he brought up his "million job plan" @ National Post
A musician at Hudaks announcement challenges him over his support for cuts to the music arts! @ Ironic!
PC Hudak acts like people of colour are a "ball" for the cameras. Are what he says + does 2 different things? And what will Ford Nation + Tim's white bread neo con supporters outside Toronto in the hinterlands think?
Toronto Sun goes easy on Hudak for not categorically condemning Mayor Rob Fords sexists, bigoted and homophobic comments last week. Of course, he does not want to alienate his neo con voters aka Ford Nation in Toronto @ Fumbled?
Hudak caught using fake video clips outsourced from Russia to show Ontarians steering the province to better times under a PC government @ More BS
IN OTHER NEWS
Complete Rob Ford coverage is now posted @ Campaign Trail!?
How can 234 girls go missing for so long?! What's anybody doing about it???
On April 14 234 teenage girls were abducted from a government girls school in Nigeria. They are still missing. How can you hide 234 teenage girls without anybody knowing?! What's the government doing about it? Amnesty International says its all another case of gender based violence against women. They also want you to help out @ Amnesty
200 couples will get wed at Toronto's Castleloma during World Pride Week celebrations here this year @ Gay Pride 2014
Danger: Beached whale! Hey, don't go stand by it!!!
It's an Atlantic Canada mind bender: what do you do with a dead bloated 60 ton beached whale that is set to explode at any minute? And we thought we had it bad worrying about street gangs here in the big city?! Still, human nature never ceases to amaze: what do folks do? Go and stand beside it! Ho boy! Watch Blech! Then see what happens @ Ugh!
KULTURE KULT INK
Note: The seventies are definitely over!
Led Zeppelin's Page + Plant are being charged with plagiarism for the opening cords of the signature song "Stairway to Heaven". It wouldn't be the first time. "Whole Lotta Love" was later rightly accredited to blues legend Willie Dixon. "Dazed + Confused" wasn't their melody either. Story @ Stairway to Plagiarism?
Fun + games in Zombieland Toronto!
Dem darn Zombies never cease to amaze! Check out the one above from the 5km Zombie obstacle course event in Toronto! Also, see my blog on the psychology of the zombie phenomenon @ Zombie Psych!
Canadian novelist and environmentalist Farley Mowat is dead at age 92 @ Never Cry Wolf
Small is best: I always like to support the grassroots on my blog, whether its at school, in the unions or in politics. The same applies for music. Change always starts here, and it can best reflect our life beat, better than the big corporate musical flavour of the day, we hear everywhere else. For that reason I am adding a link to "Underground Operations" here in Kulture Kult Ink this month. You can visit the Toronto page to hear whats bubbling in the underground, sample or even download for a recommended donation to the artist. [Support the arts!] It's a fabulous idea for getting new sounds out there and creating a buzz. And the music is much more varied than the Itunes store too. [Zzzzz]. Underground Operations is @ Here!
Streaming music has created a crisis with artist's royalty rates. But who suffers most, the artists or the greed big labels? More @ Royalties
PS Kindly note: If you are indie + want me to post a link here please forward any, including downloads. If I don't like won't post, otherwise, hope this helps!
Smile + say martial law!
Sign of the times: cellphone selfies are all the rage in Thailand which is under a state of martial law @ Selfies
Bonus Quotes for anyone who read this far!
"We love and die because we must."
[from Good Boys Never Win]
"If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything."
[a fortune cookie]
You can email me: davechiarelli@gmail.com
My Twitter hashtag is: #davidchiarelli
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