Author Topic: Ontario general election - what to do?  (Read 16758 times)

scottish

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Ontario general election - what to do?
« on: February 06, 2018, 05:04:02 PM »
This is another fine mess.    An Ontario general election is coming up this spring, where we select a new government for Ontario.

For you non-Canadian types, we typically have 3 parties running for office:
1.  The conservatives.   A slightly right of center party.  Occasionally infiltrated by far right members.
2.  The liberals.  A fairly left of center party.
3.  The new democratic party.    Even more to the left than the liberals.

The liberals have been in power for the last 12 years and have accumulated a large amount of baggage, ranging from corruption, to mismanagement of public utilities to general fiscal mismanagement.

In the last 2 provincial elections, the conservative party has carefully snatched defeat from the jaws of victory by some bizarre action or other.   And now, just last month, the current leader of the conservative party has resigned after being accused of sexual misconduct.   The new candidates for leader of the conservative party are:

1.  Doug Ford - the less likable brother of the notorious Rob Ford, the former mayor of Toronto.
2.  Caroline Mulroney - daughter of former prime minister Brian Mulroney and a political neophyte.

The leader of the liberal party, and current premier - Kathleen Wynne - is very unappealing after her actions in her first term in office.
The NDP has only formed a government once - back around 1990 - and they were very fiscally irresponsible.
I cringe at the thought of Doug Ford as the premier of Ontario, much as I feel about Donald Trump as the president of the US.

The choices I can live with then are either the conservative party under Caroline Mulroney or possibly the NDP under Andrea Horvath.

To start, I've joined the conservative party in order to do my bit to ensure Doug Ford is *not* elected party leader.   Anyone who's a party member as of Feb 16th can vote in the leader selection.

Any opinions from other people living in Ontario?


PoutineLover

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2018, 05:20:51 PM »
I just wanted to say, I'm very glad I moved out of Ontario, although my current province has almost equally unappealing governance. No advice, but I sympathize.

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2018, 05:44:50 PM »
Haha, yes, well the type of technology work I do is mostly in Ottawa these days.   So I'm stuck unless I decide to change fields.

Sibley

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2018, 07:57:25 AM »
I'm not in Ontario, but can I just say good luck? With that choice, I might give the new kids on the block a chance, with a strong warning that I'm watching them and will raise hell if they screw up.

But considering that my country seems to be tearing itself in half and is the laughing stock of the world right now...

GuitarStv

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2018, 09:09:34 AM »
I disagree slightly with your analysis regarding political leanings of the parties.  The liberals are pretty centrist . . . maybe center right.

The liberals in Ontario really need to go.  So much corruption and mismanagement over so many years.  The NDP has not really been a credible threat to them as far back as I can remember though, and the Conservatives have done everything possible to shoot themselves in the foot for the past four elections.

So, way back in the day when Toronto elected our crack smoking mayor and he cancelled the LRT that was under construction in Scarborough (at great cost to the city, and to be replaced with nothing for the forseeable future) I the mayor's office an email requesting that he rethink the decision.  I got back a form email thanking me for my support of Rob Ford.  :S  I thought that was annoying but put it out of my mind.

I guess Doug Ford has retained a list of all emails sent to the city of Toronto while his brother was doing drugs in office.  Because I started getting daily emails last Friday.  Here's today's email (original creative spacing included):

Quote
Friend,


I need to tell you the truth.

 

It's been years since your voice has been heard.

 

The elites have abandoned you.

 

In fact, they never cared in the first place.

 

It's time for them to go.

 

I can't do it alone.

 

I need you to join PC Party right now.

 

There's no other way to beat the insiders.

 

Get your membership here. (https://www.ontariopc.ca/party_membership)

 

Doug

 

www.fordforleader.ca

 

Ford for Leader · Canada
You can also keep up with Ford for Leader on Twitter or Facebook.

I'm debating if I want to protest vote Green or NDP as I did the last two elections, or maybe even give Caroline Mulroney a chance if it looks like it'll be close between the conservatives and liberals . . . but I just can't vote for Doug Ford.

Prairie Stash

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2018, 10:11:18 AM »
Not in Ontario.

If this was a CBC drama it would be great. Except it would be heavily criticized for unbelievable characters and cancelled after the first season.

SoftwareGoddess

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2018, 11:49:49 AM »
I'm still traumatized by the memories of the Mike Harris and (to a lesser extent) Bob Rae governments. For some reason, the Liberals aren't turning me off as much as the other two parties.

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2018, 03:32:00 PM »
And <shudder> Ernie Eves.  Responsible for amalgamating all the cities in the Ottawa region into one giant city, so that poor Ottawa wouldn't have to deal with it's self-inflicted debt.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2018, 06:07:37 PM »
When I was a kid growing up in Quebec, Ontario politics looked so sane and sensible. Now that I live in Ontario, Quebec doesn't look so bad. Where do I vote for none of the above?

Shinplaster

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2018, 06:26:50 PM »
Where do I vote for none of the above?

I will be holding my nose, and voting for the party I hate least.  At the moment, it's between the Conservatives and NDP, not because they deserve my vote, but because Wynne doesn't.   Hopefully the local candidates will be more impressive and I will be able to vote *for* someone.

If Doug Ford is elected leader of the Conservatives, my vote will have to go to the NDP.  Every time I see him on TV, I want to punch him through the screen.

Lews Therin

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2018, 06:32:02 PM »
Can I vote for the current Quebec government to take over Ontario too?

I despise what Wynne is doing, but Doug Ford won't be better. The "Anything but who we have now" is a terrible reason for choosing who to vote for.

GuitarStv

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2018, 08:28:17 AM »
When I was a kid growing up in Quebec, Ontario politics looked so sane and sensible. Now that I live in Ontario, Quebec doesn't look so bad. Where do I vote for none of the above?

Green is a pretty safe protest vote.  They'll never get enough votes to put someone in power while the first past the post system exists.

SoftwareGoddess

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2018, 09:20:19 AM »
I happen to live in one of those ridings where the "irregularities" in PC candidate selection occurred. So the PCs are even more off the table for me. Although, if they cleaned that up before the election, I might reconsider, as long as Doug Ford is not the party leader.

The Greens are looking better all the time.

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2018, 03:33:13 PM »
I believe you can influence whether Doug Ford becomes party leader or not.

From global news:  https://globalnews.ca/news/4000084/ontario-pc-leadership-registration/

Quote
Those seeking to take the reins – or help decide who will – must register with the party by Feb. 16, with the vote set to begin a few weeks later.

For $10 you can vote for the party leader of your choice, as long as you join by Feb 16.

GuitarStv

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2018, 06:00:55 PM »
I believe you can influence whether Doug Ford becomes party leader or not.

From global news:  https://globalnews.ca/news/4000084/ontario-pc-leadership-registration/

Quote
Those seeking to take the reins – or help decide who will – must register with the party by Feb. 16, with the vote set to begin a few weeks later.

For $10 you can vote for the party leader of your choice, as long as you join by Feb 16.

If you want to tank the Conservatives chances in Ontario you can always vote for Ford . . .    :P

daverobev

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2018, 06:42:42 PM »
It's a mess. I don't know who I'm going to vote for.

All I can say at this point is the "Fair Hydro" plan makes me livid (borrow money, which we'll have to pay back with higher rates later), and I think the minimum wage hike is bribery.

In theory I'm a cross between a "small c" conservative (government should do only what it needs to; including regulation of stuff but have that politically separate; i.e., no selling of beer, wine, cannabis unless the free market absolutely cannot) and I don't know what (I thing guaranteed minimum income is a fantastic idea).

Doug Ford? Oh, God.

I'll look forward to reading the platforms. I doubt I would vote NDP as I am against the idea of unions generally (what they do should be done for everyone regardless, in terms of employee rights; they tend to work solely for their own self interest rather than actually making things better). But some things make some sense.

It's very hard, when each party has something you really don't like.

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #16 on: February 09, 2018, 03:42:19 PM »
I believe you can influence whether Doug Ford becomes party leader or not.

From global news:  https://globalnews.ca/news/4000084/ontario-pc-leadership-registration/

Quote
Those seeking to take the reins – or help decide who will – must register with the party by Feb. 16, with the vote set to begin a few weeks later.

For $10 you can vote for the party leader of your choice, as long as you join by Feb 16.

If you want to tank the Conservatives chances in Ontario you can always vote for Ford . . .    :P

I was thinking the best way to keep Ford out of the premier's office is to keep him from being party leader!

okits

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #17 on: February 10, 2018, 10:44:32 PM »
It's very hard, when each party has something you really don't like.

As was remarked in the thread about the last federal election, "choosing which party to vote for is like trying to decide which STD is right for you".

Any tips on how to avoid repeated requests for donations if I join the PC party to vote for not-Doug-Ford?

daverobev

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #18 on: February 11, 2018, 07:18:19 AM »
It's very hard, when each party has something you really don't like.

As was remarked in the thread about the last federal election, "choosing which party to vote for is like trying to decide which STD is right for you".

Any tips on how to avoid repeated requests for donations if I join the PC party to vote for not-Doug-Ford?

I *really* feel like I should start a political party. Problem is I am a massive introvert; knocking on doors campaigning is anathema to me. Sigh.

Lews Therin

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #19 on: February 11, 2018, 07:51:31 AM »
It's very hard, when each party has something you really don't like.

As was remarked in the thread about the last federal election, "choosing which party to vote for is like trying to decide which STD is right for you".

Any tips on how to avoid repeated requests for donations if I join the PC party to vote for not-Doug-Ford?

I *really* feel like I should start a political party. Problem is I am a massive introvert; knocking on doors campaigning is anathema to me. Sigh.

MJ is still free. Maybe you can subcontract?

I assume your tag-line would be: "I'm an actual adult. Vote for me."
« Last Edit: February 11, 2018, 07:53:12 AM by Canadian Ben »

RetiredAt63

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #20 on: February 11, 2018, 09:08:53 AM »
When I was a kid growing up in Quebec, Ontario politics looked so sane and sensible. Now that I live in Ontario, Quebec doesn't look so bad. Where do I vote for none of the above?

Green is a pretty safe protest vote.  They'll never get enough votes to put someone in power while the first past the post system exists.

I voted Green often in federal elections. It would be nice to be happy about voting for a mainstream candidate.

frugalcanuck

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #21 on: February 11, 2018, 08:07:48 PM »
I think I will be going Green Party again.  I'm in a riding where my vote will likely not count for anything anyways.  Last election I saw Mike Schreiner on TVO's Agenda and was impressed.  So I voted for them.  That was the first time I did not vote strategically and it felt really good.
I don't think there is a way to vote strategically this time.  No reasonable person would want any of the big 3 parties.  And the parties know it.


ChrisCraft2015

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #22 on: February 12, 2018, 02:02:03 PM »
I'll be voting PC, either Ford, Mulroney or whoever takes the lead.  Very tired of the Liberals and ready for a change.

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #23 on: February 12, 2018, 03:58:40 PM »
There's still 4 days to join the party and be eligible to vote in the leadership race.   I coughed up the $10 as part of my little campaign to keep Doug Ford out of office.

He e-mailed me his platform (as part of a mass e-mailing) today:

Quote
Educating our kids is the most important job in the world.

Right now, half of our grade 6 students aren’t meeting the provincial standard in math.

This is a crisis.

We need to focus on teaching kids facts, not ideology.

That’s why if I’m elected as leader, I’ll take issues like sex-ed to parents.

Because public schools should focus on getting kids ready to get great jobs.

Beyond that, parents should get the first and final say.

I will remain firm on this issue.

I have always respected the taxpayer.

I have always opposed the carbon tax.

I will always stand for parents deciding what their children learn at school.

ChrisCraft2015

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #24 on: February 13, 2018, 05:25:58 AM »
There's still 4 days to join the party and be eligible to vote in the leadership race.   I coughed up the $10 as part of my little campaign to keep Doug Ford out of office.

He e-mailed me his platform (as part of a mass e-mailing) today:

Quote
Educating our kids is the most important job in the world.

Right now, half of our grade 6 students aren’t meeting the provincial standard in math.

This is a crisis.

We need to focus on teaching kids facts, not ideology.

That’s why if I’m elected as leader, I’ll take issues like sex-ed to parents.

Because public schools should focus on getting kids ready to get great jobs.

Beyond that, parents should get the first and final say.

I will remain firm on this issue.

I have always respected the taxpayer.

I have always opposed the carbon tax.

I will always stand for parents deciding what their children learn at school.

And what part of this do you have a problem with? 

daverobev

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #25 on: February 13, 2018, 06:39:26 AM »
There's still 4 days to join the party and be eligible to vote in the leadership race.   I coughed up the $10 as part of my little campaign to keep Doug Ford out of office.

He e-mailed me his platform (as part of a mass e-mailing) today:

Quote
Educating our kids is the most important job in the world.

Right now, half of our grade 6 students aren’t meeting the provincial standard in math.

This is a crisis.

We need to focus on teaching kids facts, not ideology.

That’s why if I’m elected as leader, I’ll take issues like sex-ed to parents.

Because public schools should focus on getting kids ready to get great jobs.

Beyond that, parents should get the first and final say.

I will remain firm on this issue.

I have always respected the taxpayer.

I have always opposed the carbon tax.

I will always stand for parents deciding what their children learn at school.

And what part of this do you have a problem with?

Let me see. Oh... pretty much everything.

It is written as if to a four year old. Massive non sequitur there about the carbon tax - let's just jam that in there somehow eh?

Parents shouldn't get the final say on education unless they happen to have degrees in education. Parents are free to teach whatever they like at home; school is to learn facts, ways of thinking, and so on (and no doubt it isn't a perfect system at the moment; but holy shit, I know that the education system is going to give my children a much better education than I would be able to on my own).

Sex-ed? I don't even remember the details of this but my God, we would be better as a race if we were a little less uptight about sex generally.

I have always respected the taxpayer?! Oh fuck off. Really.

I will bring back jobs to America Canada because we've had some bad trade deals. Possibly the worst trade deals in history. I've made some great deals. I've always supported coal miners.

GuitarStv

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #26 on: February 13, 2018, 08:09:14 AM »
There's still 4 days to join the party and be eligible to vote in the leadership race.   I coughed up the $10 as part of my little campaign to keep Doug Ford out of office.

He e-mailed me his platform (as part of a mass e-mailing) today:

Quote
Educating our kids is the most important job in the world.

Right now, half of our grade 6 students aren’t meeting the provincial standard in math.

This is a crisis.

We need to focus on teaching kids facts, not ideology.

That’s why if I’m elected as leader, I’ll take issues like sex-ed to parents.

Because public schools should focus on getting kids ready to get great jobs.

Beyond that, parents should get the first and final say.

I will remain firm on this issue.

I have always respected the taxpayer.

I have always opposed the carbon tax.

I will always stand for parents deciding what their children learn at school.

And what part of this do you have a problem with?

Let me see. Oh... pretty much everything.

It is written as if to a four year old. Massive non sequitur there about the carbon tax - let's just jam that in there somehow eh?

Parents shouldn't get the final say on education unless they happen to have degrees in education. Parents are free to teach whatever they like at home; school is to learn facts, ways of thinking, and so on (and no doubt it isn't a perfect system at the moment; but holy shit, I know that the education system is going to give my children a much better education than I would be able to on my own).

Sex-ed? I don't even remember the details of this but my God, we would be better as a race if we were a little less uptight about sex generally.

I have always respected the taxpayer?! Oh fuck off. Really.

I will bring back jobs to America Canada because we've had some bad trade deals. Possibly the worst trade deals in history. I've made some great deals. I've always supported coal miners.

My issues, point by point:

Educating kids is important.  More important jobs than educating kids exist.  Like feeding people who are starving, not supporting torture, preventing child pornography/abuse, etc.  This is a stupid statement.

My parents are both teachers.  They were there when the new educational standard in Ontario was introduced.  It's tougher curriculum, but it's a significantly better way to learn.  It focuses on teaching children to think and reason about a problem, and de-prioritizes rote memorization.  Although Ford's comment is not specific, it sounds like he's in favour of returning to easier (and less useful) rote memorization.

While sex ed is part of the curriculum, any parent can opt to have their child removed from health class while sex ed is being taught.  Given that this is already the case, it sounds like Ford simply wants to remove sex ed from the classroom entirely - including for children who want their kids to learn about it.  That's actually a negative for freedom - not a positive.

Public schools aren't in the business of getting kids ready for jobs, they're there to lay a baseline level of education upon which the child can build.  Kids really aren't getting jobs anyway.  Job training tends to happen more at the highschool, college, and university level.  Without a degree, your kid is not likely going to be getting a job that requires much prior training education anyway.

I honestly have no idea what any of:
"parents should get the first and final say"
"I will remain firm on this issue"
"I have always respected the taxpayer"
really mean.

Dunno how carbon tax worked it's way into this rant about education, but this kinda seems like Ford has no idea what he's talking about.  The provinces and federal government have already agreed to implement a carbon tax by the end of 2018.  If they don't, the federal government will implement one for them.  Regardless of opposition to it, people in Ontario (along with the rest of Canada) will be paying a carbon tax . . . so this is a weird thing to put in the letter.

"I will always stand for parents deciding what their children learn at school." is another confusing statement.  What exactly is he talking about?  People can opt out of sex ed.  People can choose to go to a public secular or Catholic school if they want.  People are allowed to send their kids to a private school or even homeschool if they don't like the curriculum.  What additional choice is Ford hoping for?

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #27 on: February 13, 2018, 03:40:50 PM »
There's still 4 days to join the party and be eligible to vote in the leadership race.   I coughed up the $10 as part of my little campaign to keep Doug Ford out of office.

He e-mailed me his platform (as part of a mass e-mailing) today:

Quote
Educating our kids is the most important job in the world.

Right now, half of our grade 6 students aren’t meeting the provincial standard in math.

This is a crisis.

We need to focus on teaching kids facts, not ideology.

That’s why if I’m elected as leader, I’ll take issues like sex-ed to parents.

Because public schools should focus on getting kids ready to get great jobs.

Beyond that, parents should get the first and final say.

I will remain firm on this issue.

I have always respected the taxpayer.

I have always opposed the carbon tax.

I will always stand for parents deciding what their children learn at school.

And what part of this do you have a problem with?

It's very stream of consciousness instead of a well thought out, structured platform.    Like big Doug just wrote down the first 10 things that came to his mind.

For example, I agree that weak math skills in primary school is a crisis.   But I don't see how messing around with sex ed is going to improve math skills.

"Public schools should focus on getting kids ready to get great jobs."   Reality much?   Great jobs require a university education these days.   

"I have always respected the taxpayer".   Except for the Doug Ford monorail, I guess.   https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/08/30/doug_fords_dream_waterfront_ferris_wheel_monorail_and_a_boatin_hotel.html   That seems strangely like the Simpson's monorail episode.

"I have always opposed the carbon tax."    Really?   Because you don't believe in climate change?    Why have you opposed this tax?   What do you think about taxes in general?   If we have less taxes, will we have even more debt?   Or will our roads and bridges continue to deteriorate?

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #28 on: February 14, 2018, 03:22:58 PM »
Doug Ford's e-mail of the day:

Quote
The Liberals are giving taxpayer money to political parties to run their campaigns.
Just last year:
$5 million went to the Liberals.
$4 million went to the PC Party.

$0 is how much taxpayer money either party deserved.

Only the most politically corrupt insiders at Queen’s Park could believe this is a good idea.
Tax dollars shouldn’t go to political parties.

You know me.
You know I will stand up for taxpayers.
I’ll end the taxpayer slush fund for political parties.

Lews Therin

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #29 on: February 16, 2018, 04:50:56 PM »
And now, after bowing out, he's back in the running: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/brown-enters-leadership-race-1.4539276

I'm sure that this was great for his image.

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #30 on: February 16, 2018, 05:25:52 PM »
You can't make this stuff up.

And I can't believe the amount of spam I'm getting from the party now that I've joined.  Sigh.

GuitarStv

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #31 on: February 16, 2018, 05:57:15 PM »
lol

RetiredAt63

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #32 on: February 20, 2018, 08:28:58 AM »
You can't make this stuff up.

And I can't believe the amount of spam I'm getting from the party now that I've joined.  Sigh.

I joined the Quebec Liberal Party (Provincial not Federal) many years ago because the party big-wigs wanted to parachute in a candidate when we had a really good local candidate.  Once we managed to get our local candidate in, my interest went back to 0.  I got stuff for a bit but eventually they gave up.  Now that electronic spam is so easy and cheap, you may have to put up with it longer.  You can always not renew (it is a one year membership?).

Not much happening in my riding yet.

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #33 on: February 20, 2018, 03:19:01 PM »
I can deal with the spam automatically.   It has a very juvenile feel to it though.   Like the candidates are running for election in high school or something.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #34 on: February 27, 2018, 03:10:34 PM »
This is priceless, can't believe I am the first one posting it.  ;-)

https://twitter.com/monicarooney/status/968266714877067264

daverobev

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #35 on: March 02, 2018, 10:56:23 AM »

RetiredAt63

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #36 on: March 02, 2018, 11:02:24 AM »
Flailing at a carbon tax but no alternatives?  That is not enough this close to the election.

We do have a provincial Green Party, but they seem to be totally off the media radar.  I can't even remember if they had a candidate in my riding last time. 

daverobev

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #37 on: March 02, 2018, 12:04:48 PM »
Flailing at a carbon tax but no alternatives?  That is not enough this close to the election.

We do have a provincial Green Party, but they seem to be totally off the media radar.  I can't even remember if they had a candidate in my riding last time.

Right! How can the Conservatives be this bad when all they have to do is look reasonable and sane and they'd absolutely demolish the Liberals??

I feel that Ontario needs a change but at this point... The Conservatives are not the change I would like to see. I guess it is too much to ask for to find a party that actually represents not just a narrow set of special interests, or is corrupt/power drunk and will do anything not to be booted out?

What happened to principles? To logic and rationale? I know it is facile to just blame the media/social media but... I want to scream. I really do.

GuitarStv

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #38 on: March 02, 2018, 12:13:52 PM »
Flailing at a carbon tax but no alternatives?  That is not enough this close to the election.

We do have a provincial Green Party, but they seem to be totally off the media radar.  I can't even remember if they had a candidate in my riding last time.

Right! How can the Conservatives be this bad when all they have to do is look reasonable and sane and they'd absolutely demolish the Liberals??

I feel that Ontario needs a change but at this point... The Conservatives are not the change I would like to see. I guess it is too much to ask for to find a party that actually represents not just a narrow set of special interests, or is corrupt/power drunk and will do anything not to be booted out?

What happened to principles? To logic and rationale? I know it is facile to just blame the media/social media but... I want to scream. I really do.

Northern Ontario always goes NDP, the GTA always goes liberal or NDP.  This has been true for more than two decades.  I just think that the Conservatives totally gave up on trying to win in Ontario some while ago.

techwiz

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #39 on: March 02, 2018, 12:28:57 PM »
There is a choice of the None of The Above (NOTA) Party
http://nota.ca/

They currently have Candidates in 37 of the 124 ridings.

They are not in my riding yet ,but hope to see one before election time.   

RetiredAt63

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #40 on: March 02, 2018, 07:45:26 PM »
Not in my riding either, but I will keep an eye open - not impressed with any of the parties now.  Our MPP is a cipher, so if I know and think well of a NOTA candidate, that would be my vote.  No Green Party candidate yet either.

scottish

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #41 on: March 03, 2018, 09:40:20 AM »
Hopefully we'll at least get a minority government to keep the worst of the dogmatic excess under control.

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #42 on: March 10, 2018, 04:50:44 PM »
Uh oh.   Looks like the conservative party is determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory again.

https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/03/10/tussles-over-ballot-counting-delay-results-in-ontario-pc-leadership-race.html

I wonder what the NDP platform looks like?

okits

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #43 on: March 10, 2018, 05:27:07 PM »
Oh geez.  This is not good news. 

I wonder what the NDP platform looks like?

You're not the only one!

GuitarStv

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #44 on: March 10, 2018, 05:29:31 PM »
It boggles the mind that the less likable brother of our crack addicted idiot of a mayor looks like the next face of the PC party in this province.  :P

daverobev

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #45 on: March 10, 2018, 06:51:14 PM »
It boggles the mind that the less likable brother of our crack addicted idiot of a mayor looks like the next face of the PC party in this province.  :P

What does it say about the state of Western society that 'we' are voting for Brexit, Trump... that these things are even getting to the ballot box?

I feel like I SHOULD vote Liberal now, if Ford really does get in (edit: as party leader). Gawd.

okits

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #46 on: March 10, 2018, 09:09:19 PM »
I saw the official announcement, live, about an hour ago.  Kathleen Wynne is probably partying her ass off tonight.

bluebelle

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #47 on: March 11, 2018, 07:03:08 AM »
holy fuck, how did this happen? 

RetiredAt63

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #48 on: March 11, 2018, 10:18:09 AM »
It just gets better, doesn't it?  My mostly rural riding is Liberal, our MPP is useless, but at least he isn't part of this mess.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-christine-elliott-ontario-pc-leader-1.4571444

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Re: Ontario general election - what to do?
« Reply #49 on: March 11, 2018, 10:26:10 AM »
WTF - If these people can't hold a leadership convention in 6 weeks - htf - can they run a province?

WTF with the sex ed curriculum?  I read the entire thing from K- grade 7 and was so bored I couldn't bring myself to finish the grade 8 section.  I had heard this poor bloke on the radio saying he "didn't want his son taught masturbation" in grade three so I went looking for how the poor grade 3 teachers were supposed to teach that.  Not that I thought for a minute that his son needed any instruction - my son figured that well before he went to school.  (It was my job to teach him not to touch his genitals while eating dinner.) 

After reading 90% of the curriculum, which is actually not a sex education curriculum but a health curriculum btw, I could not for the life of me figure out what the fuss was about.  I was relieved to see a continuous thread of age appropriate topics around all aspects of physical and mental health.  I thought the mental health thread was brilliant and was relieved to see how it was being discussed in the classroom. It is exactly what I feel will help our kids get over stigma and help me parent a healthy child.
Also,  I simply don't understand why anyone would object to calling body parts any other name other than what they are.  It is helpful to me as parent to know that my two year old has an itchy "bagina" even if she is not able to pronounce "v"s so that I know to make sure she doesn't have an infection that develops into a bladder or kidney infection.

But election of a climate change denying boob will not impact me much. I am voting Green, as I have in every election provincially and federally for more than fifteen years. 

The media doesn't want you to know that there is a Green option for some reason.  But there is and they ran candidates in every riding last election.  This election they are aiming for 50% of their candidates to be women.  They also have a huge number of young candidates.  Bright, energetic and passionate people that are so courageous to run for office when the media pays no attention to them. The Greens have a great platform.  They advocate for evidence based decision making.

The NDP doesn't want you to know there is a Green Party because they want to maintain their edge on the environment issue - But the Green Party's fiscal positions are actually much closer to the PC party and their environmental policy positions are superior.  The Leap Manifesto had nothing that the Green Party of Canada had not been advocating for years before.  The Green are green and well, open for business. 

And the biggest money suck - having four school boards in our province - the Green platform is for a single school system so that kids stay in their neighbourhood and can walk to the school closest to their home instead of having four different schools, with four different principals, four different school boards and buses driving around ferrying to schools in different neighborhoods makes the most sense to me. British North America act can be amended - The other provincial signatories of that aren't in the same mess.

And the last one - electoral reform.    It would be nice to vote and see my choice in the legislature - but I haven't voted strategically ever and it feels really damned good to vote for the the candidate that I feel has the best policy platform.  I always vote in hope and never in fear.

First off - lets get Mike included in the leadership debate so that he has the chance to show Ontario that there is a choice.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!