THE THRONE SPEECH AND OTHER FUN STUFF

Just to let you folks know what I have been up to lately, I have been on the political beat in Manitoba as a reporter. Fun stuff. Unfortunately, it also means no life for me and no chance to do movie reviewing anymore or any other fun stuff I've been doing. It also means having to be fair and balanced instead of completely partisan all the time, which shouldn't be too hard because I was fed up being a partisan hack having to tow a party line anyway.

The real fun I had was in covering these politicians and figuring out what was going to happen with the Throne Speech. The Liberal MP Wayne Easter was here in Manitoba and I interviewed him at the Canad Inns for a story I was doing --- along with the local radio guy who was asking him all these dull agricultural questions. Me, I wanted him to cut to the chase and tell me if we were going to have an election.

What he had to say about the Liberal plans was pretty interesting at the time. Easter said that the Liberals probably were not going to defeat the Throne Speech, that governments are rarely toppled on Throne Speeches because they're just words, and that the Liberals were going to make their decisions based on concrete proposals coming out of the speech. So that was a pretty clear indication to me that they were probably not going to push to overthrow the government right away, in spite of what these media monkeys in Ottawa were saying.

Then came Throne Speech day last week. The next day I was doing reaction stories and I got the call from MP Brian Pallister, on the line from Ottawa, telling me that Stephane Dion had just gone up to the microphones to officially chicken out on an election. Probably the most exciting time in my whole dull career covering politics.

I've heard a lot of people say the omnibus crime bill the Harper government is putting out there now is likely to be what triggers the government's defeat in the Commons, because the crime bills were held up in the Senate before. But I'm not so sure about that. I talked to MP Inky Mark and he was convinced the crime bill would go through, because a lot of work was done on the issue before. I was kind of surprised to hear that. Maybe he knows something all these media people in Ottawa don't know about the crime bill and about how likely it is to pass. Maybe the Bloc or the NDP will vote for it, I dunno. I get the impression maybe these Ottawa reporters want an election a little too much and are reading too much into the posturing of all these political parties.

Right now I am working on a big feature about the Green movement and environmental politics and the local impact that has had. I'll see how it goes.

ON THE ONTARIO PCs

You know, I have not said much about the future of John Tory as Ontario PC leader, though a number of other people have.

Quite frankly, it's obvious that whatever I say is going to be biased in favor of him staying on anyway, so why bother even ranting. I'm not about to stab this man in the back, not after all the great opportunities I had on his campaigns before.

I mean really, who are they going to replace him with if he goes? Frank Klees?! Klees backed this religious schools thing all the way-- he was probably the guy who sold Tory on the whole proposal to begin with. And Klees also likes private health clinics! Klees could NEVER win an election as leader, not with those policies!! I don't see how Tim Hudak, Christine Elliott, Lisa MacLeod or any of these other folks could possibly do any better, either.

Let's face it folks, the Ontario PCs are screwed. If they can't win with John Tory as leader then they can't win, period, as far as I'm concerned. This party is a mess.

I have to say, though, I really do worry about party unity in the Ontario PCs after this election debacle. A lot of people are stunned and disappointed by these disasterous election results. I don't blame them.

You want to know what I think Tory ought to do? All I have to say is that if Tory intends to stick around, he needs to show complete contrition and be in a complete beg-for-forgiveness mode when making the rounds with the party faithful. He's got to do everything Joe Clark DIDN'T do when he was in trouble - he needs to be big enough to say he blew the election, and beg for another chance. And then hopefully he'll get a clear vote of confidence at the convention and get a seat in the legislature again. Tory can't treat the leadership job as any kind of divine right because if he does that, he's dead. Just like what went down with Joe Who.

Tory needs to go around with his tail between his legs. No question about it. I think his saying this week that he is shelving that whole religious schools policy is a step in the right direction, even though I thought that policy was the fair thing to do.

ROUT

Forgive me for not wanting to say a lot about the results. Just shaking my head and wondering about the future of politics in Ontario after this one. This isn't going to encourage a lot of honest people to get into politics.

And the poor folks in Don Valley East got blown out -- this has to be the worst result yet. And next door in Don Valley West John Tory is getting beat.

Sad.

ONTARIO ELECTION COVERAGE

http://www.torontosun.com/
http://www.cbc.ca/ontariovotes2007/
http://toronto.ctv.ca/
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_cityvote2007.aspx
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/features/ontariovotes2007/index.html

Back later.

OTHER ENDORSEMENTS

I guess the vote is almost over so I'll slip in two more endorsements before 8PM hits.

First, voters in Don Valley East should vote for Angela Kennedy. She's a hard worker and a capable representative on the school board who knows the education issues inside and out. She would be a lot better than the current representative David Caplan in my book. Also, I hope the folks in her campaign have a good time at Joe Maggiano's tonight in spite of what looks likely to happen. Like I say the food is good there.

Also, you all should ignore Andrew Coyne and vote against proportional representation, and say no to MMP or whatever they are calling it. It's a sure-fire way to get rid of any semblance of accountability or stability, and a sure way to have governments decided not by the people, but by deals made behind closed doors by politicians. You want less accountable bigshot politicians in power? Then vote for MMP!

That's it!!!

MY CHOICE

Well, Wednesday is election day in Ontario and all I will say about it is two words: vote Tory.

That's my editorial endorsement, and all I will say about the Ontario vote is that I cast my vote in it last year -- with my feet.

It's really too bad that this whole election got wrapped up around the religious schools issue when there are many more important issues out there that should have been addressed. And it really is a shame that voters in Ontario think it's A-OK for politicians who lie and break their promises to stay in power.

Say what you will about John Tory, but at least he's a man of integrity who not only means what he says and says what he means, but is also someone ready to listen to what people say about policies and adjust his position if people all say he is out to lunch. Personally, I don't think the slogan of the campaign should have been "leadership matters." A better fit would have been "he listens and he cares," because that sums Tory up.

It sure would say a lot about Ontario voters if they go and re-elect a bunch of politicians who don't listen and don't care again. The voters really need to think hard before they do something like that again.

That's about it. See you tomorrow night for my Ontario election coverage, live from friendly Manitoba.

MORE BAD ONTARIO ELECTION NEWS FOR TORY

It's bad enough when you get bad headlines about policy, but when the knives-are-out stories about John Tory are out there, you know you are finished.

And by the way, I have no idea why Stephen Harper would want to risk an election when his brethren are about to get slaughtered at the provincial level in Ontario. Seems like a fine way to start a campaign -- with your own troops in Ontario battered and bruised. Again.

Just my two cents.

TORIES FINDING A WAY TO LOSE IN ONTARIO

This would never have happened if I were in the John Tory inner circle. Taking a page out of the Kim Campbell playbook and changing a policy in the middle of an election campaign, even by just a little, is a good way to get bodyslammed in the press. I'd never advise it.

But nobody in politics ever listens to my sage advice, it seems. Ever. Which is why so many of my people lose.

I know some of these Blogging Tories are saying how great this is and how it shows John Tory is a leader willing to listen to the people and make changes accordingly, and that's what real leadership is all about. I would tend to agree-- it's better to listen to people than to not listen to them. But in an election campaign it's also a sure-fire way to end up with a non-leader dolt like Dalton McGuinty getting elected in the end. It makes you look wishy-washy on the issues, even if you aren't. And you end up being duck soup for the likes of Warren Kinsella and those types of people in the other party, all of them busy trying to get a real flip-flopper elected.

I'm also hearing polls saying Tory is trailing in his own riding in Don Valley West and all I will say is it's shaping up to be a very sad election for Tories again in Ontario. I am truly sad about it.

I keep telling myself I'm in a better place these days, away from Ontario. I am not sorry one bit about missing out on this emerging debacle of an election. If I were still there right now in Toronto, I'd probably be out there canvassing and getting doors slammed in my face. So yeah--- for me life is better, I guess.