#Canada150 (Canadian politics and related issues)

[Jenny]

In keeping with the Canadian habit of looking outside to see what other people are saying about us, here is an interesting editorial from the New York Times about Doug Ford, and what it all means.

 

[Jenny]

Bumping up for those interested in the upcoming Ontario election - tonight is the first of three debates, this one focused mostly on Toronto, but as a first meeting, it should be interesting. 6:00 pm on Citytv.

Election writ is expected to formally drop on Wednesday for the June 7 election.

 

[Buzz]

I am a long time Liberal but I don't think I can bring myself to help Wynne get another term in office. But I don't like Ford either and I know next to nothing about Andrea Horwath. I just don't know...

 

[Jenny]

I guess no one watched the debate? Here's a fun story though -

Actors hired to play Ford supporters outside Monday's debate

 

[skategal]

I guess no one watched the debate? Here's a fun story though -

Actors hired to play Ford supporters outside Monday's debate

Must be easier to find actors than Ford/PC supporters in Toronto?!?!

 

[Buzz]

I did catch some of the debate and thought Horwath did best but I may still vice Liberal. I did hear someone mention that the Liberals and NDP may form some sort of coalition to stop the PC & Ford. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Jenny]

I don't think that would happen until after the election and if it's a minority government, and then the Liberals and NDP might form a voting bloc on certain issues only.

But we do live in crazy times!

 

[WildRose]

Anyone have a sense of how it’s going outside T.O.?

 

[Andora]

I've taken to asking my conservative friends and family to lie to me if they vote for Doug. I personally don't know anyone who actually supports him, but there are a lot of people who REALLY hate Wynne. So... a few of them are honestly voting Green party.

Andrea HAS to get out there and drive home how she's the only option. Kathleen Wynne had no business even running, as far as I'm concerned. She's not going to win, and she's hurting her damn party. I think it's the NDP's turn to have another crack at the wheel.

Anyone have a sense of how it’s going outside T.O.?

My favourite site for Cdn elections has some info: http://www.electionprediction.org/2018_on/index.php

 

[WildRose]

Interesting. PCs appear to be holding their support province wide. NDP are moving slightly ahead of the Liberals, but the Liberal vote would have to totally collapse and move to the NDP for them to challenge the PCs. Liberals moving to the Green Party will help the PCs.

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/onvotes/poll-tracker/
“The Progressive Conservatives under Doug Ford continue to hold a commanding lead in the polls and are well-positioned to secure a majority government. The New Democrats have moved ahead of the Liberals in the popular vote, but have been in a better position to win more seats — and thus form the official opposition — for some time. Nevertheless, Kathleen Wynne's Liberals still have a greater chance of winning the most seats than do the New Democrats — though the likelihood is very small — as an over-estimation by the polls of the PCs is more likely to benefit the Liberals on the electoral map, rather than the NDP.”

 

[skategal]

Ugh....Kathleen Wynne is basically going to put Ford in as premier.

 

[Twilight1]

My riding will be NDP. It always is.

 

[WildRose]

Ugh....Kathleen Wynne is basically going to put Ford in as premier.

New poll out today shows major movement by Liberals to the NDP. It’s early yet, but politics is always about momentum and right now it appears the NDP has it. PC vote appears to be solid, but that won’t matter if enough Liberals switch to the NDP. It’s possible Ontario may actually elect itself an NDP Govt. again.

 

[Twilight1]

New poll out today shows major movement by Liberals to the NDP. It’s early yet, but politics is always about momentum and right now it appears the NDP has it. PC vote appears to be solid, but that won’t matter if enough Liberals switch to the NDP. It’s possible Ontario may actually elect itself an NDP Govt. again.

Never thought I would see the day after Bob Rae.

 

[Jenny]

New poll out today shows major movement by Liberals to the NDP. It’s early yet, but politics is always about momentum and right now it appears the NDP has it. PC vote appears to be solid, but that won’t matter if enough Liberals switch to the NDP. It’s possible Ontario may actually elect itself an NDP Govt. again.

A phenomena I've noticed over many years, of course I have nothing to actually back this up, is that many conservative voters in Ontario do so quietly. During the reign of Mike Harris for example, then both Mel Lastman and Rob Ford in Toronto, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who actually admitted to voting for them, and yet there they were.

My guess is there will be plenty of conservative votes when the ballots are counted, no matter what the polls or the colour of the signs in any given riding predict.

I'm also guessing that there will be many re-elections among all parties, voters sticking with their local candidates who they know and trust in a time when they are tempted but wary of something new, and that the real action will be in the ridings where the major candidates are new, because unless they are otherwise known locally, it will be about Wynne vs Horwath vs Ford.

 

[Twilight1]

My town is NDPville. You might get an outlier Lib get in but Horvath is here and she is collectively quite supported in her city which ripples to the other ridings. You have to get to the burbs or other cities towards Toronto where Cons pick up vs Libs.

Not looking forward to a Con government if it happens.

 

[skategal]

Liberals need to block vote for NDP to stop Ford.

I so hope they do.

I wouldn't care half as much about a conservative Ontario govt if they had someone sensible as premier.

Ford is bad news.

 

[fsfann]

Ford wasn't my pick for PC Leader, but I don't think anyone can be worse than Wynne. I would have been much happier with Elliot or Mulroney, but that's politics. I'm predicting a PC Majority with an NDP Official Opp.

 

[Andora]

I think if a Conservative leader with any sense of dignity was running, like ol' what's-his-name who should have wiped the deck with Wynne last time, they would slam dunk this. But Ford is very, very polarizing, especially among Conservative voters. I wouldn't be surprised if the PC vote isn't as strong as previous years... quietly or non.

I'd love the NDP to have a kick at the can. They're a different party and Ontario is a different province than when Bob Rae was in power last time. I have to admit, I think the party nationally has done some work to be seen less the spendy super-left, and more as measured leftists, so I hope Horwath can dial in to that and get a solid win.

And, @fsfann, why would you think Ford would be better than Wynne? Unless you actually were a fan of the Mike Harris years? In which case... yikes.

 

[Lilia A]

Well, last time the polls said it was "too close to call" and in the end it wasn't even close. I think it's fair to say that it will be either PC or NDP now. I'm afraid I won't be happy either way. I'll never be happy with a PC government (thanks, really, for getting rid of grade 13, but other than that...no), and our pal Ford is not exactly someone I want as my Premier. As for the NDP, I just never feel at ease with any of the leaders they've ever had, and Andrea is no exception. Not to mention that the York U strike might as well go on forever if we end up with an NDP govt (they might as well cancel the 18/19 year already).
I'm kind of hoping for a minority this time. Call me crazy, but I kind of don't want a majority for now. Maybe it's the evil liberal in me. Who knows? But anyway, I'm not following the polls this time because I know I'll get surprised if I do. We'll have to wait to find out.

 

[Buzz]

Please let it be the NDP! I do not want alcohol on every street corner!

 

[WildRose]

Please let it be the NDP! I do not want alcohol on every street corner!

LOL, Alberta privatized it’s liquor stores 25 years ago, and it has worked out just fine. We have more stores now, but certainly not one on every corner. It’s not a free for all, they still have to be licensed and run properly. Seriously, Ontario should just get it done, it’s not that big a deal and you end up with better service, and more variety.

 

[Jenny]

I'm not sure I buy that. I've lived in a jurisdiction that that had private liquor stores, and while prices tended to be competitive, selection wasn't always. Small stores just don't have the buying power, or the space, to carry a broad inventory. There are private wine stores in Ontario, and they have very limited selections. Grocery stores are now also offering limited (but often fairly robust) selections of wine and beer now too.

Meanwhile, I know this was fact in the past maybe still is, the LCBO was/is the largest purchaser of liquor in the world. Huge stores (and smaller neighbourhood ones) with vast selections including wine and beer too. Excellent online system where you can find any product, right down to the nearest store and how many bottles they have in stock. They deliver now too.

The only downside is that pricing could be more competitive, but for the convenience and selection, I'd rather keep things the way they are. Looks like the LCBO will run legal marijuana too, and given that they already have the infrastructure, sales network and experience, seems like a good way to go to me.

 

[WildRose]

Here’s a link for the Govt of Alberta’s Gaming and Liquor Control Board (AGLC). The AGLC also looks after casinos and marijuana. The AGLC establishes the rules and regulations in Alberta for liquor sales, distribution and consumption. If you click on the link there is a summary of how the process works.
https://aglc.ca/liquor/about-liquor-alberta#

And here’s a quick fact sheet:
https://aglc.ca/sites/aglc.ca/files/aglc_files/quickfacts_liquor.pdf

93% of Albertans are happy with how the system is working - that’s a pretty good success rate. (LOL, even our current NDP Govt hasn’t tried to change it.)

 

[skategal]

Thoughts on the Kinder Morgan Pipeline deal?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberals-trans-mountain-pipeline-kinder-morgan-1.4681911

My thoughts are that BC First Nations will come together to own/operate a huge piece of the pipeline and that is how it will get implemented in BC.

 

[WildRose]

The Government completely messed this up and now it’s going to cost tax payers billions. Meanwhile the pipeline still isn’t getting built and Canada's energy industry continues to be destroyed by incompetent Govts in Alberta and Ottawa. Rachel Notley and her ‘social license’ will be gone in another year, one can only hope the same happens to Trudeau. It will take years, if ever, to repair Canada’s economy.

 

[Jenny]

Ontario PC candidates are skipping local candidates meetings, same as in the last federal election

 

[Twilight1]

Doug Ford in the news again. Heartbreaking imho if true.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4252483/renata-ford-estate-lawsuit-doug-ford-randy-ford

 

[Andora]

Renata has some truly spectacular timing, damn.

 

[Twilight1]

Renata has some truly spectacular timing, damn.

Large estates typically take a long time. My dad's didn't finalize for over a year after his death so the timeline is not suspect.