Thursday, September 16, 2004

The CSR is so dead

As Ontario slowly repaints itself red, dismantling the CSR bit by bit, the Red Tory party continues to alienate its saviour of the past decade.

The former Prem made the news recently when he voted in the advance poll for the provincial PC leadership race. He apparently became irate when he was asked for two pieces of identification (the request seems a bit silly, considering he has one of the most recognizable faces in the province). Harris shot back: “Just give me the fucking ballot,” and grabbed it from the Deputy Returning Officer. (Harris’ spokeswoman later claimed he was asked for third piece of ID)

Vaughn-King-Aurora President Gabe Spoletini heard the commotion and asked what was going on. “You can challenge fucking ballot, you jackass,” said Harris. Spoletini replied: “Don’t be an asshole,” to which Harris responded with: “You’re the biggest asshole of them all.”

I only had to show my driver’s licence - which is common sense.  To make the former Premier to practically strip right down is downright insulting - I hope he used every swear word as quoted above.  Any less and I would have lost respect for him.

The ultimate insult will be when John Tory takes over this weekend.  The treatment of its former leader is shameful, but not surprising.

More here.

Monday, September 13, 2004

Voting done

Well, I’ve just go back from voting for Jim, although I doubt he’ll win.  My second choice was Frank, who was brave enough to make “radical” suggestions on healthcare.  I’m afraid the party will go back down the middle road(kill) with John Tory.  Oh well.

Thursday, August 26, 2004

Danger ahead

Female Muslims aren’t the only ones worried about a parallel Sharia system in Ontario - Jonas is too.

Imagine Stubby’s or the Calabrian godfather’s verdict enforced by the sheriff’s office. That’s sharia in Ontario as envisaged by its proponents. No wonder feminists worry. I’m hardly a feminist, but I worry myself.

McGuinty for Sharia

Like I’ve said before, political correctness will be the end of Canada as we know it.

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS aside, it’s incredible and outrageous that Premier Dalton McGuinty is apparently willing to have Sharia law resolve domestic disputes in Ontario’s Muslim community.

Saturday, August 7, 2004

Blackouts are good for you

Interesting piece, as we approach the one year anniversary of the massive blackout.

The IEEE Spectrum has published a fascinating piece on electricity blackouts. It looks like we might have to accept to live through the occasional small or large blackout. First, the article notes that large blackouts are much more frequent than expected:

Wednesday, August 4, 2004

Stopdalton.com

I never did like the name Dalton.

New way to lie

Here’s the latest fibspeak from our lying Premier:

“But I’d rather stand accused of being too ambitious for Ontarians ... than side with the cynics.”

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

30 Year Plan

Jay has a good post on yesterday’s $100 billion dollar spending plan.  I am trying to figure out why they chose $100 billion.  Why not $300 billion over 100 years?  Can anyone do the math and see we’re talking about $3 billion a year, 5% of the Ontario budget?  Can anyone else see that there are no specifics, just broad strokes that are essentially meaningless?  How many recycled announcements can the Fiberals make, spending the same tax dollar?  It appears to be infinite.

Does anyone care about $100 billion dollars anymore, knowing full well that it just means another large gash from their paycheck?  Is anyone seriously listening to anything the Fiberals have to say, after their lie upon lie?  I didn’t think so.

During the unveiling of his 30-year plan (da, Comrades!) the “Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal” acknowledged the Province was looking at user fees and tolls but would ensure strict oversight to “make sure the public is not inappropriately taken advantage of”.

Thursday, July 22, 2004

Must be a better way

There’s something wrong when a judge decides what judges’ pay raises should be.  The expression the fox is guarding the henhouse comes to mind…

PREMIER DALTON McGuinty says there needs to be a different way of deciding judges’ salaries, in the wake of a court decision that gives the go-ahead for a whopping 21% pay hike to the province’s judiciary

Friday, July 16, 2004

Profit is a dirty word

Once more, ideology rules over practicality or even reason in Socialist Ontario.

Ontario is striking back at the creeping privatization of health care by preparing to buy out seven private clinics and bring them into the public sector, The Canadian Press has learned.

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Shut up about the 407

I don’t understand Christina, - who I normally like.  She (like Liberals, and I know she’s a Tory booster) wants it both ways.  First, she complains about the “outrageous” cost of the 407.  Then, she compliments the 407 for expanding and meeting demand years earlier than scheduled.

In fact, there’s so much congestion on the 407 through Mississauga that they’re spending $30 million to add new lanes. Albers points out that under the original plan, the 407 wasn’t due to be finished until 2021. It was only the cash infusion through privatization that allowed the early completion. Imagine how bad congestion on the 401 would be now if not for that.

As a Tory, I’d have hoped she would understand that roads tolls will work like any other commodity: if it costs too much, demand will fall.  The fact that demand is rising proves that the price is right.  Why is that so difficult to understand?  The only way the 407, and other toll roads, will work is if the government keeps their grimy hands off of it.  Let the consumer decide when the price is wrong.

Friday, July 9, 2004

Homeless fix

This program makes fiscal sense, but some feel it may act as a magnet to Toronto, unless it’s made Ontario wide.

According to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Toronto is $800 per month, or $9,600 per year. Add the necessary support system and, in the case of EHPP, you get $11,631 per person, an annual savings of $8,035.

Sure beats building shelters with staff. 

It also fits with the credo “hand up, not hand out”.

Wednesday, July 7, 2004

Two tier no fear

Wow!  A potential leader actually uttered the words and didn’t get struck down by lightening!

A potential leader of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party has broken with political convention and supported a form of two-tier health care as a way to shorten waiting lists and preserve universally accessible medicare.

Honesty may actually work in politics, too.  Time will tell.

Monday, July 5, 2004

The New Ontario

Maybe there aren’t any small-c conservatives left in Toronto.  Pity.

Here is the hard truth. The province of Ontario no longer has a small-c conservative hinterland. In riding after riding, and especially through the 60-plus ridings of its “golden horseshoe”, anchored by Toronto—since Confederation, the heart of English-speaking Canada—something has happened akin to what happened in the city of Toronto, a generation before. Low birthrates, outward migration, and high immigration from non-traditional sources, have utterly transformed the political landscape.

Saturday, July 3, 2004

Pave over the bull

You have to laugh when reading a government news release about fixing a road.  Then you have to cry that politicians make such a big deal about fulfilling a basic mandate by even commenting at all about it, let alone stating the obvious in such flowerly, bullshit language.

“Our government recognizes that timely repairs to highway infrastructure are important,” said Etobicoke Centre MPP Donna Cansfield. “Keeping Highway 427 in top condition will enhance road safety and keep people and goods moving in Toronto.” “These upgrades are a welcome announcement for residents and businesses in the Toronto area,” said Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Laurel Broten. “Our continuing prosperity and business development depends on a safe and efficient highway network.”

The newspeak is so frightening, I want to go out and re-read 1984 ($US orders) over again.  To think people want the government to take over more of their lives too.  Sad.

Stick to principles

Ian doesn’t think there are enough conservatives in Ontario for Jim to be successful in his bid for the Conservative Party in Ontario, let alone win the election.  Heck, voters may not even trust someone who tells the truth, and actually answers questions with real conviction.

Now, Flaherty is asking us to believe that, as long as the leader demonstrates “conviction” (which he evidently thinks Eves did not), the province can be won with a small-c conservative platform.

Flaherty is an attractive politician. He seems comfortable in his own skin and he actually tries to answer reporters’ questions rather than duck.

But his message seems out of synch with the province.

Do voters like to be lied to?

Thursday, July 1, 2004

I’ll back him - again

Are there really enough (social) conservatives left in Ontario to back Jim’s latest bid?

Jim Flaherty launched his second bid to lead the provincial Conservatives yesterday, drawing heavily on the hard-right platform that he first used in his failed 2002 effort to become Tory leader.

Not surprised the Star refers to him as hard right. He’s as mainstream and moderate as any normal businessman I know.  I guess anyone who doesn’t want two men marrying is hard to the right.  How the media shifts perceptions.

Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Ministry of Health and Sewers

The talk of the talk shows yesterday was McSquinty trying to convince us that it was ok to use the health premium towards sewers, even though he said in tax-supported commercials that the money was for health care only.  It’s not clear if he’s backtracking, or just fiberaling again.

“At some point in time, we’re going to have to start talking about the broader determinants of health care,” he said. “Making sure water is safe and clean to drink is a broader determinant of health.”

Does this guy ever stop lying?

Talk show hosts were also convinced that McSquinty is sabotaging Martin’s campaign.  It sure seems that way.

Monday, June 14, 2004

Dump Dalton

ORG has been quiet since Harris came and went, but now they are back with a new website - Dump Dalton!

Premier Dalton McGuinty and his Liberal Party have declared war on Ontario’s taxpayers.
It’s time for us to start fighting back.

Friday, June 11, 2004

Martin’s thorn

I watched McSquinty on TV trying to explain his massive tax increases.  He really should get someone more believable doing his lying, because he really doesn’t come across at all.  He’s also extremely weasley looking - not a good trait if you want people to trust you.

Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Dalton at 9%

The biggest issue in this election is lying, not abortion or other conservative social issues.  Dalton is paying the price for his litany of lies - and it appears Paul Martin will too. Finally, Ontario is waking up.

As one wag recently joked in the Globe, McGuinty may end up defeating two majority governments in nine months—the Ontario Tories and the federal Liberals.

Tuesday, June 8, 2004

Stop Sharia in Ontario

I have always believe that it’s up to the Muslim women of the world to help de-rail radical Islam.

“Many Muslim immigrant women come from tribal and traditional cultures that are the most oppressed in the world. They are among the most vulnerable of all new Canadians.”