Premier Doug Ford's Ontario

[adma]

Am I the only one finding it ridiculous how much traction the French university cut is getting. It was a university that was scheduled to have 400 students when it opened. This should be low hanging fruit.

Then the one conservative MPP speaking out of this represents a riding over 400 km away form where the university would be built. You have to love French language politics in Canada. I am somewhat respectful for the historical aspect of French language services but I believe there is no justification for NEW services to be build to cater to this population.

Keep in mind, though, that the MPP in question represents what was, back in 1990, the epicentre of the anti-bilingualism movement in Ontario (both through a mayor in vocal opposition, and through the Confederation of Regions getting their best Ontario election result that year in the Soo--and nearly triggering the only *lost* incumbent NDP seat in the Rae landslide)

 

[adma]

Don't be a fool. There was no Liberal recovery towards the end of the election for pretty damned obvious reasons. People were angry at the Libs in general and Wynne in particular, and justifiably so. When an electorate reaches that level of dislike for a politician or a political party, the writing's there on the wall for all to see. We all pretty much knew what was going to happen, it just remained to be determined how the chips would fall in the end. It certainly didn't help that the Liberals had been in power for so long - fatigue about them would have settled in to some extent even if it had been largely considered they were doing a good job - or that her immediate predecessor had slithered out of office under a similar cloud.

As for all the wild promises she was making towards the end, she was obviously flailing by that point, running around like a chicken with its head cut off, which did her credibility no good at all. It made her look pathetic more than anything else. That also put into question just how reliable such promises actually were. It doesn't exactly look sincere to start throwing out goodies like Santa Claus when you're that blatantly desperate. And I didn't say she was "far to the right," just that she was pushing a corporate agenda while heading a supposedly moderate political party. But people don't need a pretend conservative if that's what they want, they can choose to vote for the real thing, which is what happened. Even if it came to catapulting a slimebag and cheap crook like Thug Ford into power. People were just that pissed at the Libs, and Dofo, unfortunately, was in the right place at the right time to capitalize. Under normal political times, he never would have been allowed within 10 yards of Toronto City Hall, never mind Queen's Park...but these aren't normal political times, are they?

Also, it wasn't just DoFo in the right place at the right time: sunny Andrea Horwath was *also* in the right place at the right time, as a readymade disgruntled-left-Lib alternate option. The ONDP surge did *at least* as much to throw the Libs off kilter and seal their fate. But unfortunately, because the anchor of recent third-party marginality and the more distant Rae-government spectre remained around the ONDP's neck, they couldn't seal the deal. So the PCs remained, for many, the "safe alternate option": DoFo in Big Blue Machine natural-governing-party legacy drag...

 

[adma]

This is lining up like Chrétien/Martin, with Mulroney working to cut a deal to support Ford in exchange for term limits. And we know how that turned out.

Or as I suggested, the caucus revolt against Stockwell Day's Canadian Alliance leadership in the early 2000s.

I *almost* could have seen this all along; that there'd be a leadership crisis within a year of DoFo's election--and not even half a year in, the rudiments are evident. Ah, if only Ontario's legislature had Aussie-style powers for parties to depose and replace their leaders in an instant by way of caucus vote...

 

[Videodrome]

A PC spill would be fun!

 

[Northern Light]

Am I the only one finding it ridiculous how much traction the French university cut is getting. It was a university that was scheduled to have 400 students when it opened. This should be low hanging fruit.

Here's the thing. Suppose I conceded that; just for the sake of argument..

I would also point out that the cost is comparatively low, ergo so are the savings.

I might also point out, why feed the opposition with something rife w/symbolism for such a small gain?

I then might wonder allowed why you simply wouldn't 'defer' it by a year or two, when that would give you a modest, temporary savings, while letting most air out of the political balloon.

On balance, the choice to cancel this seems ......well..........stupid.

 

[DSC]

On balance, the choice to cancel this seems ......well..........stupid.

Of course, many of the Thug's actions since becoming Premier could well be described in this way. Things like reducing Council size, increasing the 'official party' number, sex-ed and many others are certainly things that will have made his 'base' happy but they have REALLY pissed off many other people who just might have supported him in future (or again) and I bet that the amount of support added does not equal the amount lost - by a factor of 10,

 

[animatronic]

Of course, many of the Thug's actions since becoming Premier could well be described in this way. Things like reducing Council size, increasing the 'official party' number, sex-ed and many others are certainly things that will have made his 'base' happy but they have REALLY pissed off many other people who just might have supported him in future (or again) and I bet that the amount of support added does not equal the amount lost - by a factor of 10,

Those alaso serve as a loyalty test for moderates. If they won’t vote with you when stakes are low they’re not going to when stakes are high. Also makes them “complicit” and easier to whip later on when it gets tougher.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From link.

 

[Videodrome]

Vic Fedeli reminds me of the Iraqi Information Minister now. Total lies to protect his boss.

 

[Thorns_Embrace]

Yeah, next thing you know, they'll expect food, water and oxygen. Who do they think they are? One of the two official language groups or something?

I just don't understand how people expect rights guaranteed to them.

And then there's this propaganda, can't take this seriously now, can we?

• http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/amenagement/admission.html

Steve I really don't understand your argument here. First of all the ministry of education only deals with education up to grade 12. Also, I have not heard of the court mandating that this university be build based on charter grounds.

How many students did the University of Toronto have, when it opened in 1827? (The population of the Town of York in 1832 was 5,500.)

If you really want to look at things this way why not look at it as what percentage of the province were students at the university of Toronto in 1827 vs the percentage of the population attending this hypothetical French University.

 

[Thorns_Embrace]

Here's the thing. Suppose I conceded that; just for the sake of argument..

I would also point out that the cost is comparatively low, ergo so are the savings.

I might also point out, why feed the opposition with something rife w/symbolism for such a small gain?

I then might wonder allowed why you simply wouldn't 'defer' it by a year or two, when that would give you a modest, temporary savings, while letting most air out of the political balloon.

On balance, the choice to cancel this seems ......well..........stupid.

My counter argument is that I really don't believe francophone Ontarian's are the Conservative voter base anyway. It is like complaining about anti union measures losing them votes while the people who care wouldn't vote for them anyway.
Sure, it is an easy political win to fund everything and ignore the deficit. They could easily save the university and keep increasing the debt. But at the end of the day the spend on everything and ignore the deficit strategy did not save the Liberal party last term. At least showing some fiscal restraint does help win votes. Mike Harris was able to win in 1999 using the "don't care what anyone thinks" strategy. It may work again now if the Conservatives can keep a united front. Unfortunately for them I don't think Doug Ford is a good enough politician to pull that off. the fact that an MPP that represents a riding 400 km away from the proposed university is causing a problem really points to some political failures by the administration.

Also there is media hype on this issue but I really do not think as many people care. I get the politics of symbolism but it at the end of the day most people can see through it. Also, symbolic cuts to fix the deficit are also good.

Of course, many of the Thug's actions since becoming Premier could well be described in this way. Things like reducing Council size, increasing the 'official party' number, sex-ed and many others are certainly things that will have made his 'base' happy but they have REALLY pissed off many other people who just might have supported him in future (or again) and I bet that the amount of support added does not equal the amount lost - by a factor of 10,

I really don't agree the characterization of basically anything. The French university is the most politically risky move of all these, and I actually don't think it moves the needle at all.

The council reduction is irrelevant to anyone outside of Toronto. Downtown Toronto won't vote for ford anyway, and suburbs are 50-50 on it(or they don't think it is an important issue). He went about it in a bad way but in theory this move should have been an easy win.
Official party number is literally only cared about by political insiders of all parties. The average person will not care at all.
Sex ed move is a vote winner with immigrant communities in suburban Toronto which is what won them the election.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

If one is truly serious about the deficit they wouldn't have blew 3B worth of revenues away by tax cuts.

AoD

 

[steveintoronto]

Vic Fedeli reminds me of the Iraqi Information Minister now. Total lies to protect his boss.

Reminds me of Wormtongue:

https://i2.wp.com/scenarieconomici.it/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/wormtongue.jpg?ssl=1

 

[W. K. Lis]

Folks!

Working "For The People Corporations" by keeping them informed... not!

Doug Ford's appointment schedule revealed through freedom of information request
Premier's daily itinerary has not been made public, a break in practice from previous Ontario governments

See link.

Unlike his predecessors as premier of Ontario, Doug Ford is not providing the media with a daily itinerary of his public events. So CBC News sought and obtained Ford's appointment schedule, using the province's freedom of information laws.

The documents provided by the cabinet office list Ford's meetings both at Queen's Park and elsewhere for his first three months in office, from his June 29 swearing-in until Oct. 1.

The schedule shows Ford had a briefing with his top staff entitled "Plan to engage US governors" one week after taking office. Ford then had phone calls with the governors of 10 U.S. states from mid-July until mid-August as NAFTA negotiations dominated the news.

However, Ford's calls with governors then all but ceased, with only one (a repeat call with Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder) shown on his itinerary in the following six weeks, before the new U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade deal was reached at the end of September.

Ford met five times in the three-month period with the U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft, according to the documents. Government officials say Ford has long had a good working relationship with Craft. The ambassador and her husband count Ford and his wife, Karla, as friends.

Many of the events on Ford's itinerary were publicized, including his July meetings with Toronto Mayor John Tory, his August roundtable with chief economists, and his visit to the Ottawa area following a tornado in September.

However, Ford has had other meetings that have not been made public. Among the notable people Ford has met privately, according to his itinerary:

• Galen Weston Jr., executive chairman and CEO of Loblaw Companies Ltd. (Aug. 14).
• Darryl White, chief executive officer of BMO Financial Group (Sept 12).
• Frank Klees, a former PC MPP now registered as a lobbyist (July 6 and Aug 17).
• Mike McCormack, president of Toronto Police Association (July 28).
• Jerry Dias, president of Unifor (Sept. 8).

Ford met three times in the summer with Toronto city councillor Cesar Palacio, with two of the meetings happening before Ford's plan to slash the size of Toronto city council became public in late July.

On Sept, 26, Ford met his nephew, Toronto city councillor Michael Ford, along with Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark and Kathy Milsom, the CEO of Toronto Community Housing

He also met in August with Coun. Vince Crisanti, whose ward forms part of Ford's Etobicoke North riding. The records do not show Ford holding meetings with any of the 41 other Toronto councillors in that three-month period as the debate over the number of council seats raged.

The appointment schedule shows frequent meetings with his handpicked adviser on healthcare, Dr. Rueben Devlin, including one meeting in July in which the topic was Ontario Medical Association negotiations.

Ford had a briefing on Sept. 20 about the master beer framework, a legal agreement between the province and Brewer's Retail (the Beer Store) that sets out the rules for beer sales in Ontario. The contract, which is in effect until 2025, does not allow for beer to be sold from corner stores, which is a key promise the Ford government made in the Throne Speech.

Ford met with members of the Canadian Association of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine on Aug. 14. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are regulated by a professional college established under provincial law. Procedures such as acupuncture are not covered by OHIP.

Ford's itinerary also shows separate meetings in September with Robert Foster, president and CEO of Capital Canada Ltd., with John Fleming, vice-president and general manager of performance infrastructure at Johnson Control, and with George Hatzis, described by the premier's office as a long-time friend. The topic of each meeting was not indicated.

Ford's spokesperson is defending the government's refusal to provide Ford's full public itinerary to the media in advance.

"The premier's office informs the media of public events that are photo opportunities or where he will be taking questions from the media, and the premier regularly informs the public about his daily meetings through his social media feeds," said Ford's director of media relations, Simon Jefferies, in an email to CBC News.

New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns says the Ford government is undermining the media and the opposition by not providing Ford's daily schedule.

"How do you hold a government to account if you don't know what it's doing?" said Tabuns in an interview with CBC News. "It speaks to a very closed and untransparent and unresponsive government."

Tabuns is concerned that only "insiders" are getting meetings with Ford.

"From what you've indicated, he's just continuing to travel in this narrow circle of business and political friends, seeing what they're concerned about, what interests they want looked after," Tabuns said. "So how is this helping the people of Ontario?"

Some appointments on Ford's schedule were redacted from the documents provided on the grounds that they were "not responsive" to the freedom of information request. That includes Ford's schedule the evening of Aug. 23, when he was in full view of the nation giving a speech at the opening ceremony of the Conservative Party of Canada convention in Halifax.

 

[Jasmine18]

If one is truly serious about the deficit they wouldn't have blew 3B worth of revenues away by tax cuts.

AoD

It seems we will never have a party in Ontario that can manage finances effectively in Ontario.

One side creates a fiscal crisis to justify austerity and tax cuts to the base.

The other side spends like a drunken sailor to buy votes after making unpopular decisions and then afterwards raises taxes to make up for the prior election where they blew billions to buy up votes..




ehhh Ontario Politics is such a shit show from a fiscal point of view.