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Premier Doug Ford's Ontario

I’d take a traditional job any day over being a politician. Everyone is your boss and thinks they know more than you do, and you can kiss privacy goodbye, particularly the higher the level. They pay scale isn’t all that great if you’ve got any decent skill set. There is a reason that the best and brightest don’t run for office. Who needs it?

A good friend of mine was the MP for Scarborough Southwest during the Tom Mulcair years and while he enjoyed it the pay was not all it was cracked up to be and the headaches were not worth it.

Politics is nothing more than regular meetings, lots of debates and press conferences. It is very much not worth the time and effort for the pay especially considering you do not get an MP pension if you only last one term.
 
No doubt some are fully engaged with the world of politics, many from a young age. You can see them in the youth caucuses and party/riding volunteers. They have drunk the Kool-Aid but they can't effectively argue they didn't know what they were getting into. The ones I don't understand are those who dove in for some noble cause or reason, then get disillusioned when they find out they are little more than trained seals and get eaten up by the machine. Do your homework.
 
No doubt some are fully engaged with the world of politics, many from a young age. You can see them in the youth caucuses and party/riding volunteers. They have drunk the Kool-Aid but they can't effectively argue they didn't know what they were getting into. The ones I don't understand are those who dove in for some noble cause or reason, then get disillusioned when they find out they are little more than trained seals and get eaten up by the machine. Do your homework.

I met more than a few of those types at NDP conventions. They are great people but I find the NDP indoctrinates their young supporters through ONDY (Ontario New Democratic Youth). NDP Youth are mostly activists and once they get older they start to leave the party.

Activism is fun when you are young but going to protests every week is no fun when you hit your mid 20s
 
A couple of notes, throne speech is August 9th, first item of business will be to re-introduce the budget, the only amendment mentioned publicly so far is throwing in a 5% increase for those on ODSP (3% less than inflation)

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Below is a gov't news release today......to be fair to Mr. Ford, its the sorta of release that all parties and all levels of government make quite regularly, its not unique to his government in any way, but it just struck me as the sort of thing I despise.

Symbolism, a public statement, that achieves absolutely nothing towards its stated cause; won't even add any 'awareness' value as most media outlets will ignore it, or give it a 2 lines buried on A22 or in the 17th minute of a newscast....

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This is a real problem.............the answer for which is not ' A day'.

There is an actual 'strategy' linked in that news release:


Its got some ok stuff in it; but I read it as omitting several key elements that are risk factors; and the actions that would actually help mitigate them.

By contrast, this resource from the U.S. is much clearer on where the causes lie; which could inform substantive action if one were so inclined:

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So anyone think Mike Layton's not seeking re-election means a run for ONDP leader? I can't imagine after the orange wave that there aren't higher-ups in the party pushing to bring the Layton name back to a leadership position. I guess we'll find out by March of next year.
 
So anyone think Mike Layton's not seeking re-election means a run for ONDP leader? I can't imagine after the orange wave that there aren't higher-ups in the party pushing to bring the Layton name back to a leadership position. I guess we'll find out by March of next year.

Honestly, I would vote for Mike Layton and so would many others within the NDP. He is a moderate, well liked and IMO he is far better than any of the current MPs looking to run. If the NDP ever had a chance to win, it will be with a Layton at the helm.

The Layton name not withstanding I can see him going to Queens Park. With Andrea stepping down as MP, I can see him running in the by-election to replace her.
 
Honestly, I would vote for Mike Layton and so would many others within the NDP. He is a moderate, well liked and IMO he is far better than any of the current MPs looking to run. If the NDP ever had a chance to win, it will be with a Layton at the helm.

The Layton name not withstanding I can see him going to Queens Park. With Andrea stepping down as MP, I can see him running in the by-election to replace her.
I doubt it, though it is an attractive idea. Firstly, Andrea represented a Hamilton riding while Jack is identified with Toronto. Secondly, he said he wants to spend more time with his family; being an MPP (even if not the leader) is not going to provide that. Thirdly, if he was planning to run for NDP he would probably have used that as his reason not to run for Council.
 
Honestly, I would vote for Mike Layton and so would many others within the NDP. He is a moderate, well liked and IMO he is far better than any of the current MPs looking to run. If the NDP ever had a chance to win, it will be with a Layton at the helm.

The Layton name not withstanding I can see him going to Queens Park. With Andrea stepping down as MP, I can see him running in the by-election to replace her.
What about Marit Stiles?
 
What about Marit Stiles?

I can't speak for @Richard White but I do not like her at all.

I find her to be wildly political in a way that is dangerous (literally) misrepresenting the truth for political purposes in a way................she either knows better or she should......
 
I can't speak for @Richard White but I do not like her at all.

I find her to be wildly political in a way that is dangerous (literally) misrepresenting the truth for political purposes in a way................she either knows better or she should......

My sentiments exactly.

The NDP needs a leader from outside the party ranks if they are to win.

The current slate of NDP MPPs are too political, too deep into activism and it makes them unlikeable in my honest opinion.
 
My sentiments exactly.

The NDP needs a leader from outside the party ranks if they are to win.

The current slate of NDP MPPs are too political, too deep into activism and it makes them unlikeable in my honest opinion.

I don't know most of them in a material way, so I will decline judgement on most.

Marit I know.............
 
I doubt it, though it is an attractive idea. Firstly, Andrea represented a Hamilton riding while Jack is identified with Toronto. Secondly, he said he wants to spend more time with his family; being an MPP (even if not the leader) is not going to provide that. Thirdly, if he was planning to run for NDP he would probably have used that as his reason not to run for Council.
Layton wouldn’t need to run for a seat for another 3½ years. He can be leader without it for a while.

But the party isn’t rushing to name anyone yet anyway. They’ve set a deadline of March of next year. He can take a few easy months to center himself and gear up for a fight.

Besides, “I want to spend more time with my family” is politician for “I’m looking for a better job”.

That said, I don’t know that he’s progressive enough. We can’t have peacemeal/incremental change any more if we want sustainable, fair government that actually aims to look after the people first.
 
Honestly, I would vote for Mike Layton and so would many others within the NDP. He is a moderate, well liked and IMO he is far better than any of the current MPs looking to run. If the NDP ever had a chance to win, it will be with a Layton at the helm.

The Layton name not withstanding I can see him going to Queens Park. With Andrea stepping down as MP, I can see him running in the by-election to replace her.
Many years ago, I spoke with Mike and asked him if he was willing to throw his hat into the mayoral race (Rob ford) was mayor at the time, he candidly said: “Not yet, I have still much to learn”. I was really hoping he would at some time.
 

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