Can We Put the Anti-West Issue to Rest Yet ?

[Michael Hardner]

According to CTV, the Liberals and Cons are in a dead heat in Ontario.

Is it enough to kill the whole anti-West thing ?

Please ?

[Sully]

Ahhhh nope!!! and where are you from Micheal?

[Stoker]

If the Cons win, I guess we can let it go

Mind you, I've heard alot lately how BC could/will be quite the battleground..

[idealisttotheend]

I grew up in Saskatchewan, lived in Alberta for seven years and am now back in Saskatchewan. TO me the west means,

1) Everybody works hard when times are tough

2) You give your neighbour a hand and she'll do the same for you

3) We are a bit more rambunctious politically and more progressive/willing to change (elected senate etc., new parties)

4) We believe in our country (or at least we used to).

5) We ain't afraid of no damn snow.

None of the above involves whining about how Ontario has more seats or the bourgeois seperatist bullshit coming out of Alberta. But then that's always been my opinion and is not shared by people who think they can gain politcal favour by trying to whine loud enough.

[idealisttotheend]

If the Cons win, I guess we can let it go

Recently, the cons have been all about appealing to Ontario, at the expense of the Western grassroots political traditions and their more "radical" positions.

No one seems to have noticed though, idealogues all or what. ?

[Stoker]

Recently, the cons have been all about appealing to Ontario, at the expense of the Western grassroots political traditions and their more "radical" positions.

Isn't appealing to your electorate part of politics?

Funny as to why one would change so has to gain more seats in parliament........why it's like they almost want to form the government

[Michael Hardner]

I'm from Toronto.

[August1991]

While Harper was born in Toronto, he is perceived as a Westerner. French Quebecers have never voted for a Westerner except Diefenbaker and that was solely because of Duplessis. I won't go into the way informed Quebecers speak of Harper. Most Quebecers barely know his name and even less anything about him. (Do you know who the President of Mexico is?)

Ontario voters, I think, are uncomfortable voting for a Westerner but they will do it. It helps if the comfort level is raised.

I know Harper is perceived as being intolerant, American, and anti-government.

More important though is the Ontario perception of Westerners. I think Ontarians view Westerners as naive, and perhaps a little too wild. No one would say that about Harper.

The point is that Harper, to Ontario voters, is an enignma because he's a contradiction.

[Michael Hardner]

More important though is the Ontario perception of Westerners. I think Ontarians view Westerners as naive, and perhaps a little too wild. No one would say that about Harper.

I've never heard anyone from Ontario say anything like that about westerners. I don't think they think about Canada as regions as much as other regions do.

[August1991]

I've never heard anyone from Ontario say anything like that about westerners. I don't think they think about Canada as regions as much as other regions do.

After all, how does the Toronto Star portray Ralph Klein? How do Toronto journalists basically view BC politics? And how do the Bay Street people view those Saskatchewan NDP types? Rubes, loose cannons, nutbars. Wild, naive. No weight.

English Canada is more normal than you suggest. When I've been to Toronto and asked questions, people in Toronto do think about the "hinterland". They're certainly more open than Parisians about France. But then in France, like Montréal and Québec, the provincials disdain but take pride in the métropole.

I think English Canada is an interesting place.

[Argus]

More important though is the Ontario perception of Westerners.  I think Ontarians view Westerners as naive, and perhaps a little too wild.  No one would say that about Harper.

Not this Ontario voter. I perceive westerners as solid, hard-working traditional Canadians with traditional Canadian beliefs in self-reliance, integrity and honesty.

As opposed to a lot of people from the central Canada political, media, artistic and academic elites - and their hangers on - who I perceive as intellecually lazy, self-indulgent, arrogant, smarmy and dishonest.

[Michael Hardner]

After all, how does the Toronto Star portray Ralph Klein? How do Toronto journalists basically view BC politics?

Those are some exceptional examples. I don't think you could play those stories without adding their inherent "colour".

And how do the Bay Street people view those Saskatchewan NDP types? Rubes, loose cannons, nutbars. Wild, naive. No weight.

This has everything to do with the NDP and nothing to do with the west.

English Canada is more normal than you suggest. When I've been to Toronto and asked questions, people in Toronto do think about the "hinterland". They're certainly more open than Parisians about France. But then in France, like Montréal and Québec, the provincials disdain but take pride in the métropole.

And what did they say ?

I don't remember any easterners making general comments about the west, which is why the assertion that there's an anti-West sentiment in Ontario surprises me.

How many Ontarian candidates for PM have we had lately ?