Ontario Fall election

[Topaz]

Now we, Ontarians will have another election and I think voters will have to stop and think before deciding, even though the view is out with the Liberals. If you cast out the Libs then its the NDP and the PC and with the PC you still have Harris in the minds of many voters. The NDP leader is not that well know, but, could the orange crush happen in Ontario. The only thing a voter should do is listen to their platforms. I wish my satellite provider had kept the Ontario legislature on, that is the best way to see how this leaders lead. http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3110172

[betsy]

I'm predicting Conservative Majority. Federal Conservatives did well in Ontario...so it could also do the same for provincial.

[BubberMiley]

Federal and provincial politics are traditionally very independent of each other in Canada. And the CPC only did well in Ontario because people were worried about an NDP minority government.

If the Liberals lose in Ontario, it's only because they lost it on their own. It has nothing to do with the federal election.

Edited May 7, 2011 by BubberMiley

[betsy]

Federal and provincial politics are traditionally very independent of each other in Canada. And the CPC only did well in Ontario because people were worried about an NDP minority government.

If the Liberals lose in Ontario, it's only because they lost it on their own. It has nothing to do with the federal election.

McGuinty is so unpopular from what I understand. The fear of that NDP minority in the recent election could still be there...after all, what other choices are there except PC and NDP?

The same condition will be present...both parties picking off the Liberal carcass, if nothing changes between now and then.

Besides, if Ontario gave the majority to Harper....wouldn't it be more plausible they'll do the same to its cousin? Same brand. Same ideology.

[Topaz]

The Ontario election is even more important now that Harper has his majority. Harper's past thinking was health care belonged a 100% to the provinces and that they should rise their own money for it with little help from the Feds. IF he still believes that then, a PC provincial government would mostly likely go along with the two-tier system in Ontario or any other province that agreed to it. I. personally, can see the benefit from it but the private system has to be totally separate from the provincial one. That means they finance their programs and they can't take away any doctors or nurses already in the system. As far as the HST, Hudak, when asked when he would get rid of it, his comment was, I didn't say I would. Ontarians are stuck with it.

[Remiel]

I am not sure how the HST narrative will go in the provincial election. Once again it will probably come down to who is better able to convince people of their story rather than any correspondance of their story to the truth...

[Smallc]

Progressive Conservative minority. In Manitoba's fall election, the PCs will get a majority.

Edited May 7, 2011 by Smallc

[Mr.Canada]

Progressive Conservative minority. In Manitoba's fall election, the PCs will get a majority.

It'll be close in Ontario. Close as in Minority/Majority. I wouldn't count out a Tory majority in Ontario. If this past federal election has taught us anything it's that the voters are unpredictable.

People here laughed at Rob Ford and he became mayor crushing the second place finisher. People here laughed at Harper wanting a majority. It was Ontario that delivered that mandate to Harper where he won every seat surrounding Toronto and 9 seats within it.

I wouldn't count a Hudak majority out just yet.

[Posc Student]

McGunity's 2003 win I think was the first time, or at least in decades and decades, that Ontario elected the same party that was in power in Ottawa.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

I really dislike extreme ideologies. Good policies come from compromise that considers all points of view.

That is why I favour the Liberal party. People say that they don't stand for anything and that you don't know what you are getting. I know exactly what I am getting, a centrist view that is open minded and adaptable to the situation. Not some ideology that may or may not be applicable, or even have a negative effect on the current situation.

I will qualify my support in that I do support specific elements of all party platforms and I have an open enough mind to have voted for the three major parties to date, depending on the situation.

Conservatives are the most closed minded. Their base is dug in and unwilling to compromise, the other party voters are more open minded and willing to consider other party options. This already puts the Conservatives at an advantage. I need to see new polls but, I would predict that the Conservatives can say almost nothing and get in. As long as they don't toss out a hot topic policy, that is.

They can also pin a bunch of "lies" or "promises" that McGuinty broke on the Party. In reality, many of those come from the Conservative party royally fudging the budget.

I personally fear for my children and what Tim Hudak will do to destroy public education.

[KeyStone]

It really depends on what Harper and Ford do between now and the election.

Currently Ontario is going to vote Conservative in a big way. If other Conservative leaders mess up largely between now and the election, then voters might not be keen on having a full sweep of Conservatives.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

It really depends on what Harper and Ford do between now and the election.

Currently Ontario is going to vote Conservative in a big way. If other Conservative leaders mess up largely between now and the election, then voters might not be keen on having a full sweep of Conservatives.

If Harper keeps to his tune of being a moderate conservative, Hudak will walk to victory.

People get tired of politicians, Dalton is near expiry (if not already there).

[segnosaur]

I wouldn't count a Hudak majority out just yet.

It would help if he had a name that didn't sound like my cat coughing up a hairball.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

It would help if he had a name that didn't sound like my cat coughing up a hairball.

...

Yes. Let's all make decisions based on the name of the politician.

I'll change my last name BattleCat and run.

Vote BattleCat for Premier!

[WIP]

It'll be close in Ontario. Close as in Minority/Majority. I wouldn't count out a Tory majority in Ontario. If this past federal election has taught us anything it's that the voters are unpredictable.

People here laughed at Rob Ford and he became mayor crushing the second place finisher. People here laughed at Harper wanting a majority. It was Ontario that delivered that mandate to Harper where he won every seat surrounding Toronto and 9 seats within it.

I would like to see how popular Rob Ford is a year from now! This fat multimillionaire successfully cast himself as an everyman populist to get the Mayor's Office; now that he's there, it seems like buyer's remorse is setting in with a lot of Torontonians.

I wouldn't count a Hudak majority out just yet.

So, if Harper is our father, does that mean that Hudak is the son of god?

[WIP]

It would help if he had a name that didn't sound like my cat coughing up a hairball.

Tim Hudak won the P.C. nomination thanks to his evangelical backers. He will be using his church base to try to win the Premier's Office, even though he is trying to avoid talking about abortion and all of the hot button religious right issues in the runup to a provincial election. I would take McGimpy again....or anyone other than this clown! All we can hope is that the Liberals and NDP don't do a vote split that allows another conservative to win a majority government with a minority of votes! But, the longer we have a federal Conservative majority in Ottawa, the less likely Ontario voters will want the same thing in Queen's Park! Ontario has a long reputation of voting the opposite party that occupies the Parliament.

[Wild Bill]

Tim Hudak won the P.C. nomination thanks to his evangelical backers. He will be using his church base to try to win the Premier's Office, even though he is trying to avoid talking about abortion and all of the hot button religious right issues in the runup to a provincial election. I would take McGimpy again....or anyone other than this clown! All we can hope is that the Liberals and NDP don't do a vote split that allows another conservative to win a majority government with a minority of votes! But, the longer we have a federal Conservative majority in Ottawa, the less likely Ontario voters will want the same thing in Queen's Park! Ontario has a long reputation of voting the opposite party that occupies the Parliament.

Maybe so but myself, I could never vote for McGuinty and his gang ever again! What he did in Caledonia I found to be morally disgusting! I would vote for a pedophile before McGuinty! I know that sounds extreme but I mean it and anyone who has followed my posting here knows that I'm not known for that kind of hyperbole. I can't think of any better example of what could offend my libertarian/classic liberal roots than what happened at Caledonia.

Since I'm also a survivor of Bob Rae's NDP term of running Ontario that leaves me with Hudak by default.

[capricorn]

Ontario has a long reputation of voting the opposite party that occupies the Parliament.

And Canada had a long reputation of voting for the Liberal Party of Canada. Things change, even in politics.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

I would vote for a pedophile before McGuinty!

...that leaves me with Hudak by default.

I started laughing.

I know it completely takes what you said and twists it. But, this is all I could think about as I finished your post.

"I would vote for a pedophile but, all I have is Hudak"

[Wild Bill]

I started laughing.

I know it completely takes what you said and twists it. But, this is all I could think about as I finished your post.

"I would vote for a pedophile but, all I have is Hudak"

That's quite a stretch of logic, MCC. I think it may be because you are so partisan in your thinking that you automatically twist anything about your political rivals to some joke or insult.

That's the typical "digital" thinking of the young or inexperienced. As you learn more you realize that often people of very different political views can still be good people and that some who share your OWN views might even do some bad things once in a while.

"Saints or sinners" is really rather simplistic...

[MiddleClassCentrist]

That's quite a stretch of logic, MCC. I think it may be because you are so partisan in your thinking that you automatically twist anything about your political rivals to some joke or insult.

That's the typical "digital" thinking of the young or inexperienced. As you learn more you realize that often people of very different political views can still be good people and that some who share your OWN views might even do some bad things once in a while.

"Saints or sinners" is really rather simplistic...

I'm sorry you didn't get the joke.

[Wild Bill]

I'm sorry you didn't get the joke.

I wouldn't have considered it a joke even if it was against Jack Layton!

Perhaps that is where we are different.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

I wouldn't have considered it a joke even if it was against Jack Layton!

Perhaps that is where we are different.

You'd vote for a pedophile before McGuinty...

But considering all options you are left with Hudak by default.

You never specified who was more desirable, Hudak or Pedophile.

I'd find it funny just the same if it was Andrea Horwath or McGuinty.

I'm no fan of McGuinty, don't get me wrong. Like the federal election, I don't like the options for provincial. It will be based on the policies each party brings to the table... in the hope that they actually follow them.

Edited May 12, 2011 by MiddleClassCentrist

[Machjo]

I'll be voting candidate, not party.

Among the platforms I'll be voting for:

1. A plan to remove the separate school system from the Constitution Act,

2. Implementing UNESCo Resolution IV.4.422-4224.

A simple way to implement the latter would be to introduce a Hungarian-style second-language education model. And ot make it even more responsive to parents, it could also be supplemented by a Swedish-style voucher programme.

According to the Hungarian second-language education model, each school is free to teach the second language of its choice as long as the course plan has been approved by the Ministry of Education for meeting basic pedagogical standards, and each pupil can be tested in the second language of his choice from among the languages already approved by the Ministry.

And according to the Swedish voucher programme, an e-voucher is given to parents for each school-aged pupil under their care to be cashed in at any voucher school. To participate, the school must meet basic educational standards as set by the Ministry of Education, must not charge any additional fees and must accept pupils on a first-come-first-served basis.

Other platform ideas I'll be looing out for:

Eliminating legally mandated minimum wages, and possibly replacing them with German-style codetermination,

Negotiating common educational standards for trades and professions with other ministries of education in Canada and abroad so as to make the Ontario workforce more mobile and reduce accreditation bureaucracy for newcomers to the province,

shifting taxes to a more user-pay system such as a gas tax,

possibly increasing the number of days in the school year for 5-15 year olds.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

1. A plan to remove the separate school system from the Constitution Act,

Other platform ideas I'll be looing out for:

- possibly increasing the number of days in the school year for 5-15 year olds.

The separate school system should be removed. It costs tax payers more money in the inefficiencies of running two schools in the same neighbourhood. More administrators, more buses, more beaurocracy, etc. No one will touch it though, it would be political suicide...

I agree with the more teaching days. Across all of teaching, though. I am an advocate for year round schooling with smaller breaks split up around the year. 2 week winter break, 2 week summer break, 2 week fall break, 2 week spring break. Many schools would need their AC upgraded for the summer though.

Not so sure about the language based schooling, sounds like it would create more inefficiency but, would service new Canadians very well.