PC Leadership Race

Michael Hardner · February 8, 2015

Hudak's a bozo but Mike Harris is starting to look pretty darn good nowadays......three criminal investigations underway on the Liberal crooks,

Harris had investigations and inquiries too: Ipperwash and Walkerton. The Liberals bought votes but didn't kill people. That may explain why Ontarians have allowed for 12 years and counting of provincial Liberal mismanagement. They'd rather be poor than dead.

Bob Macadoo · February 8, 2015

Harris had investigations and inquiries too: Ipperwash and Walkerton. The Liberals bought votes but didn't kill people. That may explain why Ontarians have allowed for 12 years and counting of provincial Liberal mismanagement. They'd rather be poor than dead.

Close. They have a misconception the mismanagement doesn't affect them whereas a little E.coli will.

Michael Hardner · February 8, 2015

Close. They have a misconception the mismanagement doesn't affect them whereas a little E.coli will.

Sure, I can accept that. Maybe Ontarians see Harris' politics too controversial, and as Marge Simpson said, when she told Lisa: "That sounds controversial. Lisa you know I don't like controversy in this house. " Ontarians are Marge Simpson.

Keepitsimple · February 8, 2015

Harris had investigations and inquiries too: Ipperwash and Walkerton. The Liberals bought votes but didn't kill people. That may explain why Ontarians have allowed for 12 years and counting of provincial Liberal mismanagement. They'd rather be poor than dead.

Think again with regards to Ornge for example. The Liberals contributed more to the deaths of 8 people due to Ornge that Harris did when the drunken Koebel brothers fraudulently exchanged water samples for tap water.

Ornge, which is currently under a criminal probe for financial irregularities, has been under intense scrutiny for more than a year.

Ontario's auditor general has questioned Ornge's business dealings and slammed the government for failing to oversee a publicly funded organization that received $730 million over five years and borrowed $300 million more.

Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/operational-issues-a-factor-in-8-ornge-deaths-coroner-1.1327412

Michael Hardner · February 8, 2015

Think again with regards to Ornge for example. The Liberals contributed more to the deaths of 8 people due to Ornge...

Yes, good point...

Keepitsimple · February 8, 2015

Yes, good point...

.....but I'll leave it to you to question why Harris is still literally called a murderer (as shown by your post) because of Walkerton and yet McGuinty and the Liberals, who the Auditor General showed had abandoned all oversight for Ornge - was not accused of anything in those deaths.

John · February 8, 2015

I'd say there are two reasons for that.

1) A very Liberal-friendly media.

2) I don't believe the opposition parties did a competent job of getting that message out to Ontarians.

Michael Hardner · February 8, 2015

.....but I'll leave it to you to question why Harris is still literally called a murderer (as shown by your post) because of Walkerton and yet McGuinty and the Liberals, who the Auditor General showed had abandoned all oversight for Ornge - was not accused of anything in those deaths.

I'll give two possibilities - one that blames the Liberals a little more than the others: 1 ) people just are just fooled by the Liberal brand as middle-of-the-road well-meaning nannies, versus the evil Conservative child-hater brand or 2 ) there's possibly more distance between the government and Ornge in the voters' minds than between them and the OPP or provincial water standards. Also, the Ornge deaths happened, apparently, as a result of inaction (ie. not monitoring) rather than action (ie. cuts, or ordering OPP to murder Indians or "get those Indians out of the park" or whatever Harris was quoted as saying)

Keepitsimple · February 8, 2015

I'll give two possibilities - one that blames the Liberals a little more than the others: 1 ) people just are just fooled by the Liberal brand as middle-of-the-road well-meaning nannies, versus the evil Conservative child-hater brand or 2 ) there's possibly more distance between the government and Ornge in the voters' minds than between them and the OPP or provincial water standards. Also, the Ornge deaths happened, apparently, as a result of inaction (ie. not monitoring) rather than action (ie. cuts, or ordering OPP to murder Indians or "get those Indians out of the park" or whatever Harris was quoted as saying)

Point number one is pretty accurate......but your comment that you - or anyone would even THINK that Harris would say or imply "murder those Indians" is telling.

Michael Hardner · February 8, 2015

but your comment that you - or anyone would even THINK that Harris would say or imply "murder those Indians" is telling.

Well, it relates to point #1. I didn't say whether I believed it, or anybody would. But again. Point #1.

Bob Macadoo · February 8, 2015

Point number one is pretty accurate......but your comment that you - or anyone would even THINK that Harris would say or imply "murder those Indians" is telling.

Goes to my original clarification: No one thinks an air ambulance mishap will affect them......water quality can. People are selfish by nature.

socialist · February 8, 2015

What does it matter. Ontario trusts Wynne and the Liberals. Arguing who the next PC leader will be is a waste of breath. I don't see them wining an election for a very long time. Ontario always has been left of center, and the one chance they gave the PC party was a disaster. Wynne provides steady, solid leadership that appeals to a broad swath of Ontario residents.

Michael Hardner · February 8, 2015

Ontario always has been left of center,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_premiers_of_Ontario

Except for 1943 to 1985 ?

Michael Hardner · February 8, 2015

...and most of the last century actually...

Topaz · February 8, 2015

I heard something on the Sunday news shows and wonder if anyone else heard about this. Baird wants to be Premier of Ontario?? This got me thinking about the Constitution and how the Tories would like to do some changes but need the provinces, so what better way than to get over half under PC control. Is it too late for Baird to get into the race right now??

Ash74 · February 8, 2015

I heard something on the Sunday news shows and wonder if anyone else heard about this. Baird wants to be Premier of Ontario?? This got me thinking about the Constitution and how the Tories would like to do some changes but need the provinces, so what better way than to get over half under PC control. Is it too late for Baird to get into the race right now??

He missed the sighing deadline. Likely on purpose so it could not be spinned to look like he was going to run.

Newfoundlander · February 8, 2015

I think she'll be tainted by Harris and Hudak because she was in both their cabinets. I've already seen people criticizing her for it. The Liberals never pass on a chance to slam Harris even though he's been gone forever. I can see them trotting out the spectre of Hudak as well simple...because they can!

Elliott never enter politics till 2006, several years after Mike Harris had retired and the PC Party lost power. And Hudak was never premier so he didn't have a cabinet, but yes she served as his deputy leader. I highly doubt many people will be thinking of Hudak when they vote in the 2018 election.

Ash74 · February 8, 2015

Elliott never enter politics till 2006, several years after Mike Harris had retired and the PC Party lost power. And Hudak was never premier so he didn't have a cabinet, but yes she served as his deputy leader. I highly doubt many people will be thinking of Hudak when they vote in the 2018 election.

The Liberal campaign strategy has been a scare tactic and it has worked well for them. The Ontario Liberals cannot campaign on their past record for it opens the gates to all the scandals and OPP investigations.

Hudak said he planed to cut 100,000 jobs and the Liberals and unions jumped on it. Wynne is now cutting and has a public works strike vote going on.

Hudak told the truth about the job cuts Wynne did not.

Hudak's million job plan campaign was a disaster and as likely as Daltons Job creation plans. I hope the campaign leaders of the last PC provincial election have been shown the door.

The Ontario Liberals will use Hudak,Harris and anybody else they can think of to win.

Keepitsimple · February 8, 2015

What does it matter. Ontario trusts Wynne and the Liberals. Arguing who the next PC leader will be is a waste of breath. I don't see them wining an election for a very long time. Ontario always has been left of center, and the one chance they gave the PC party was a disaster. Wynne provides steady, solid leadership that appeals to a broad swath of Ontario residents.

It seems you're too young to know Ontario's history - and too immature to understand what's going on today. Wynne was the beneficiary of an incompetent Tim Hudak. The polls all showed that Ontario wanted to boot the Liberals out - but Hudak's incompetence and Liberal fear mongering created the perfect storm that has allowed Wynne to continue the decade-long disaster that has made us the fiscal basket case that we are.

Ash74 · February 8, 2015

It seems you're too young to know Ontario's history - and too immature to understand what's going on today. Wynne was the beneficiary of an incompetent Tim Hudak. The polls all showed that Ontario wanted to boot the Liberals out - but Hudak's incompetence and Liberal fear mongering created the perfect storm that has allowed Wynne to continue the decade-long disaster that has made us the fiscal basket case that we are.

Many of the unions were complaining because they wanted a Liberal minority. I would like to see a poll on the last election how people would have voted if they knew it was going to go as it did. I know many NDP voters that voted Liberal out of fear. They cursed when the majority was gained.

socialist · February 8, 2015

It seems you're too young to know Ontario's history - and too immature to understand what's going on today. Wynne was the beneficiary of an incompetent Tim Hudak. The polls all showed that Ontario wanted to boot the Liberals out - but Hudak's incompetence and Liberal fear mongering created the perfect storm that has allowed Wynne to continue the decade-long disaster that has made us the fiscal basket case that we are.

Ontario is not a fiscal basket case. That is simple fear mongering by disciples of Chicken Little. Things are looking up in Ontario, and Wynne is on track to make Ontario the Canada's economic engine once again, cleaning up the massive mess led by the far right Harris government.

Bob Macadoo · February 8, 2015

Many of the unions were complaining because they wanted a Liberal minority. I would like to see a poll on the last election how people would have voted if they knew it was going to go as it did. I know many NDP voters that voted Liberal out of fear. They cursed when the majority was gained.

Would've thought the NDP would've won Sudbury from the protest vote though..... yet....nadda.

Ash74 · February 9, 2015

Would've thought the NDP would've won Sudbury from the protest vote though..... yet....nadda.

I was very surprised the Liberals were even in the running in Sudbury.

I do not understand how they won with a election fraud investigation going on and the tainted new Liberal MPP.

I was completely shocked they would vote him in.

Wynne quickly left the building running from reporters to avoid questions.

Keepitsimple · February 9, 2015

Ontario is not a fiscal basket case. That is simple fear mongering by disciples of Chicken Little. Things are looking up in Ontario, and Wynne is on track to make Ontario the Canada's economic engine once again, cleaning up the massive mess led by the far right Harris government.

OMG. Check for Carbon Monoxide in your Mom's basement before you go to sleep. Incredible.

Ash74 · February 9, 2015

Ontario is not a fiscal basket case. That is simple fear mongering by disciples of Chicken Little. Things are looking up in Ontario, and Wynne is on track to make Ontario the Canada's economic engine once again, cleaning up the massive mess led by the far right Harris government.

The debt in Ontario is almost $22,000 per man,woman and child.

The provinces credit rating has been downgraded to AA-

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/agency-downgrades-ontarios-credit-rating

Since coming to power the Ontario Liberals have almost tripled the long term debt to over 300 billion and this year alone will add 12.5 billion to the debt which is higher than all the other provinces.

We spend over 10 billion a year just in interest payments alone. would that money not be better spent on health care,education, infrastructure?

The Ontario Liberal have been in power since 2003.

Raised taxes by a huge margin and still managed to increase the debt.

Increased the cost of hydro for businesses,families across the board including lower income who are really feeling it.

The Ontario Liberals were by no why responsible for the economic collapse and Ontario was very hard hit. But how they handled it was the issue I have with them.

Companies do not want to pay high taxes,high utilities and deal with a ridicules number of regulations the Ontario Liberals have introduced.

And been blaming Mike Harris the entire time.