Musings —10.16.2010 09:38 AM
—Hudak hubris
I’m at the Ontario Liberal Convention to give a few presentations today. There are lots of Ontario Libs here.
Before I got started, I wanted to give you a gander at the kind of stuff the Hudak staffers are sending around to our guys, using taxpayer-subsidized hardware. Pretty cocky bunch, eh?
I’d watch that, if I were them.
From: Robertson, Ian [mailto:ian.robertson@pc.ola.org]
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2010 8:54 PM
To:
Subject: Re: RECORD REMINDER: HARRIS-HUDAK YEARS?
Are you trying out for a job with us once we make all of you unemployed?
My condolences Warren. It is a sunny fall day and you have to attend a political event. I am going to Woodbine to watch some Grade 1 horse races. I think that I will have more fun than you.
I had a great day in the sun at Woodbine, and do not regret the $16 I lost. On the other hand, Warren was cooped up indoors talking with a mixed bag of Liberals, some of whom he does not like. At this stage, it looks as if the recent track record of Ontario Liberals is more important to voters than that of Mike Harris. As Harris is not running, Warren will have a difficult time trying to get the Liberals elected next year. I am sure that he will try his best, but I suspect that the Conservatives and their young leader will win. I do not discount the Ontario NDP party either. Their leader has been quite effective in her attacks on the Liberals.
I will gladly donate to the Liberal Party of Ontario if you remove Dalton and replace him with someone more engaging like Rocco.
The Ontario Liberal Convention presentation;
Person in the audience – “Warren, our record over the last few years isn’t that good. How do we defend ourselves against the PC party when they call us on it?”
Warren – “Easy. Mike Harris. That is all you need to say”
Person in the audience – “Yeah, but Warren, our riding(s) would rather not do that, we want to run a campaign on how we are the best for the province”
Warren – “Dude. Listen. What are we going to campaign on? our record?!?! HA! This party has raised the taxes in this province so many times, we’re almost out of things to tax, however, we are very close to working in an air tax which will be brought in after we’re re-elected”
Person in the audience – “An air tax??”
Warren – “Ya, you know that breath you JUST took, and that one, and that one… TAX!”
Person in the audience – “Ya, but Warre…..”
Warren – “Mike Harris”
Person in the audience – “but”
Warren – “Mike Harris”
Sorry Warren, but McGuinty makes Harris look good by comparison. What are the job numbers under McGuinty compared to Harris? Tax rates? Cost of hydro to business? I notice McGuinty never seems to mention that supposed $5.6 billion deficit that Eves-Ecker left anymore. And if I remember correctly Greg Sorbara admitted the PC’s actually balnced the budget in their last full term in offfice. What’s this years deficit? And I don’t remember being a have-not province under Harris either.
Harris has been out of office for how many years? Longer than the sponsorship scandal. Federal Liberals dismiss critiques of the Chretien/Martin years as being in the past, yet you cling on to a premier from two elections past? Have at it buddy. Harris obviously had some warts during his time in office, but McGuity is on life support in the eyes of average Ontario voters. Many are just recieving their first hst apllied electricity bills as we speak, coupled with his smart-meter fiasco that actually drove up your bill regardless of when you did laundry. Eco-fees, E-Health, Health Tax, OLG, sex-ed, solar panelled energy at ridiculous cost, lost manufacturing jobs, the list is endless.
So please, just keeping repeating Mike Harris, sounds like a real winner.
Warren,
Time…followed by the universal law of gravity and all will be right in the Ontario political world!
I have watched the ‘natural governing party’ in action in a number of provinces and federally for many years and even voted for them on occasion. But to see a Liberal call Conservatives ‘pretty cocky bunch’. well – ’tis to laugh!
Every one has the right to be partisan and support the party of their choice, but even you Warren must see the irony in this?
Hang in there, Warren. You are doing good work. Great presentation at your 3rd session today.
Mike Harris will continue to haunt the provincial conservatives. In the last election, beyond the oft-lamented “faith-based funding flap,” John Tory was dealing with the legacy of Mike Harris and all that came along with it. Harris not only alienated a generation of voters, but his egregious policies also delivered to the Liberals thousands of volunteers who will come out and work hard to make sure his disciple Tim Hudak never becomes premier.
McGuinty’s government has not been perfect, but its record is far stronger than the PC’s of the mid-to-late- 1990s when Hudak and Mike Harris took a chainsaw to Ontario’s social programs. It now is the same neoconservative team under Hudak. Because of this, the PC’s will not defeat McGuinty. John Tory was the chance for that party to regain their collective social conscience and bring the “progressive” back to the provincial conservative party. Unfortunately for them, by the time Tory got his shot, McGuinty had already transformed into Bill Davis. The erosion of the NDP base, and the fear of a Mike Harris redux will obviate a Hudak victory.
The problem with attacking Harris cuts is the Liberals NEVER reinstated them. In fact, the Liberals cut further.
How many serious labor disputes have taken place under McG’s watch? Have we seen massive protests? How about government-native relations? All better under McG. Again, the threat of a Harris redux will drive volunteers to work hard for the Grits.
That is B.S. Liberals have hired thousands of nurses to replace ones Harris cut. Hired teachers. Put billions into health care and post-secondary education. Replaced food inspectors. The list goes on.
Mr K
May I suggest you need to listen to some folks like Mother in the whip’s office.
You & your pals to need to listen.
I just don’t like what I am hearing at the doors in the past 50 days.
You need to listen.
What I love about you is you said something very true after the Martin defeat. Something like:
“We deserved to be defeated.”
This is starting to feel like that.
Mr McG needs to listen.
Oakville was good, but you need to get in front of stuff & right now, you’re behind.
But what do I know, I just a fella knocking on doors.