— Musings —12.06.2012 02:17 PM
— Musings —12.06.2012 02:17 PM
Northern Ontario does need a voice at Queen’s Park, one that understands the north and the challenges it faces. BTW the north starts 3.5 hours north of Toronto, not somewhere around Orillia. I have my doubts Pupatello would do it. I’d put my money on Gerard Kennedy. I don’t have much faith in what Mike Gravelle thinks… his riding is likely to retire him and go NDP when the next provincial election rolls around.
He’s a three time loser. We are headed to a decade in Opposition with Kennedy.
You may be right Warren. My ‘money’ on Kennedy would be only a buck or two at best. I’ll go with $10 on Hoskins and $15 on Murray. Pupatello is sharp, no doubt, and has great credentials but I don’t get a sense she really listens when she appears to be listening.
Stew, on what do you base your prediction that TB-SN will go NDP next time? Gravelle had the highest plurality in the province in ’03, survived a tough NDP push in ’07 in the midst of the meltdown of the forestry sector, and then increased his vote share over the NDP in ’11. He’s dealing with some health issues now (lymphoma, not laryngitis – pretty big mistake in article WK linked to), but he’s a fighter and always has been, so I think he’s got at least one more election win in him.
If you think that Kennedy (who wants to be leader of everything and anything) is the answer, I guess we’re just coming at things from dramatically different directions, but tell me, please, how does your guy “understand the north and the challenges it faces” better than Michael Gravelle?
I worked with Mike a way back some 24 years ago when he worked out of the T-Bay MNDM office. Lately though everything I hear him say sounds like bafflegab, almost reminds me of the old ‘Yes Minister’ BBC series. Skates in circles when answering questions on any issue if you know what I mean. He spouts 500 words to say could be said in 10 words. (I know he’s fighting lymphoma and hope for the best outcome on that)
But the NDP is growing in popularity across the north. I don’t like it but it is a fact. The Libs need stronger candidates all across the north but they are not attracting them.
Frankly, I doubt any of the seven candidates has an in-depth understanding of the issues in northern Ontario, kind of depressing really. None of them excites me at all. But Murray is the only one who has a past connection to northern Ontario, the Kenora (northwest) area during his time in Winnipeg. Kenora is to Winnipeg as Muskokas are to the GTA.