Quote unquote: Ontario PC numbers “fail”
Robert Kroetsch, R.I.P.
I am so sad to read this:
What an extraordinary man he was! I know, because Kroetsch taught me in 1980, in my first year at the University of Calgary. Without getting into too much detail, I was leading a pretty rock’n’roll lifestyle in those days, and doing all kinds of things I shouldn’t have done. I missed a lot of classes and assignments, and I had rock-bottom grades to show for it.
One day, I got back an essay I had written for Kroetsch’s English class. I don’t remember the grade, but I certainly remember every word of what he wrote:
YOU ARE DESTROYING A GREAT TALENT. ROBERT KROETSCH.
I remember reading those words like they were written yesterday. They had the desired effect, too. I resolved to get my act together – so I quit what I was doing, transferred to another university, and ended up graduating in a lot better shape.
You know those teachers who change your life? Dave Beatty was one, and Father O’Brien, and George Roseme.
And Robert Kroetsch, who I will miss, and whose words I took to heart.
The truth about the Ontario PC platform (updated)
You should see this.
We Ontario Liberals wanted to not just tell voters that there is a multi-billion-dollar hole at the centre of the PC platform – that it is is “dubious” and “false,” as Jeff Simpson put it this morning – we wanted to show them.
Some of our smartest economic guys and gals (we call them “the mathletes,” for anyone wondering) have spent days meticulously poring through the PC numbers. This morning, they briefed a lot of reporters at Queen’s Park about what they found. No adjectives, no spin, no finger-pointing: just a very factual analysis.
We captured their presentation on a little video, for you to watch and decide for yourself. Hopefully, we will convince you that the PC platform truly is as bad as Simpson says it is.
And, hopefully, it will help us to earn your confidence – and your vote – in October.
PC Platform Costing from Ontario Liberal Party on Vimeo.
UPDATE: More here.
Touchy, touchy Dippers
I was sent a photo, last night, of one of the 20 SUVs NDP leader Andrea Horwath plans to ferry her and her staff around the province in the coming provinmcial election. Some of you asked questions: why does she need twenty SUVs? Beats me. Are they hybrids? Beats me. I don’t know what the size of the resulting carbon footprint will be, but I sure know that it sure tells us a thing or two about Andrea’s ego footprint.
Anyway, after the pix went up on Twitter and so on, her fart-catchers promptly went ape. Below, just a couple of them – from Jeff Ferrier, who is a “former” Horwath press secretary (who sure acts like a “current” press secretary, while at Toronto Community Housing), and Mike Rosenstock, one of Horwath’s personal staff who bills himself as a “researcher.” Uh-huh.
Anyway. I think the Horwath gang are upset because someone caught their newly-wrapped SUVs on camera – they’d clearly been saving them for some announcement. My free advice: stop parking your big secrets in plain view, Dippers. Oh, and stop being such sucky babies: you guys (federally and provincially) are fast developing a reputation for being able to deliver a punch, but never being able to take one.
Now, get ready for a pile of outraged/hurt comments from New Dems in comments. They can’t help themselves!
Simpson: Ontario PC platform “dubious,” “false”
He takes a few swings at us, too, which you can read in the link below.
But, boy, does he ever let the Ontario PCs have it. I wonder if these quotes will show up in an ad, sometime soon?
Andrea Horwath’s SUV
Kid Kodak, Ego Maniac
Their friends, your money
Steyn not-online
BCL noticed that Mark Steyn hasn’t been around for quite some time, and started asking around.
As I recall, there had been some indication, some months ago, that the U.S.-based writer was facing some health challenges in his family. I fired off a note to him at the time, offering best wishes, etc. I didn’t get a reply, but I hope that whatever challenges he was facing at a personal level have been resolved.
Oh, and just to be clear, I still disagree with just about everything he says, particularly the Islamaphobia.