Out of the pool, kids!

Look, I’m sorry to be a party pooper and all that, but I just don’t see this spring election thing. In fact, I’m not even sure there will be one this year.

I know, I know, the Parliamentary Press Gallery are all frolicking in the pool, dreams of overtime dancing in their heads – and the politicians are all warily eyeing the horizon, fretting about bad weather, wondering when they should head back into the House to start packing. When Official Ottawa decides something, it’s decided, right?

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A couple weeks ago, it was “ethical oil.” Oh my! The punditocracy loved that one. You couldn’t get into the parking lot at Tim Horton’s (another popular meme) without hearing all about “ethical oil.” It was everywhere, that one.  Democratic deficit, the angry vote, the West wants in, blah blah blah.

Now, the latest political equivalent of the pet rock: “only fifteen per cent of Canadians pay attention to politics.”

Really? Is that so? How does one measure that, pray tell? If the pollsters define “paying attention” as eating, breathing and sleeping Tony Clement’s tweets, and being positively breathless about every idiotic thing that Official Ottawa says or does, well – I guess – the number of those who “pay attention” would indeed be rather small. Sure.

But what of the millions of Canadians who vote in elections? What about them? Is the pollster saying the sixty per cent who regularly show up to vote are sleepwalking? That they are heading to polling stations to merely socialize?

Or, maybe – just maybe – this is a way for elitist snobs to publicize Plato’s Protogaras, and insinuate that they think voters are dumb, because the dummies don’t pay as much attention to Question Period as pollsters do. Or the media. Or shut-ins.  And, ipso facto, they are therefore not worthy of a vote.

If you ask me, and perhaps a pollster will one day, I think voters are pretty smart. And they see quite enough coming out of Ottawa, every day, to form a rather accurate assessment.

To suggest that only fifteen per cent of them “pay attention” is pure snobbery, or worse.

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• Vancouver Sun: The ads are “totally dishonest…These latest ads show that Conservatives are willing to do whatever it takes, to stoop to the very depths, to damage the prospects of the Liberal leader. There is no fairness and no integrity whatever to these ads.”
• The Canadian Press: “ADS SPARK BACKLASH…entirely out of context…Carleton University communications professor Josh Greenberg said the latest Tory ads are “insulting to the intelligence.” Political ads are notorious for taking opponents’ words out of context but he said he’s never seen anything quite so blatant.”
• The Globe and Mail: “Would Tories use an Ignatieff clip out of context?  Yes! Yes! Yes!”

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“A dream was instilled in me eight years ago. Today, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s constitutional “accord” threatens to destroy that dream.

I was a cocky 17-year-old on my way to Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time in my life. I wasn’t going to see the Maple Leafs or even Elton John. Along with thousands of others, I came to see and hear Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

I was spellbound.

Never before and never since have I been so moved by a speech. Unlike so many speeches, this one radiated from a central vision.

Trudeau’s vision of Canada was of a tolerant, multicultural polity where minority rights throughout the country would be protected and enhanced by a strong central government. It was of a mixed economy in which the critical components should be kept Canadian. And it was of a social system that would not allow the workings of the market to degrade human dignity.

Giant strides were taken toward achieving that vision. On the social front, progressive legislation was passed; economically, the Foreign Investment Review Agency and the National Energy Program were put in place to protect and enhance Canada’s position; and politically, the Constitution was patriated and an entrenched Bill of Rights produced.

All these fronts have been attacked and eroded by the Mulroney government – social programs have been cut in the name of reducing deficits, and the dream of a distinct Canadian economy is fading daily as the Tories pursue their “free” trade leap of faith.

But no action strikes a greater blow to the Trudeau vision than the present constitutional accord. As Deborah Coyne of the University of Toronto’s faculty of law points out, the accord represents a “disturbing abdication of federal power to the regions . . . at a time when we have more need than ever for strong national leadership in order to meet the unprecedented challenges that we face today.”

Who will speak for Canada?”

UPDATE: Now that we have hit about 100 comments on this one, I can reveal my ulterior motive: my interest isn’t what was said, so much, as who said it – and what you Conservatives out there would have to say about the points made therein.  Both are quite interesting, and quite helpful.  All will be revealed soon.

UPDATED TWO DAYS LATER: The author of those statements from May 1987, statements which are to the left of quite a few Liberals – eg., FIRA and NEP are good, free trade is bad – is none other than Rocco Rossi. Quite a few Conservative commenters, not knowing who I was quoting, heaped scorn on what Rossi wrote.  So what, you say?

Well, both things are worth noting because, at tonight’s Toronto mayoralty-candidate “harmony” fundraiser, Rocco Rossi is apparently going to be wheeled around by Conservative operatives as a convert to their cause.  The author of those far-centre-left statements, we’re to be told, is a Conservative, now.  From a Trudeau Liberal to a Randy Hillier cheerleader, just like that: kind of takes your breath away, doesn’t it?

He’s Benedict Baldy, someone said to me today.  It fits.

Partly, that makes me mad at myself – for trusting him, for believing him when he said he believes in the same things I do, and for devoting billable time (and vacation time with my kids, even) to following him in an erratic, bizarre campaign that ended in the single digits.  (Bocce balls: remember that?  He thought that, and the Conservatives who thought it up, were brilliant.) I wouldn’t have helped him, not for a moment, if I had known what Rocco is now seemingly capable of.

Partly, it makes me mad at him, of course.  When you read the words above, and you try to picture him as a Conservative, you wonder if Rocco believes in anything, other than his own ambition.  When you read the words of the Conservatives who commented on Rocco’s previous views – on NEP, free trade and so on – you also wonder how they will ever truly accept him as one of their own.  Rest assured: they won’t. The Conservatives I know, and like, have principles.

Either way, it doesn’t matter.  The Ipsos released last night makes clear that Rocco Rossi has just launched his second losing campaign.

This time, I’ll be laughing my ass off.

…not really.

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Seen their latest?

What to do?  Well, for one thing, I doubt they’re intended for broadcast, as they’d never pass the advertising standards stage. But if I’m wrong, and if they show up anywhere on-air, I’d just have Ignatieff say the following, over and over, from coast to coast:

“Stephen Harper is a liar.  He is a liar.”

That’s it.

At that point, the Cons have three options.  One, they can sue, but Ignatieff would win; truth is a defence. Two, they can stick with ads that are utter bullshit, and consider the prospect of their leader being branded a liar.  Or, three, they can pull the ads, and live to fight another day.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.  Wow.

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Clearly, someone leaked a copy of my Sunday Sun Media column to the Pee Em, he agreed with my reasoning, and is now changing course.

You’re welcome, Canada.  I accept cash and gift cards.

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Whine Gripesky, Mark Messier, Rockin’ Al, Ras Pierre and, er, me, welcome you to the club, SFH drummer person.

To mark the occasion, here you are screaming ‘Double Bubble Trouble’ for the first time ever in studio, with the best punk rock band in the world, and possibly the universe.  Lousy camera work by Lala, don’t blame me, etc.  See you tonight at the wings place, you big poltroon.

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• Iggy disses PKP: Just a hunch, but I’m guessing the Grit leader thinks he wasn’t going to get Sun Media’s editorial endorsement.  I wouldn’t have made that assumption, myself, but that was then, this is now, etc. etc.
• But, then again, on the other hand…. Don’t be too hard on him.  It’s not like Stephen Harper hasn’t changed course on this subject a kabillion times, either, etc. etc.
• Kinsella on The Story of O! Not that one, perverts.  The new one.  On Q, with my old student council-daze pal, Terry Fallis.  I’m the one who calls Harper “the most boring guy in the world.”
• Proletariat punk: This is a wonderful idea, and a wonderful cause.  But SFH would kick your keester onstage, Angus.  Believe it maaaan, etc. etc.
• Go Christy, go! No surprise here: Christy is smart, telegenic, centrist and appealing.  The establishment’s choice, meanwhile, was there when things went to Hell in handbasket.  Do the math, etc. etc.
• Alberta right-wingers continue to atomize: Nothing gladdens this Alberta Liberal’s tiny heart more than seeing the right wing rip themselves to pieces in a nasty family feud.  It doesn’t hurt that Ted Morton is also bonkers, etc. etc.
• The NDP will oppose the budget! That is, er, etc., etc…
• …unless they don’t. Er, um, ahem.  Etc. etc.
• Martin Patriquin, asshole: In this episode, Mr. “Quebec Is Corrupt” mocks Lucien Bouchard, the day after Bouchard’s former wife dies of cancer. What a dick this guy is. Etcetera.

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Left to right: The Ontario PC leader, and his deputy.

I’m biased, given that I (proudly) do work for the Ontario Liberal caucus.  What do you think?

(Oh, and BTW: the Post story declines to mention that we have a nearly 15 point lead over Timmy in Toronto.  Sure suggests that anyone running for him in the city is going to be shredded, doesn’t it?)

***

TORONTO — Ontario’s Liberal government has clawed its way back in the polls, narrowing a significant gap with the front-running Conservatives despite a raft of unpopular policies.

The Conservative lead has shrunk from nine percentage points to just three in a matter of months, according to a new poll by Ipsos Reid.

According to the survey, the provincial Progressive Conservative party is running at 38% support, down three points since November, while the Liberals are at 35%, up three points over the same period.

“We’ve got a level playing field,” said John Wright, senior vice-president with Ipsos. “We’re in for a really interesting fight that could yield a majority or minority for either side.”

Just two months ago, a raft of spending scandals and unpopular decisions — including the introduction of the HST and energy investments that spurred rising prices — appeared to be catching up to Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Mr. Wright said the Liberal gains are due to a “spirited” campaign defending their record while attacking their Conservative foes. That includes a new speech Mr. McGuinty is touring across the province, touting the government’s economic plan and claiming Ontario’s downtrodden economy has turned a corner.

The Liberals also introduced a $1.1-billion hydro-rate cut that deals with the primary concern among Ontario voters — the rising cost of living. Finally, the McGuinty government raised the spectre of former Tory premier Mike Harris, claiming current Conservative leader Tim Hudak will pursue a similar agenda of radical tax and spending cuts.

“The Liberals showed their moxie over the past couple of months,” Mr. Wright said of the gloves-off Grit strategy.

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“…Hudak and his caucus were conspicuously absent from the annual dinner of the Canadian Tamil Congress over the weekend. Five McGuinty cabinet ministers showed up, along with a couple of New Democrat MPPs, for the biggest Tamil event of the year. So are the Tories keeping a calculated distance from a community once linked to the Tamil Tigers during Sri Lanka’s civil war?

The CTC’s David Poopalapillai told me he’s hoping they’ll eventually come round: “Tim Hudak, we invited him, he was supposed to come, but at the last minute he didn’t.”

Not surprising, perhaps, when you remember that Tim Hudak’s troglodytes plan to gut human rights protections in Ontario.

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