“Coming up: Stephen Harper’s really offensive Senate appointments. And, also, how did this man with the bad hair get in here, and why is he now asleep on our bench?”

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“OTTAWA – Bob Rae has decided he won’t take a third shot at becoming permanent leader of the federal Liberal party.

Instead, sources have told The Canadian Press the Toronto MP is about to announce his interest in becoming interim leader until a permanent successor to Michael Ignatieff is chosen some 18 months from now.“

 

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1. HST on hydro: Lost in all the piffle and spin: Timmy is now admitting he will keep the HST, after saying for years that he’d kill it.

2. Debt retirement: Also unaddressed: the “debt retirement fund” was created to retire the billions in debt Hudak’s party created in the first place. Where’s he gonna get the dough, hmmmm?

Looked like there were lemons on the kitchen table where Timmy made his announcement this morning.

Fits.

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…and I’m confident Deb will fix it, too. She fixed the wagons of the Big Pharmacies, but good.

That said, good reporting by the Star.

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Would-be Progressive Conservative candidates are being flatly told to hit the road to make way for hand-picked favourites, the Star has learned.

The latest to get the hook is Ade Olumide, a candidate for the Tory nomination in Ottawa West—Nepean, who was eager to butt heads with Randall Denley, a long-time Ottawa Citizencolumnist personally anointed by Leader Tim Hudak.

“I was informed (Tuesday) night by the president of the Ontario PC Party in writing that I will not be allowed to contest the party nomination in Ottawa West Nepean,” said Olumide, founder of the Ottawa Taxpayer Advocacy Group, in an email Wednesday.

“To my volunteers, members and supporters I say a heart felt thank you; I recognize this news is very disappointing,” said Olumide.

The reign of terror, as one insider called it, comes as the party, which conceivably could form the next Ontario government, searches for candidates for 107 ridings.

Anointing candidates started out as isolated practice but has become common as the Conservatives vie for candidates with name-recognition.

Included in the stable of so-called high-profile candidates is CHCH TV’s Donna Skelly, who was another one to be anointed at the expense of a long-time Conservative party member in Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale.

Several riding association members there quit because of the party meddling.

More here.

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They’re disgusting, despicable and the basest of cynicism. For sure.

But, personally, I’m surprised how many people are surprised.

Did you really think things were going to be any different, after these clowns got a majority? Did you really think they would take it as anything other than a licence to do whatever shit they wanted?

Did you?

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Unidentified Con staffer at work.

Bottom line?  Some of Stephen Harper’s Reformatory campaign team would be petitioning for bail, right about now, if Dalton McGuinty’s legislation had existed at the federal level.

“Ontario wants to be sure nasty tricks that surfaced during the federal election this month don’t return in the Oct. 6 provincial campaign.

Liberal candidates in Ontario and Manitoba complained during the federal election that voters received harassing calls late at night by people claiming to work for the party.

Elections Canada is also investigating reports a number of people received about mysterious calls on election day that wrongly suggested their local polling station had been moved.

Attorney General Chris Bentley has introduced amendments to Ontario’s Elections Act to formally outlaw such campaign stunts.

Bentley introduced legislation on Tuesday, with just six sitting days before the legislature breaks until the Oct. 6 election, that would impose a fine of up to $25,000 and up to two years in jail for such dirty tricks.

The bill would make it illegal to impede or attempt to stop someone from voting by providing false information and to make it illegal to impersonate an election official, a party of party candidate.“

More here and here and here.

 

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For months – and going back to the recruitment of Benedict Baldy – I’ve been hearing from Ontario Conservatives who are livid about the way Ontario PC “leader” Tim Hudak has been dealing with the party’s grassroots.  In his mad scramble to recruit “star” candidates, Hudak has linked up with some very shady characters, and stomped all over the democracy he once promised to uphold.

This Star story suggests that some of these Ontario Cons are now giving voice to their dissatisfaction.  This could get interesting, as they say.

“The Progressive Conservative Party is under fire for effectively anointing so-called star candidates by squeezing out others interested in running.

Conservative insiders are saying privately they are not happy with the way high-profile candidates are being parachuted in while others are being told to hit the road.

The latest example was Ottawa Citizen columnist Randall Denley getting the seal of approval by Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak Tuesday to run for the nomination of Ottawa West—Nepean.

“This is not how our party is supposed to work,” said one member, a supporter of a rival candidate, who was among those asked to quietly bow out.

“What about the people who work hard for years to win a nomination fair and square?”

Denley once described Hudak as a cartoon character and often criticized the Tory leader for opposing the introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax, which Denley said was good for business.

The Progressive Conservative Party is under fire for effectively anointing so-called star candidates by squeezing out others interested in running.

Conservative insiders are saying privately they are not happy with the way high-profile candidates are being parachuted in while others are being told to hit the road.

The latest example was Ottawa Citizen columnist Randall Denley getting the seal of approval by Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak Tuesday to run for the nomination of Ottawa West—Nepean.

“This is not how our party is supposed to work,” said one member, a supporter of a rival candidate, who was among those asked to quietly bow out.

“What about the people who work hard for years to win a nomination fair and square?”

Denley once described Hudak as a cartoon character and often criticized the Tory leader for opposing the introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax, which Denley said was good for business.”

 

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Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, who spoke last week at the Wolfond Centre for Jewish Life as part of a political speaker series aimed at young Jewish professionals, said that part of his plan to build a stronger Ontario is to work with Israel.

McGuinty presented his plan for jobs and growth, health care, education, electricity and tax reform to about 100 people at the event organized by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.

No doubt catering to his mostly Jewish audience, McGuinty  began by acknowledging Ontario’s Jewish population of more than 200,000 as a community that is committed to “shared success.”

 

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