Don’t Blame Me. I Voted Bill and Opus
Now that the Ontario election is over, we can ask it? Is there anybody, anywhere, who’s a worse campaigner than John Tory? He ran Kim Campbell’s 1992 disaster, got his ass kicked over a bridge that affects a few hundred voters in Toronto, and now the Ontario election where, instead of voters warming to John Tory as promised, his numbers went down as the campaign wore on. This against a dishonest Premier who is presiding over Ontario’s descent into have-not status within confederation, while anarchy reigns in small pockets of the province. If you couldn’t beat this guy, couldn’t even mount a reasonable challenge against him, you don’t belong in politics.
For me, I was planning on holding my nose and voting PC, until last week: In order to win over my vote, specifically my vote I believe, John Tory decided to announce test marketing corner store sale of beer and wine. It was the bone I needed throwing to get my vote. Then my local moron, , stated in debates last week he’s not in favour of that policy. One conservative policy in the whole damn platform, and my local Progressive Conservative candidate is not in favour of it.
One bone, that’s all I asked for. I frickin’ bone.
So after voting F*&% no to MMP, I voted for Gerry Nicholls favourite candidate, Montgomery Brewster. A cowards way out, I admit, but John Tory/ had made themselves un-votable in my eyes, and they were heads and shoulders above the rest, at least in my riding.
What a mess this whole election was. Can we please get on with finding a conservative to run the Conservative party in Ontario, and start getting back to having some hope.
I like John Tory. Maybe he didn’t run the best campaign, but he’s not supposed to be the entire strategy. Surely some backbenchers are to blame? I would not be happy to head further right in search of a leader. Tory was a great centrist candidate. It would be a mistake to seek out another Mike Harris conservative.
No offence, ra, but your “great centrist candidate” just had his a$$ handed to him. I fail to see how a Harris conservative could have done any worse. If you like John Tory, perhaps you could offer him a job, because he’s going to need one soon.
Of course, I live in BC now, so I could care less if Ontario goes to hell in a handcart.
Raphael,
you’re totally wrong. There are lots of left wing paties out there. Where are the CONSERVATIVES?? This perceived media knowledge that everybody has to be a McGuinty-like hermaphrodidite (sp) to get elected in Ontario is a classic “be like us but you’ll never be as good as us” 416 story. There are MILLIONS of Ontarians looking for representation. Don’t fall into the trap that you have to win Toronto Centre to win an election. You have to recognize that voter turnout was 50% because this election was entirely about non issues. While law abiding citizens are threatened by natives. While parents of autistic kids get taken to court by their own government. While taxes go up and services, erm, may go up some time later. Go with real issues and people go to the polls and vote. Talk self indulgent rich guy crap and nobody turns up.
Of course, I live in BC now, so I could care less if Ontario goes to hell in a handcart.
B.C. has it’s own share of B.S. Think Gordie Campbell. Yeah, get used to that health tax in B.C., too, since it’s far larger for the poorest person there than it is for the richest person here.
Oh and don’t write off Ontario so quickly. You may live in B.C. now but after a few winters of ceaseless rain you’ll be wishing for our slush and smog. Unless you like 300 days of rain. In which case, ignore this message.
to get elected in Ontario is a classic “be like us but you’ll never be as good as us” 416 story
It’s the same old nonsense anyway. GTA is Liberal-left and everyone else is blue. Can’t Toronto become it’s own leftwing province and let the rest of Ontario elect a Tory premier?
He wasn’t suppose to be the entire campaign?
He made himself the entire campaign with his slogans “Leadership matters” and “Your John Tory candidate”.
While Tory deserves much of the blame for this disaster, don’t forget the circle of ass kissers that surround him. A bunch of pretentious pricks who’d have a hard time organizing a Girl Guides outing to the apple orchard let alone an election campaign.
Credit where credit is due – kudos to whoever designed and ran the leadershipmatters.ca website. A few design and usability issues aside, at least someone gets it.
Mike Harris, quite for the record, found this province in one hell of a mess. By the time he left much of the mess was cleaned up. Good centrist Ernie Eves undid much of that work. Two centrists in a row for the PCs, two losses. I’m no math wiz, but I see a pattern.
We do need another Mike Harris, albeit one who’s not so abrasive might do the trick.
Paul
I am unfamiliar with John Tory’s backroom, but what I see is a guy who consistently can’t get it done. He should be a lesson for conservative wannabe leaders: I’m always hearing in the media what a nice guy he is, how once people get to know him &tc. Yet he can’t win. Lesson: if you are Conservative and the media like you, don’t run in unsafe ridings.
We do need another Mike Harris, albeit one who’s not so abrasive might do the trick.
The problem with Mike Harris, much like many far-right conservatives, is that they believe they can find inefficiency in government. This translates to service cuts and degradation in quality of government. Yes, we need to trim the fat, so to speak, but Harris went too far in cuts and alienated a lot of public sector employees.
Tory offered the best of both worlds for me, but clearly not for the majority of conservative voters.
Had eight BC winters so far and the Ontario jones has yet to hit. I think I’ve assimilated.
Campbell has disappointed me on some things, but we have the lowest tax rates on the first two income brackets of any province in Canada. What is this BC health tax of which you speak?