At Home in Hespeler

Well, not really, but John Tory ties himself into knots trying to explain why he supports the CBC, or at least did. His argument for supporting the CBC is basically, they are a National Broadcaster with a difficult mandate, therefore they will cost more. Fair enough, but the point many of us make is they are unnecessary and we shouldn’t be forced to financially support them (just as Margaret Atwood shouldn’t be forced to support Sun TV – or fake moon landing).

Yesterday, Tory met the final straw when it comes to the CBC, and swears he will never support them again.

Jeeze, a few more of these conversions, and we might just make a conservative of John Tory yet.

John 'Red Green' Tory Brian Lilly, CBC, CFRB, John Tory

A steaming mad Councillor Paula Fletcher challenged a citizen asking questions at a budget consultation meeting Monday…

Challenged? She screamed like a petulant child at a taxpayer, concerned about ever more taxes. And the citizen was right, she damn well ought to be fired.

But don’t believe me, listen to the audio here.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your elected representatives.

Politicians acting badly, Toronto: Not in a Death Spiral CFRB, John Tory, Paula Fletcher

John Tory has apparently decided not to run for mayor of Toronto in the upcoming municipal election. Reading the story, what struck me was the people who managed his previous campaigns:

Jeff Bangs, who managed Tory’s 2004 campaign for the Conservative leadership, decided to run former Liberal provincial minister George Smitherman’s campaign for mayor.

As well, Rocco Rossi, who managed Tory’s failed bid for the mayor’s chair in 2003, announced his own candidacy.

Jeff Bangs is now off to run former Provincial Liberal cabinet minister George Smitherman’s campaign. Rocco Rossi is the former executive director for the Liberal Party of Canada. You might remember him for his Kayaking to save the Liberals last summer.

Russ Campbell comments today on the fate of the Provincial PC brand here in Ontario:

The lost years under John Tory may be too hard to overcome.

The reason for that Russ, is that he was never a Conservative, just a Liberal in PC clothing.

John 'Red Green' Tory, John Tory 2010 election, George Smitherman, Jeff Bangs, John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Rocco Rossi, Russ Campbell

And good luck to you John, because your a three time loser

Sandra from Toronto ended her call on CFRB radio last Friday afternoon with those rather mean spirited words for show co-host John Tory.

“Do you work for the city (of Toronto)” Tory’s co-host Tarek Fatah asked Sandra three times during the call.

“I don’t work for the city,” Toronto councilor and council speaker Sandra Bussin told Fatah.

Bussin denied, for five days, that the caller was her then yesterday, when the jig was  clearly up, called CFRB again and admitted that yes she was Sandra from Toronto. She did not lie, however (other than denying it was she who called from Friday until Wednesday), she does not work for the city, she works for her constituents. That is what she told host Bill Carroll yesterday. “I don’t work for the city. I work for my constituents.”

With any luck at all, she won’t be working for anybody come Nov. 2010, and then she won’t have to split hairs when she’s ambushing someone.

Toronto: Not in a Death Spiral CFRB, John Tory, Sandra Bussin, Tarek Fatah

It is being reported through twitter that Tim Hudak has defeated Frank Klees 5606 to 4643.

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Afterthought: Tim Hudak has garnered 55% of the third ballot votes to defeat Frank Klees. Just under 500 of Christine Elliot’s 2900 second ballot votes went to Hudak, while a significant 1400 went to Frank Klees. It was not enough however, and Tim Hudak is the next leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario: a job that will come with daily venom, vicious innuendo spoken of you and, God forbid you should ever win an election, the noisiest 1/2% of the population will burn you in effigy on a daily basis. Congratulations Tim.

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Update: Joanne at Blue Like You, Sandy at Crux of the Matter and United and Strong are all reporting the Hudak victory now.

Tim Hudak Christine Elliott, Frank Klees, human rights, Human Rights Comissions, John Tory, PC, PC leadership, PC leadership convention, PC leadership vote, Progressive Conservative, Randy Hiller, Tim Hudak

I have been watching the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race with some interest the past few months, and slowly but surely made my call on who I think should become the next PC leader. This weekend it all comes to a head, as Progressive Conservatives in Ontario vote for a replacement for John Tory (side note: really, you people want John Tory to run for Mayor of Toronto? You like David Miller that much?). I have at different times written off every candidate in this race for one reason or another, but the time has come to endorse somebody, anybody.

First, lets do away with the caveats: I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of any political party. I did consider taking out a membership for this race, but never did.  I do, however, tend to vote Conservative (not so much Progressive), although my vote has to be earned. I refuse to just give it to the guy who’s the least left wing.

To start with, lets eliminate a few candidates. Frank Klees is a throwback, a seventies Progressive Conservative who belongs to another time, another ballot. He was, in my opinion, un-vote-able in much the same way John Tory was un-vote-able. Memo to Frank Klees: Dalton McGuinty will probably step down in a few years, you would be very comfortable in the Liberal party.

Randy Hillier I liked, and agreed with him on most issues. I hope the next leader has a seat at the table for Hiller. He is, however, not ready for prime time. He has nowhere near the professionalism and polish needed to run a major political party, and may never develop it. It makes him refreshing, but not an appropriate choice.

And then there were two. How can I not choose Tim Hudak over Christine Elliot. Christine Elliot presented one policy that I was big on, flat taxes. This is possibly the best policy option out there, simplifying the tax system, balancing the tax load between private individuals and corporate, yet at the same time lowering taxes for lower income workers. Sadly, I don’t get the impression Christine Elliot is as committed to a flat tax as I am, I get the impression she can speak it with a straight face, but that it is disposable policy. What your left with is Red Tory Liberal lite policies. Thanks, but no.

Tim Hudak, on the other hand, comes in with one big plus, the human rights issue. This isn’t a minor issue, in my mind, this is the issue. Frankly put, if you can’t see what is so wrong with these speech tribunals, then you don’t have appropriate conservative credentials. This may never make it to an election platform, Christine Elliot may be right and it may be too dangerous an issue (I disagree, but lets run with it). However, her un willingness to fight for it, to talk of these judge/jury joint ventures in a negative way indicates she doesn’t get what is wrong with undemocratic, un-judicial beaurocrats passing judgement on the speaking habits of the citizenry.  It’s not so much a major policy issue as it is a litmus test: if you won’t talk about disbanding these kangaroo courts, then you’re not my kind of conservative.

On almost all talking points and policy issues, Tim Hudak passes my sniff test. His conservative credentials are strong. He gives the impression that he has conservative values, not because they are a good career decision, but because he believes in the core tenant that freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.

freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy Christine Elliot, conservative principles, Dalton McGuinty, flat tax, Frank Klees, HRCs, human rights, John Tory, PC leadership convention, PC leadership vote, Prgressive Conservative Party, Randy Hiller, Tim Hudak

As the following image shows, John Tory did not get beaten last night in Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, he flat out lost. A full third of his voters stayed home (thanks to Right From Alberta for the graphic).

It is long past time for John Tory to resign as leader of the Ontario PC party, but he must now do so immediately.

by-election fever, John 'Red Green' Tory, John Tory Brock, Haliburton, John Tory, Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, PC, Progressive Conservatives

Today in Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock a by-election is being held to keep John Tory as Progressive Conservative leader or finally dump him like the guy who makes Joe Clark look astute that he is.

If you are a conservative voter in that riding, consider voting for Freedom Party candidate Bill Denby. For that matter vote for the NDP candidate or the Liberal candidate: vote for anybody but John Tory.

If you are a Liberal Party supporter, I would recommend you vote for Tory. He’s your best shot at never losing another election. If, however, your leanings are small government freedom loving conservative, even if Tory wins, you lose.

In Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock today, vote for change. Vote for anybody but John Tory.

by-election fever, John 'Red Green' Tory, John Tory, Ontario Election Bill Denby, Brock, Dalton McGuinty, Freedom Party, Haliburton, John Tory, Kawartha Lakes, Liberal Party, Ontario, Progressive Conservative, Red Tory