With less than two weeks to go before we enter the voting booth, there are still some things that haven't been talked about this campaign. Here are what I think some of them are:
1. Caledonia: It's still a stalemate over five years later. Hudak, and Horwath could really hammer McGuinty on this one. In my opinion- McGuinty failed in his duty to protect his people. History has a bad habit of repeating itself; fear of a repeat of what happened at Ipperwash probably caused the inaction. It goes to leadership; you see a problem and solve it.
2. The Self-employed: Surveys have shown that although unemployment is growing, so too are the self-employed. The federal government has responded to this, extending maternity/paternity benefits, as well as some health benefits to them. All provincial parties aren't looking at this, and it should be discussed.
3. Affordable Housing: Someone in a recent interview I did pointed out that even though many parts of the province have the same issues, they look different. Homelessness for example looks different in Grimsby than it does in Toronto or even Milton. For example it costs around $700/ month in Grimsby to rent an apartment- expensive; especially when you're a homeless youth with limited job prospects. Even the acknowledgement there is a problem, and it can't be solved with one blanket solution would be a step in the right direction.
4. The "Single" Person: Believe me, I understand the focus on family. It's the core of society- we all start off members of a family. But here's the thing; we all grow up and become fine upstanding tax-paying citizens. Some marry, and have kids of their own. Some choose to remain single. And yet despite all this the "Single person is being ignored. Elections can come down to single vote victories, so remember the single person.
These are just four issues not being discussed. If there's an issue you feel strongly our leaders should tackle, then feel free to leave a comment. Who knows? maybe with a little over week to go, maybe a couple of them will get attention.
Showing posts with label election 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label election 2011. Show all posts
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
The N.D. P. Platform critique
The N.D.P. have always had great ideas. But when you ask how much it would cost... that's when it falls apart. This platform is no exception. They have the most realistic approach to the HST; they'd scrap it on home heating oils, and gas for cars- two places where it would save people the most. But the revenue has to be replaced somewhere.
Setting weekly gas prices is in theory a good idea. Nobody else has even tried to solve this problem, and it seems the instant there's an increase on the markets, within hours there's an increase at our local gas stations. There has to be something we can do. But the question I have here is: how do you manage the market increases?
Becoming equal partners in transit development with municipalities is a good idea as well. It is pretty much our collective faults for not developing our transit as we built our roads- this kind of spreads the burden of solving the problem. Where the weakness with their transit plan is in the freeze on fares for four years. Again- a good idea; who doesn't want to pay less for something? The problem is what happens when/ if you take the freeze off? After four years the increase could be a huge deciding factor in whether some people continue to use transit. A better idea might be to somehow tie the increase to the rate of inflation maybe.
The education plank is fairly non-existent. The N.D.P. is looking at tuition freezes, and forgiving the interest on student loans. Both good ideas, but it fails to address the system as a whole. The P.C.'s and Liberals both have grand plans of funding 60 thousand post-secondary spots.
Buying Ontario may be a great soundbite but in practical terms won't work. The provinces are too interdependent on each other. And Ontario is still a powerful part of the overall Canadian economy- Ontarians start buying exclusively Ontario, and the rest of Canada might fail.
Scrapping the LHIN's (Local Health Integrated Network), is something the N.D.P. and their P.C. counterparts agree on. The money saved here (I think around $200 million) would probably offset some of the fees on medical exams, and ambulance fees they plan on getting rid of.
These are some decent ideas there, but is it enough to form a government on? It might be. The N.D.P. have so far been fairly clear on what they will do if elected, and the clarity might be enough to break through the clatter of the other two fighting it out on the negative end of things.
Setting weekly gas prices is in theory a good idea. Nobody else has even tried to solve this problem, and it seems the instant there's an increase on the markets, within hours there's an increase at our local gas stations. There has to be something we can do. But the question I have here is: how do you manage the market increases?
Becoming equal partners in transit development with municipalities is a good idea as well. It is pretty much our collective faults for not developing our transit as we built our roads- this kind of spreads the burden of solving the problem. Where the weakness with their transit plan is in the freeze on fares for four years. Again- a good idea; who doesn't want to pay less for something? The problem is what happens when/ if you take the freeze off? After four years the increase could be a huge deciding factor in whether some people continue to use transit. A better idea might be to somehow tie the increase to the rate of inflation maybe.
The education plank is fairly non-existent. The N.D.P. is looking at tuition freezes, and forgiving the interest on student loans. Both good ideas, but it fails to address the system as a whole. The P.C.'s and Liberals both have grand plans of funding 60 thousand post-secondary spots.
Buying Ontario may be a great soundbite but in practical terms won't work. The provinces are too interdependent on each other. And Ontario is still a powerful part of the overall Canadian economy- Ontarians start buying exclusively Ontario, and the rest of Canada might fail.
Scrapping the LHIN's (Local Health Integrated Network), is something the N.D.P. and their P.C. counterparts agree on. The money saved here (I think around $200 million) would probably offset some of the fees on medical exams, and ambulance fees they plan on getting rid of.
These are some decent ideas there, but is it enough to form a government on? It might be. The N.D.P. have so far been fairly clear on what they will do if elected, and the clarity might be enough to break through the clatter of the other two fighting it out on the negative end of things.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Let the Games Begin
The campaign's been running all summer, and yesterday it finally officially kicked off. Who will win? How will they tackle the key issues? Both questions will be answered over the next month.
Right now I'm predicting a minority government.The Liberals on the surface are running a surprisingly strong campaign. Scratch below the surface though, and I find myself following the money; how are they going to afford it all? They're promising tuition credits for students in middle-class families, tax credits for companies hiring foreign workers, and to build or expand new hospitals as well as building 3 new campuses in the G.T.A. alone. All with a deficit sitting somewhere in the $15-20 billion range. Their positive is McGuinty himself. By mocking himself as one of the most unpopular people in the country, he's taking the sting out of it. He's coming across as natural in some of their commercials; gone is the almost wooden behavior he displays in the media.
While the Liberals are running a strong campaign, the P.C.'s are running a weaker one. That kind of surprises me because their platform does have substance, and the McGuinty government doesn't have the best record to run on. The P.C.'s message is too negative now- all summer I've been hearing about McGuinty the taxman. We all know that; we've lived through it, and still paying for it Now tell us how you plan to reverse that; a cut to the H.S.T. across the board would probably do more good for more people than the targeted elimination on some products and services. Hudak wants to eliminate the Local Health Integrated networks (L.H.I.N.), and invest the money saved form it into front-line health care. How much would that save exactly? Where specifically would invest it- would it be in building more, and expanding hospitals? Hudak has been labelled "Mike Harris Light" by the Liberals and has done nothing to get out in front,and neutralize it.
The N.D.P. is a wild card. Andrea Horwath is a clear communicator; she made no bones about wanting the job. It's quite likely she may be a king-maker in the case of a minority. She's clear about the party's beliefs, and where they stand on the issues. Such clarity could see her come up the middle between Hudak and McGuinty; while they're sniping each and either win the election or become leader of the opposition. I believe people are still looking for a change and so far she seems to capture it.
It's early in the campaign, and I don't think the latest poll showing McGuinty in the lead nearing majority territory doesn't matter much. There's a lot of a campaign to be run- mistakes to be made, and points to be won. Let the games begin.
Right now I'm predicting a minority government.The Liberals on the surface are running a surprisingly strong campaign. Scratch below the surface though, and I find myself following the money; how are they going to afford it all? They're promising tuition credits for students in middle-class families, tax credits for companies hiring foreign workers, and to build or expand new hospitals as well as building 3 new campuses in the G.T.A. alone. All with a deficit sitting somewhere in the $15-20 billion range. Their positive is McGuinty himself. By mocking himself as one of the most unpopular people in the country, he's taking the sting out of it. He's coming across as natural in some of their commercials; gone is the almost wooden behavior he displays in the media.
While the Liberals are running a strong campaign, the P.C.'s are running a weaker one. That kind of surprises me because their platform does have substance, and the McGuinty government doesn't have the best record to run on. The P.C.'s message is too negative now- all summer I've been hearing about McGuinty the taxman. We all know that; we've lived through it, and still paying for it Now tell us how you plan to reverse that; a cut to the H.S.T. across the board would probably do more good for more people than the targeted elimination on some products and services. Hudak wants to eliminate the Local Health Integrated networks (L.H.I.N.), and invest the money saved form it into front-line health care. How much would that save exactly? Where specifically would invest it- would it be in building more, and expanding hospitals? Hudak has been labelled "Mike Harris Light" by the Liberals and has done nothing to get out in front,and neutralize it.
The N.D.P. is a wild card. Andrea Horwath is a clear communicator; she made no bones about wanting the job. It's quite likely she may be a king-maker in the case of a minority. She's clear about the party's beliefs, and where they stand on the issues. Such clarity could see her come up the middle between Hudak and McGuinty; while they're sniping each and either win the election or become leader of the opposition. I believe people are still looking for a change and so far she seems to capture it.
It's early in the campaign, and I don't think the latest poll showing McGuinty in the lead nearing majority territory doesn't matter much. There's a lot of a campaign to be run- mistakes to be made, and points to be won. Let the games begin.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Fantastic Finish
So... that was a fantastic finish election night wasn't it? It was initially a foregone conclusion; the Conservatives would win; but the N.D.P. did give them quite a scare didn't they?
I'm one of the few people who will publicly admit that I can find few faults with a Conservative majority government. Four years of unadulterated peace, of not wondering if that next budget or policy announcement will lose the confidence of the House. Four years to see what Stephen Harper can do with a majority, which, I think will prove very interesting. The results are mixed for Harper; he lost four cabinet ministers, and Quebec. Each has to be considered a light slap on the wrist. But he gained seats in what was previously termed the "Liberal fortress" Toronto and Ontario in general. The fact Harper would end the campagin the place he started- as Prime Minister was never in doubt who would oppose him was a different matter.
From the get-go everyone thought it was going to be the Liberals. They had a good platform launch, and some good ideas. Around the time of the English debate it all fell apart. It was then when the affable, charming Jack Layton of the N.D.P. struck a blow against his Liberal counterpart Michael Ignatieff. It was on the surface a harmless comment- Layton remarked on Ignatieff's attendance- or absence in the House of Commons. Ignatieff just brushed it aside, and that moment did more to crystalize why Canadians don't like Michael Ignatieff than any Conservative attack ad.
Things then began to get worse for Ignatieff; there were the near hysterical "rise up" moments. And the moments where the party brought out Paul Martin, and Jean Chretien- each viewed as a sign of the party's growing desperation. And while it got worse for him, it got better for Jack Layton.
Layton's poll numbers continued going up. Suddenly there was something about the N.D.P. that Canadians liked. Within days of the election there were scenarios that would have seen Jack Layton Prime Minister. Who knows why he got as popular as he did; it might have been the underlying need for a change or the need to see something positive going on in Ottawa. Whatever the reason was we woke up to an N.D.P sitting in the opposition with over 100 seats, and the Liberals sitting a historic third place at 34 seats. As an added bonus, the Sepratist Bloc Quebecios were reduced to 4 seats, and not one of them was Gilles Duceppe. The Greens even had their first MP thanks to Elizabeth May.
I think the N.D.P. could very well temper the Conservatives. Historically they've served as the country's "social conscience" and there's really no reason why they can't continue in that role more powerful than ever. I don't think there's anything to fear from Harper's majority- the N.D.P. will temper it, and probably force them to go a little more left. And a majority will mean a lot less sniping, and a little more governing- I don't know about you, but I am so ready for that. Let's see what Harper will do the next four years- and then if we don't like it, we can throw him out.
I'm one of the few people who will publicly admit that I can find few faults with a Conservative majority government. Four years of unadulterated peace, of not wondering if that next budget or policy announcement will lose the confidence of the House. Four years to see what Stephen Harper can do with a majority, which, I think will prove very interesting. The results are mixed for Harper; he lost four cabinet ministers, and Quebec. Each has to be considered a light slap on the wrist. But he gained seats in what was previously termed the "Liberal fortress" Toronto and Ontario in general. The fact Harper would end the campagin the place he started- as Prime Minister was never in doubt who would oppose him was a different matter.
From the get-go everyone thought it was going to be the Liberals. They had a good platform launch, and some good ideas. Around the time of the English debate it all fell apart. It was then when the affable, charming Jack Layton of the N.D.P. struck a blow against his Liberal counterpart Michael Ignatieff. It was on the surface a harmless comment- Layton remarked on Ignatieff's attendance- or absence in the House of Commons. Ignatieff just brushed it aside, and that moment did more to crystalize why Canadians don't like Michael Ignatieff than any Conservative attack ad.
Things then began to get worse for Ignatieff; there were the near hysterical "rise up" moments. And the moments where the party brought out Paul Martin, and Jean Chretien- each viewed as a sign of the party's growing desperation. And while it got worse for him, it got better for Jack Layton.
Layton's poll numbers continued going up. Suddenly there was something about the N.D.P. that Canadians liked. Within days of the election there were scenarios that would have seen Jack Layton Prime Minister. Who knows why he got as popular as he did; it might have been the underlying need for a change or the need to see something positive going on in Ottawa. Whatever the reason was we woke up to an N.D.P sitting in the opposition with over 100 seats, and the Liberals sitting a historic third place at 34 seats. As an added bonus, the Sepratist Bloc Quebecios were reduced to 4 seats, and not one of them was Gilles Duceppe. The Greens even had their first MP thanks to Elizabeth May.
I think the N.D.P. could very well temper the Conservatives. Historically they've served as the country's "social conscience" and there's really no reason why they can't continue in that role more powerful than ever. I don't think there's anything to fear from Harper's majority- the N.D.P. will temper it, and probably force them to go a little more left. And a majority will mean a lot less sniping, and a little more governing- I don't know about you, but I am so ready for that. Let's see what Harper will do the next four years- and then if we don't like it, we can throw him out.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Get out and Vote
In addition to my writing/editing duties at Milton Today Magazine I've taken up producing as well. My work as a Producer can mean anything from contacting political candidates, to being in the field with reporters and cameramen. This last Tuesday I was out with a cameraman shooting videos for our debate. We were outside a well-known grocery store, trying to get people to ask a question of Halton's candidates in the federal election. There were people who actually told us they didn't vote and weren't following the election.
I was shocked. But in a way I understood- four federal elections in the last seven years is a bit much. And I can understand the cynicism and the general jaded feelings going around out there; I have at times felt them myself. But being jaded, and cynical are no excuses for not voting. A vote is the most valuable tool we have in a democracy. It can be used to effect change- don't like what Harper's doing about corporate taxes? Here's your chance; vote Liberal. Don't like the Liberal platform? There's always the NDP, or Conservatives. Don't like any of the choices? Spoil your ballot, or register an abstention. It's up to you, it's your choice- all you have to do is make it. You have the choice; and isn't that one of the many selling points of Canada? If you don't vote how can you complain about what's happening afterwards?
Think about what's happening in the middle east. Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria. Around the world they're fighting for the right to vote, and some are dying just so they can vote. And here we are about to vote in the fourth election in seven years- why not be thankful that we have a choice; and that we can take the 15 minutes to go down to our local polling station and mark an X beside the individual of our choice.
Advance Polls opened today, and are open tomorrow and Monday from noon-8pm. Three chances to get out on vote. Or you can get out and vote on election day. I've been pretty obvious about my choice; but what's right for me, probably isn't right for you. All that matters is that you get out and vote.
I was shocked. But in a way I understood- four federal elections in the last seven years is a bit much. And I can understand the cynicism and the general jaded feelings going around out there; I have at times felt them myself. But being jaded, and cynical are no excuses for not voting. A vote is the most valuable tool we have in a democracy. It can be used to effect change- don't like what Harper's doing about corporate taxes? Here's your chance; vote Liberal. Don't like the Liberal platform? There's always the NDP, or Conservatives. Don't like any of the choices? Spoil your ballot, or register an abstention. It's up to you, it's your choice- all you have to do is make it. You have the choice; and isn't that one of the many selling points of Canada? If you don't vote how can you complain about what's happening afterwards?
Think about what's happening in the middle east. Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria. Around the world they're fighting for the right to vote, and some are dying just so they can vote. And here we are about to vote in the fourth election in seven years- why not be thankful that we have a choice; and that we can take the 15 minutes to go down to our local polling station and mark an X beside the individual of our choice.
Advance Polls opened today, and are open tomorrow and Monday from noon-8pm. Three chances to get out on vote. Or you can get out and vote on election day. I've been pretty obvious about my choice; but what's right for me, probably isn't right for you. All that matters is that you get out and vote.
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