From the Toronto Star's Political Notebook:
Ouch!
In its issue published Friday, Foreign Direct Investment magazine, a British publication owned by the Financial Times, named Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty its world "Personality of the Year."
This was front-page news in Canada's largest circulation newspaper -- The Toronto Star -- but McGuinty's political foes were less charitable.
DALTON MCGUINTY DESERVES A FEW MORE AWARDS
(Queen’s Park) - The Ontario PC Party today suggested several other awards Dalton McGuinty’s public relations experts could nominate him for after securing a “personality award” from a British magazine.
Man of the Year Award for his work on behalf of autistic children.
Community Builder Award from forestry communities in Northwestern Ontario.
Nobel Peace Prize for suspending the rule of law in Caledonia.
Airline Passenger of the Year for frequent short-haul flights on routes such as Toronto-Hamilton and Toronto-Peterborough.
Defense Lawyer of the Year for a passionate defense of Cabinet Minister Harinder Takhar after he broke the law.
Heisman Trophy for prolific punting of major issues such as property tax and municipal finances.
Academy Award for role as a tough guy in ongoing fiscal “fight” with federal government.
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for the 2003 Liberal Party Platform with its famous line: “I won’t raise your taxes.”
Olympic Gold Medal for Gymnastics for twisting around his coal promise.
Exporter of the Year for sending tens of thousands of Ontario manufacturing jobs abroad.
Ultimate Fighting Champion for his willingness to pick a fight with Ottawa at any time, over any issue.
Team Canada MVP for telling the other premiers how much more important he was than them.
American Express Consumer of the Year for his efforts to remind Ontarians how much fun deficit spending can be.
- I could not have said it better myself.
4 comments:
Ha! This is a great post. I'm going to save this for the next election. Excellent!
Well, Kirk.... it's like this:
It seems as though federally, the CPC are only too happy to lay blame for current problems on the previous Liberal government. In fact, every time Stephen Harper screws up, he stands up and condones it by claiming that the Liberals did the same thing. If you feel that the federal government has problems and that the last government should be accountable for many of them, perhaps your provincial counterparts could accept responsibility for their actions while in office.
On the autism file, you're right. This is not being adequately addressed by the provincial government.
As for the forestry communities in Northwestern Ontario.... I notice Harris and Eves really gave a damn about that. But there's more to it than just the fact that the last provincial government dropped the ball. Why is the forestry industry in such despair?
1. In other jurisdictions, forestry roads and transportation costs are often publicly funded. NWO is one of the most expensive regions in the world to move forest products in. Unfortunately, we are in no financial position to address this issue to inherited deficit.
2. Cost of energy. Bowater's Thunder Bay operation consumes approximately as much electricity as the rest of the city combined... a city of over 100,000 people. Who do we thank for our energy problems? Your friends, Mr. Harris and Mr. Eves. Electricity prices must increase because the province cannot and should not continue to subsidize energy. And you know what? Three of the current PC critics that I had lunch with seem to concur with that assessment of the situation. Deregulation does not work. It ddidn't work for natural gas in Alberta and they're sitting right on top of the stuff. It failed miserably throughout the US and other Canadian provinces and interestingly enough Manitoba has one of (if not the) lowest commodity rates on electricity and they kept their public energy sector. Go figure.
3. Illegal tariffs. Illegal tariffs are killing the softwood lumber industry in Ontario. Mr. Harper and Mr. Emerson are prepared to sign a deal with the US that sees Canada waive its rights under international trade law and allow the US to violate NAFTA. It also leaves the door wide open for the US to continue screwing us in the future. Don't think this issue is going to go away when that sham of an agreement is signed.
4. While the forestry sector is in dire circumstances, both the McGuinty government and the last federal government invested significant resources into development of other sectors in the region. If the forestry industry must inevitably die, let it die. Why prop up an ill-fated industry rather than use resources to diversify and transition?
About the Nobel Peace Prize for suspending the rule of law in Caledonia. Rather than looking at the "rule of law," lets look at the law itself. It is illegal to barracade roads, harass the media, steal law enforcement vehicles and assault people. These guys are still out there though. I think they've had a hell of a lot leniency. And the problem in Caledonia really has nothing to do with McGuinty. Since you're trying to enter federal politics, I suggest you become acclimated with the Constitution. Its a pretty important document enacted in 1982 that clearly assigns responsiblity for the First Nations to the federal government. Unresolved land claims are a problem and can be pinned squarely on each and every federal government -- regardless of party -- that has failed to address them. On another note, what award does Mike Harris get for Ipperwash and Dudley George? Huh?
Airline Passenger of the Year? I'll try and access McGuinty's expense claims and get back to you on that one. It's new to me.
Regarding Takhar.... he was stupid. But if you read the entire report from the investigation, you will see that he allowed himself into a questionale position, but did not act on it or use it to his benefit in any way or participate in the management of Chalmers. Does McGuinty get an award for it? I could care less but allow me to refer to some of what your buddies have been up to these days.
Gordon O'Connor: Worked as a defense lobbyist for Boeing, now Minister of Defence, handing out $8 billion in untendered contracts to..... guess who? Boeing!
Tony Clement (Two-tiered Tony): Minister of Health. Oversees the government agency responsible for approving and testing pharmaceuticals in Canada and he practically owns a drug company!
Jim Flaherty: Since Harper's platform no longer adds up, he'll really need old Jimmy around to hide the impending deficits, much as he did for Ernie back in Queens Park.
How about McGuinty's handling of municipal finances and property taxes? Why even argue with a conservative about taxes. You guys say its tax, tax, tax with the Liberals. Funny, its the party with the blue signs that seems so fond of operating in the red. Its borrow, borrow, borrow with the Tories and then pay interest out the ass x 3 later.
So he gets the academy award for playing the tough guy over fiscal issues with the federal government. Well, he's taking the fight to them. Let's see how Harper deals with it.
A gymnastics award, eh? Almost funny. Mcguinty said he'd shut down the plants and guess what? They're getting ready to shut down. We found a better energy source. Jim Flaherty's old collection of printed copies of his budget and CPC/PC campaign materials. I recently watched a TV show about burning manure to generate electricity. This plan I propose would come damned close. Whether its a cow's bulls**t or a conservative's, its all foul.
That brings us to exporting jobs. Guess you weren't an economics major. If people in third world countries will do a job for pennies an hour, and people in Ontario can't work that cheaply, guess where the companies are going to go? Hey slick, look around at the rest of the developed world, I think you'll find similar complaints. Now I'll give credit where credit is due, the provincial tories had a plan to deal with this. It was called never adjusting minimum wage!
Now its proposed that McGuinty get another award for picking fights with Ottawa. This is a typical tory catch-22. If you fight them, you're not a team player. If you don't fight them, you're not doing your job. This one doesn't even have to be addressed, you guys over at the CPC and PC need a new playbook. Yours is getting pretty old. *Laughs* So predictable.
About the Team Canada MVP thing, how far do you have to go to find any little thing to criticize McGuinty over? Grow up.
Deficit spending..... don't even think about looking at the Liberals for that one. That's all yours.
At the end of this post you say you couldn't have said it better yourself. That's scary. If you can't argue, refute and express ideas in a more professional, accurate and fact-based manner than whatever moron wrote this awards list, you have no business in politics.
Oh boy, is this pathetic or what? Deficit spending???? Ontario is now in a surplus - yes a surplus after Harris/Eaves/Flaherty left the province with a $6 billion debt - yup.
Get your facts straight.
And by the way, you how Flaherty got Ontario into such a bad debt...hmmm? The idiot reduced taxes on "borrowed" money. Wasn't that clever.
Shall we go on - hmmm?
You're looking like a complete fool here.
Far worse is what Ontario Liberals have done to "politics" itself. They have made a mockery of participatory and liberal democracy. I urge you, as I recently did, to sit in the legislature for question period to really see what goes on. The arrogance and the refusal to be held accountable for anything is staggering. With an overwhelming majority, a favourable economy, and into their 4th year, there has to come a time when McGuinty can no longer simply blame previous governments for the inadequacies and failures of his own.
Moreover, in case you missed it this week, it was also his government which brought a new low to political discourse in the legislature when Liberal MPP Bartolucci yelled out "Conservatives are child abusers". This was followed the next day by a half hearted apology which was issued amid birthday wishes to his mother. The gravity and crassness of his statement never acknowledged.
Less than a month ago, we had an Energy minister telling people who won't be able to afford to pay their hydro bills to keep warm this winter to simply turn down the thermostat, snuggle up with someone, while sipping on a bottle of red wine. There is no humour in that sentiment, only crass indifference.
The arrogance, the smugness, and the failure of this government to take responsibility is utterly revolting.
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