Author: Warren

Having just completed “a whiplash-inducing flip-flop on his transit “Number One Priority,” John Tory has something new to be a hypocrite about: ethics. Discussing Rob Ford’s regular violation of conflict of interest rules, here’s what John said last night at the mayoralty candidate’s debate at Humber College in Etobicoke: “[The]

This guy could’ve won last night’s #onpoli debate. Doesn’t sweat, doesn’t wave arms, doesn’t use cue cards. .

The big question I can’t answer is this one: in an election campaign where no one has been paying attention, was anyone paying attention last night? If so, get ready for Premier Hudak. Forehead notwithstanding, he absolutely dominated that debate. Read this guy for the reasons why. If nobody watched

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Whenever political parties unleash new ads – as is happening this week in Ontario – reporters inevitably call up the so-called experts. They call political scientists, image consultants and pollsters. They call political strategists. But they never call up the people the ads are actually about: the political leaders themselves.

Just got this over the transom. This guy is an Ontario Liberal candidate? Is this legit? .

Reporter Andy Radia asked me what Kathleen Wynne and Andrea Horwath need to do tomorrow night.  Here’s what I told him, as a free and valuable public service: “Debates are about two things.  One, looking and sounding like a leader.  Two, using the debate to ratify your issues and policies.

I know, I know, pollsters get things wrong, these days.  Believe me, I know. But Ipsos, Abacus and the precious few others who actually, you know, talk to real people still do fine work (and it’s why my firm uses them, by the way). Darrell’s tweets below neatly summarize what

Olivia Chow attended literally dozens of community get-togethers and fun fairs and whatnot over the weekend. She was non-stop. John Tory’s campaign? Well, um, their chief spokesperson was on Twitter, (a) attacking Liberals and (b) defending Tim Hudak’s dalliances with the Tea Party.

The reviews keep pouring in – and, for John, they suck! Toronto Star: “JOHN TORY’S ‘SMART TRACK’ ISN’T SO SMART…arch addler John Tory, has adopted a new “top priority” to replace the earlier “top priority” he had been promoting since entering the mayoralty race…the new John Tory, was sharply critical of last

Hell, I would’ve bought it. .

It’s okay if I do it. But not if you do it. Understand? Me neither. .

They dressed up bigotry and hate with lots of fancy words, as I recall. But it was still bigotry and hate. Ignatieff’s one-time speechwriter isn’t in any way a far-Right lunatic, of course. But I won’t link to his recent error-ridden, appalling anti-Catholic op-ed in the Globe. For the same reason

So, here’s what you should know about Ipsos’ ability to win the election-prediction sweepstakes. Forum, Ekos, et al.: don’t trust IVR. .

[I’m outside Toronto, in a small convenience store. A man in a uniform, holding a clipboard, is sternly addressing a young man about propane gas storage.] Officious official: And what is your emergency response procedure, please? Young man: Hey, Mom _ what do we do when something goes wrong? .

This. I don’t believe it, myself, but it’s fun to play with I guess. My take, in easy-to-digest bullets: No one is paying attention at all. The people who are paying attention find the choices uninspiring. None of the parties have much money to spend. All of the parties are

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…and has “barely established a beachhead.” Ouch.  Being dissed in an auto magazine.  John Tory has arrived. “Of course, we can probably take this talk of an imminent invasion with a grain of salt; save for the German luxury marques, our Continental cousins have proven woefully inept at plundering North

It was Kathleen Wynne’s campaign event, but it was also a testament to Stephen Harper’s political skills. Let us explain. There the Ontario Liberal leader was, on Wednesday: in a Toronto–area classroom, a gaggle of smiling kindergarten kids gathered behind her. She was there to announce something or the other,

Ontario Popular Vote Tightens as Liberals Rally (34%) to Within Two Points of Tories (36%), NDP Soften (23%) But Likely Turnout Shows Motivated PC Voters (41%) Delivering Big at the Ballot Box over Anemic Liberal Voters (29%) and Growing NDP (25%) Verdict: nobody engaged, still, except always-motivated conservatives. .