People keep asking how the heck Conservative MP Patrick Brown can sign more than 40,000 new provincial party memberships? What they fail to grasp is that a system developed 30 years ago has grown and become something of an industry. Brown did not invent it, he just used it. This
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Babel-on-the-Bay: When Wynne wants her way.
When Premier Wynne knows what it is she wants, she wants it, she gets it and you best get out of her way. It is just regrettable that she has never learned anything about democracy. For an autocrat such as her to be running the Province of Ontario seems to
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Mr. Brown’s win-win for Premier Wynne.
The phones were ringing early in Barrie yesterday. Conservatives were stunned. Liberals were in shock. New Democrats were confused. Not that this blog ever wants to say “We told you so!” but we will this time. It is not difficult to believe the figure of 40,000 instant Conservatives for Ontario.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Meet the Don Quixote of Chatham-Kent—Essex.
This guy could only be from South-Western Ontario. Richard (Rick) Nicholls is the Progressive Conservative MPP for Chatham-Kent—Essex in the Ontario Legislature. He also claims to be an evolution denier and is opposed to wind turbines in Lambton-Kent County. He does not think they are good for us. It has
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: What’s Wrong with Municipal Bonusing?
Until the early 1970s, municipalities in Ontario were involved in a free-for-all competition to attract business and industry. They offered tax breaks, free land, free infrastructure, utilities or services, housing — whatever it took to get a plant or office to open within their boundaries. A lot of small Ontario
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: But can we educate the news media?
It was interesting comparing how different news media announced the new sex education material issued by the Ontario Ministry of Education. For all the hoopla, it seems to be very tame stuff. It told us more about the maturity of the reporters, news directors and editors than it did about
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Gretzky should stick to hockey.
One of the lessons learned in the communications business is that endorsements are an attention getter but need substance to last. Take the recent endorsement of an Ontario politician by hockey great Wayne Gretzky. Does it say to you that if the great Gretzky likes this guy, you should too?
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Here’s the way it works Ms. Wynne.
The bad news is that the buck stops at your desk, Premier Wynne. Many politicians have gone down over the years because of the same arrogance. It can happen to you. You are not above the law. And if your partner Jane bakes you a cake, tell her not to
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Ontario beer barons play the price card.
This has been on the table since day one. Ontario’s foreign-owned Beer Stores have finally played the price card. Wynne’s Whigs have them cornered and threatening to raise retail beer prices is the only tactic left to our foreign beer barons. Wynne has already said that there will be no
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: They’re breaking up the old Tory gang.
And now there are three. The kid in short pants has moved up. Now he can come third. It certainly confirms the opinion that former provincial Conservative leader, Timmy Hudak fouled the nest. A week ago we were writing about the four provincial members and the one federal member who
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Beer Barons take off the gloves.
If somebody gave you a monopoly almost 90 years ago and they decide to take it back and give the long-suffering consumer some choice, what are your rights? What is this franchise worth? This question comes up because Ontario’s beer monopoly is starting to fight back. And why not? We
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The winning ways of Wynne’s Whigs?
This should warm you up on a cold February day. There is a provincial by-election tomorrow in Sudbury, Ontario. There is a lot of money on the table over that vote that says Wynne’s Whigs get their asses kicked. And they deserve it. They have resisted reform. They arrogantly co-opted
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: A cheap shot from the cheap seats.
Remember recently when we reported on the Conservative “snore-fest” leadership race in Ontario. Can you guess who might have read our report and decided to liven things up? It’s that kid in short pants who has nothing better to do as a federal Member of Parliament than to waste time
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Ontario’s booze battle becomes a bar brawl.
Remember in the old western movies when the bad guy would punch the hero and everyone in the bar got into the fight. That is how it feels now that people are getting involved in the argument about beer, wine and liquor sales in Ontario. It started as a dignified
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: It is recess time in the Ontario PC leadership.
It is like a middle school recess time. You should not need playground monitors but it is still a good idea to periodically look outside and make sure there are no brawls. We are pleased to report that nothing very much is happening that was not expected to happen. What
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Is Canada racist? No. Is there racism in Canada? Yes.
The announcements of the concern about racism the other day in Winnipeg came as no surprise. That part of this country has been trying to stuff the racism genie back in the bottle since the confluence of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers was the site of an early trading post.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: What a difference a day makes in a Tory budget.
Did you see Finance Minister Joe Oliver’s dance of the seven veils last week? This guy is right in his element playing Peek-a-Boo. At least it makes more sense than his budgets—if we even get one this year? When last heard from the other day, he said he might have
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: It is time for Ontario to grow up.
Visualize this: Ed Clark of TD Bank and former banker Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa are in Sousa’s Queen’s Park office. They have their $600 brogues up on Charles’ desk and each a substantial glass of single malt scotch in hand. You can smell the scent of the peat bogs
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Wynne’s Whigs not warming to Sudbury weather.
The cold seems to bite through the thickest thermal clothing at this time of year in Sudbury. Yet the Super Stack in Copper Cliff still dominates, layering the city in its customary grey after each snowfall. The February 5 by-election just adds to the greyness of the scene. Mind you
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: It’s small beer from Ontario’s beer cartel.
It’s too little, too late and frankly insulting. The foreign-owned brewers who own Ontario Beer Stores have seen the writing on the wall and think they can negotiate out of the mess of their own making. The beer giants have offered to sell a position in a few beer stores
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