Members of the provincial Liberal Party in Babel are watching their e-mail in-boxes. We are waiting for news of our Liberal candidate for the June 12 election. You would think that with all the support Kathleen Wynne got from this riding in her run for the Liberal leadership, it would
Continue readingTag: Provincial Politics
Babel-on-the-Bay: Hudak’s odds are now 100,000:1.
There must be a rule for Conservative Party leaders in Ontario that, during an election campaign, they have to commit some form of political suicide. Ontario Conservative Leader Timmy Hudak came to Barrie last Friday and did the deed. Timmy not only proved he is a failure in economics but
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Ms. Horwath wants your vote.
On that two-deck-high campaign bus, Ms. Horwath’s picture has been reproduced bigger than life. The Ontario New Democrat leader looks good. In fact it is too good. It seems to be trying to lay a patina on the New Democrat campaign that does not exist. It appears that Andrea Horwath
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Is this as you like it Ms. Wynne?
There is a wonderful old expression, still in use today: “Hoisted by your own petard.” It simply means that the schemes you used to harm others can be used against you. And when you consider how wrong it can be to allow third parties to advertise in Ontario elections, the
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: If you could only pick your enemies.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne must be annoyed. Can you believe the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has pre-empted Kathleen’s fight with the Prime Minister? That leaves Kathleen in the dust as the crowds rush to view the battle of the titans. Few will ever remember what Chief Justice Beverly
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Do you have anyone to vote for?
It was intriguing to read Toronto Star columnist Martin Regg Cohn’s take on the opening of the Ontario provincial election. It was not quite as perceptive as he has been in the past. Frankly most Star readers would have expected a better knowledge of politics. The give away line in
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The Morning Line: Ontario Election 2014.
How can you have a race without a morning line? The political parties are at post and the gamblers among us need more than just performance statistics to compute their bets. The morning line gives you a starting point for your betting convenience. But please remember, these figures cannot factor
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Welcome to Ontario’s “Nasty” campaign.
Ready, aim, smear. The campaign has been launched in Ontario. Soon all the candidates will be down in the muck wallowing in the futility of claim and counter-claim. And the losers in this mud wrestling contest are the people of Ontario. Ontario deserves better. After more than two years of
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: When is a budget not a budget in Ontario?
A budget is not a budget when it is being offered as an election program. While overly exploited and old news, Finance Minister Sousa’s budget yesterday was stolid and basically ho-hum with a veneer of concessions to the New Democrats. The real question for the Wynne government is whether it
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The Zen of the gambler.
Casino gambling is an excellent aid in the attainment of enlightenment. If you do not obtain direct insight into the teachings of the Buddha at least you gain some respect for the law of averages. This thought comes to mind after a recent trip to Casino Rama outside of Orillia.
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Ontario’s ‘overly ambitious’ gaming.
The recent audit report on Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) proves once again that you should not audit something you do not understand. Gaming is based on promises of riches. It takes a gamer to understand that not everybody can win. And you are hardly going to win when the
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The people trump the politicos.
When the Supreme Court ruled the other day on Prime Minister Harper’s questions about changing the Senate, the answer was unanimous. It was also the answer that most people expected. For the House of Commons to make substantive changes in the Senate requires the approval of the provinces and of
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The fat lady has yet to sing.
Public opinion polls can never replace voting. And the provincial election is not going to happen until New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath says it will. So, you might as well cool it. There will be lots more promises made and polls taken before the voters make the decision. Ontario voters
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Mac’s Convenience should sue The Beer Store.
Why not cut to the chase? The Beer Store advertising that is currently running on television is slandering every convenience store in Ontario. It is wrong. It is unfair. It should be stopped. If it takes a lawsuit: so what? What do you think lawyers are for? Sure we have
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: “If they just want to play politics.”
In an ill-conceived television commercial introduced Friday, Ontario’s Premier Wynne accuses her political detractors of playing politics. The commercial makes it look as though she is striding after a moving camera, trying to keep up with the teleprompter. It is an overall badly written and badly produced effort. It is
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: You should take up gambling Sousa.
Occasionally this commentator gives advice to Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa. It is because we actually like him. He is a nice guy. He is kind of like a slow relative whom you always want to help along. He tries your patience but you keep making the effort. It is
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: You get what you pay for Charles.
The Ontario Liberals have called in another blue ribbon panel to tell them how to make more money from provincial assets such as the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), Ontario Power Generation and other crown corporations. The panel will be chaired by Ed Clark, president of TD Bank and
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Point made Wynne, move on Hudak.
The late Keith Davey explained it that the point of the Truth Squad that got a great deal of media coverage in the 1963 election campaign was not to correct the meanderings of the creative mind of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. The point was to show that there was a
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: But can we get President’s Choice Scotch?
Can you not just admire these Ontario politicians? They are so brave and forward looking that they are going to try some liquor kiosks in a few of the bigger grocery stores. These are the super stores that have dry cleaners, wine kiosks, mini-banks, children’s wear and women’s dresses, pharmacies,
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: The Morning Line: Quebec Election 2014.
Every election should have a morning line. As the polls are already open for advance voting in Quebec, this is a bit late but the situation in Quebec is still fluid. While the polls are showing the Quebec Liberal Party in the lead it is only marginal. As happens in
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