[Palma]

See, that was easy!

so what. what does this prove - passing this motion. Unbelievable

 

[rbt]

Michael Chong is far more loved by Liberals, NDPers and Greens than he is among Conservatives. He's just too much of a Red Tory for the membership.

Probably. Incidently, almost anybody can join the Conservative party (there are no obligations to vote along party lines in the federal election). It's $15 and a ranked ballot. Chong may not be my first choice but he'll be up there. I've yet to figure out if O'Leary has a TV persona or an election persona.

 

[steveintoronto]

Probably. Incidently, almost anybody can join the Conservative party (there are no obligations to vote along party lines in the federal election). It's $15 and a ranked ballot. Chong may not be my first choice but I'm pretty certain O'Leary is going to be my last choice.

lol...you really have to wonder why O'Leary bothers? The man's ego knows no limits, and he's taking a beating doing this, financially and reputationally.

Back on topic:
Will the Liberals dump a second unpopular premier to hang onto Ontario?

 

[Towered]

Would the public be stupid enough to fall for the same trick again?
Of course - but don't expect anything to get better.

The problem is that the alternative is worse, as it was the last few elections.

 

[steveintoronto]

The problem is that the alternative is worse, as it was the last few elections.

But that voter characteristic has it limits, albeit I completely agree with you. The Libs can't afford to gamble with Wynne steering the ship onto the rocks.

 

[Videodrome]

CP24
@CP24
JUST IN: MPP Sam Oosterhoff, 19, has won a Progressive Conservative nomination race to be the PC candidate in Niagara West-Glanbrook

SoCon kid wins. The PC's lose.

 

[steveintoronto]

SoCon kid wins. The PC's lose.

It's too soon to dissect this, I'm sure the pundits will be all over it in the media tomorrow, and the kid seems alright....but there's something a bit frightening about this, and I admit I don't know the underlying issues of the region. But I get a distinct whiff of the factors that installed Trump, and similar in other nations. Is it here now? Or is this just a 'one-off'?

 

[Videodrome]

Patrick Brown is trying to lead a Progressive Conservative party. This doesn't help.

 

[steveintoronto]

Patrick Brown is trying to lead a Progressive Conservative party. This doesn't help.

It doesn't, and as much as Brown would like to put distance between Oosterhoff and himself, he was supporting his bid according to TorStar (although this may be arguable reporting):

Tory leader Patrick Brown has publicly broken with the religious right over his support for same-sex marriage, abortion rights, and Premier Kathleen Wynne’s updated sex-education curriculum.

But Brown supported his youthful caucus mate.

https://www.thestar.com/news/queens...m-oosterhoff-easily-wins-nomination-vote.html

Trying to distance himself or not, this casts Brown into a niche that majority Ontarians won't support. Or at least....gulp...haven't so far. If the Libs also adopt a younger, newer, more undamaged face for leader, they could neutralize a trend in that direction if that's what Oosterhoff represents. Wynne is damaged goods, whether or not the liability of the other party leaders still renders her the least unlikeable remains to be seen. I don't think the Libs can gamble that she can succeed again.

Meantime, I'm figuring out what it is about Oosterhoff that rings every sixth sense: Religious zealotry.

Yeah...

A look at Sam Oosterhoff, Ontario’s newest and youngest MPP
Many have credited Oosterhoff’s victory to his hearty ground-game in the riding, as well as the appeal to the region’s many social conservatives with his denunciation of the Liberal government’s updated sex education curriculum.

[...]
His religious identity, however, has brought criticism from some corners. Press Progress, the media wing of the left-leaning Broadbent Institute, dug up articles he’s posted on social media that denounce homosexuality and criticize Christians who do not disapprove of it. Oosterhoff also wrote a supportive note on Twitter about the activities of the Association for Reformed Political Action, a group affiliated with his church that has held anti-abortion rallies and argued same-sex marriage sets society on “the slippery slope to polygamy.” [...]

https://www.thestar.com/news/queens...terhoff-ontarios-newest-and-youngest-mpp.html

I must admit to not getting more background on Oosterhoff. Short-sighted on my part. He's a canary in a coal mine, and singing pious psalms on his way to Queen's Park.

 

[adma]

Meantime, I'm figuring out what it is about Oosterhoff that rings every sixth sense: Religious zealotry.

And remember that it isn't so much a matter of *general* riding or party demographics, but about the troops he, himself is capable of rallying. *That's* what guarantees him his nomination wins.

In terms of Ontario, it's the closest we've yet come to the kind of circumstance detailed here.
https://www.autostraddle.com/i-was-...-someone-like-mike-pence-as-a-messiah-367057/

 

[W. K. Lis]

 

[ADRM]

Sam Oosterhoff is an overt homophobe. Patrick Brown supported him in this race. These two assertions are not debatable.

 

[steveintoronto]

Sam Oosterhoff is an overt homophobe.

And more. That's just part of his package.

Patrick Brown supported him in this race.

Which was an odd thing for Brown to do, especially when he'd tried to distance himself from the ideology. Videodrome nailed it with his comment.

All the Libs have to do now is select a new leader, and the next election is theirs. At this point in time, the Thumpers are a minority in Ontario, but it alarms me, as I never thought Trump would get elected, and yet...

 

[SJD_Toronto]

If the Liberals pick someone like Charles Sousa, Brad Duguid, Deb Matthews, Mitzie Hunter or Eric Hoskins to be the next leader, the party would be very lucky to win a minority. This party is toxic and in trouble, regardless who is the leader at this point. Kathleen Wynne proved she has been a terrible premier, has become the most unpopular Ontario premier we have ever seen and has knocked the Liberal appeal down into the dumps. If the Grits truly want to be somewhat competitive in the next election, they’ll need someone who hasn’t been strongly connected to the party over the past 15 years and a row of new candidates to replace soured out-of-touch MPPs, like Liz Sandals. As I have stated before when the election rolls around, Patrick Brown will out campaign everyone and much like the PC leadership race, if you underestimate Brown, he’ll surprise you.

 

[steveintoronto]

If the Grits truly want to be somewhat competitive in the next election, they’ll need someone who hasn’t been strongly connected to the party over the past 15 years and a row of new candidates to replace soured out-of-touch MPPs,

Partially agreed. There's virtually no-one in *Cabinet* that isn't damaged goods. There's lots of talent on the benches though.

As I have stated before when the election rolls around, Patrick Brown will out campaign everyone and much like the PC leadership race, if you underestimate Brown, he’ll surprise you.

You're right on "surprising you". I'm still waiting. Every time I hear him try to form complete sentences, he gets even worse than I thought he was.

The PC's own advisors are wetting themselves over his abject performance in press conferences and interviews. If he keeps this up, even Wynne might have a chance of re-election.

In the event, the OntLibs need a new, fresh, intelligent and well spoken leader, untarnished by the present cabinet, and the election is theirs. The Sun is dissing Wynne, and that's a foregone given. What is interesting is that many columnists even at the Stun and Pest are dissing Brown. He scares a lot of people by his abject ineptitude.