[christiesplits]

The question is whether Patrick Brown will say anything offensive to loose the election. It's his to loose. Right now he's being treated with kid gloves. He doesn't have a platform yet. Once it's released than we shall see. I also see Horwath always polls high but come voting day, she fumbles. Both Wynne and Horwath are tired brands for their parties. If PC's win, it will be a chance for the left to re-brand and get their act together.

Ontario hasn't been governed by a right wing party since 2003. I'm curious if Brown will introduce any controversial policies or will be cautious and offer a strategic tax cut to buy voters. He doesn't need to do much to keep his polling numbers going.

In the social media era of crackgate and p**ygate, I wonder if missteps still hold the same relevance as they did, heck, even five years ago?

I'm sure the Liberals have a whole team digging into the social media posts of nominated PC candidates looking for lewd content or extreme right positions. I can't help but wonder if it will matter this time around.

 

[ADRM]

In the social media era of crackgate and p**ygate, I wonder if missteps still hold the same relevance as they did, heck, even five years ago?

I'm sure the Liberals have a whole team digging into the social media posts of nominated PC candidates looking for lewd content or extreme right positions. I can't help but wonder if it will matter this time around.

One need look no further than Patrick Brown's publicly available MP voting record. He's fumbled social issues on camera a number of times already now so, yes, it'll definitely be interesting to see if that continues and, if it does, whether it makes a difference to swing voters.

 

[narduch]

Nice redirection. Do you have experience in public relations?

My statement had to do with your questionable definition of "corruption"; specifically the blanket statement that they had to break the law. In fact, I explained as much in my post that you quoted.

Its kind of funny that amidst all the scandal and poor management by the governing Liberals, the best defense that the apologists can muster is that they haven't been put in jail.

What a low bar to set.

I'd hope we'd expect more from our politicians.

 

[ADRM]

Its kind of funny that amidst all the scandal and poor management by the governing Liberals, the best defense that the apologists can muster is that they haven't been put in jail.

What a low bar to set.

I'd hope we'd expect more from our politicians.

Yeah, except that's not what happened. No one asked me (or anyone else) to "muster a defense", so I didn't offer one.

For that matter, I haven't actually seen any defense of the PCs or NDP here at all -- just some tired tropes regurgitated and perpetuated by conservative rags.

I've voted PC federally and I've voted for conservative mayors of Toronto and other cities. And I am voting Liberal in the next provincial election, and it's one of the easiest decisions I've had to make in any election in which I've voted.

 

[OneCity]

It looks like the Liberal spending from teh past few months have not helped their cause. It seems no matter how much they try to change the channel, the public is not going to trust this morally, ethically, financially (but not yet legally) corrupt party. Latest numbers are:
PC = 44%
NDP = 24%
Lib = 23%
That translates to 9 seats.
I don't think Wynne has a chance, but she may be able to absorb all the Liberal corruption onto herself and let another leader give it a try. I may just win the Liberals the City of Toronto and possibly hold the PC's to a minority. But the reality is, no party deserves to loose bad more than this generation of Liberals.

http://poll.forumresearch.com/post/2756/ontario-horserace-june-2017/

Although that looks bad right now, they just may have stopped the bleeding with the recent round of promises and hydro "savings". If we can count on one thing from the Ontario Liberals is that they are holding back some bazookas closer to the election. They shouldn't have won the last election and they steamrolled, obviously there is no Hudak to scare off the centrists who might have opted for change but don't ever count them out until the votes are counted

 

[Palma]

I don't know what the right number is.

I just think its a little excessive that you could essentially be sick for 2 straight weeks and not have to explain it to your employer.

you could on vacation

 

[Videodrome]

http://angusreid.org/premier-approval-june2017/

Kathleen Wynne still isn't well liked, but no Premier has majority approval now.

 

[BurlOak]

http://angusreid.org/premier-approval-june2017/

Kathleen Wynne still isn't well liked, but no Premier has majority approval now.

Interesting that the only 2 conservative premiers in the country are the 2 most popular.
Notice how the headline tries to hide this fact.

 

[Videodrome]

Brad Wall used to have an approval rating in the high 60's though. His austerity budget has proven to be quite unpopular.

 

[rbt]

You brought up a Turkish dictator in an Ontario politics discussion and are accusing me of redirecting.

You said corruption required illegal actions. I gave an example of someone I felt was corrupt but has NOT conducted any illegal activity (in his home country). Some might take that opportunity to clarify exactly what they meant by illegal as laws variable, fluid, and sometimes controlled by the questionable individuals; you've not done that.

Communication is pretty meaningless if everyone has different definitions for the same word and "corruption" is a pretty powerful word to be vague about. See the Transit forum and the thousands upon thousands of pages on which city/line is (or isn't) a "metro" driven almost entirely by everyone having their own definition for that term (often based on feelings rather than a technical definition others can understand). This is the main reason why laws tend to have a slew of definitions at the start of them; make sure everyone has the same understanding of the language that follows.

So yeah, I accused you of redirection because you've avoided the "corruption" definition problem despite what I felt was an obvious example that didn't fit your definition.

Anyway, take care.

 

[ShonTron]

I just saw one of the Patrick Brown commercials on TV last night. He isn't telegenic (not that it should matter) and he comes across a bit awkward. The commercial itself, with Brown, with an open collar and his sleeves rolled up reminded me of the Trivago commercials, especially when muted.

Mike Harris wasn't telegenic, but he communicated very well in the 1995 campaign. McGuinty came across a bit awkward too, but not as much as Brown.

These things won't matter much when voters are tired of a very tired Liberal government, but I don't think that Brown is compelling at all. But he'll win anyway.

 

[Hopkins123]

I just saw one of the Patrick Brown commercials on TV last night. He isn't telegenic (not that it should matter) and he comes across a bit awkward. The commercial itself, with Brown, with an open collar and his sleeves rolled up reminded me of the Trivago commercials, especially when muted.

Mike Harris wasn't telegenic, but he communicated very well in the 1995 campaign. McGuinty came across a bit awkward too, but not as much as Brown.

These things won't matter much when voters are tired of a very tired Liberal government, but I don't think that Brown is compelling at all. But he'll win anyway.

Lol. Was it that commercial where the camera zooms in on his mouth because of his speech impediment? I know it was meant to humanize him but I agree that it came across as a bit creepy.

 

[Bob Burnhamthorpe]

Creepy commercials aside, I am still not sold on Patrick Brown.

I don't think I ever will be, either.

His hackneyed non-answers are Dalton McGuinty-esque.

 

[OneCity]

Creepy commercials aside, I am still not sold on Patrick Brown.

I don't think I ever will be, either.

His hackneyed non-answers are Dalton McGuinty-esque.

Which is likely the idea.

Most traditional and far right Conservatives will pull their hair out with Brown at the helm. But from a strategic standpoint his persona to date may be the best way to get the extra support in Ontario. Whether intentional or not having a candidate who doesn't speak directly or scare the hell out of an voter looking for change like Hudak did, seems and can at least give the idea or leave room for the impression they are a bit more progressive will at least stands a chance.

The question is are the Conservatives truly evolving or do we have a wolf in sheeps clothing?

 

[jje1000]

Horwarth's current platform, as outlined by her in an op-ed article:

• I'll create the first universal pharmacare program right here in Ontario. It's a prescription drug plan that covers everyone — no matter your age, income or health status. I don't believe anyone should have to empty their wallet to get the medicine they need.
• I'm going to lower hydro bills by at least 30 per cent, and I'm going to undo the Conservative and Liberal damage to our electricity system, starting with putting Hydro One back in public hands. I'll eliminate mandatory time-of-use pricing, too. I believe electricity isn't a luxury, and it shouldn't be priced like one.
• The NDP announced our plan for a $15 minimum wage in April 2016. And with more and more people working in unstable jobs, I believe more needs to be done to help give contract and part-time workers the stability they need to build the life they want.
• I'm going to tackle the hallway medicine crisis and long waits in our hospitals. I'll provide stable hospital funding that, at a minimum, keeps up to inflation, population growth and local needs, because it's time to undo the damage. The last Conservative government fired 6,000 nurses, closed 28 hospitals and slashed over 7,000 hospital beds. Wynne's Liberals have done even more damage with years of frozen budgets and underfunding. Wynne is shortchanging hospitals by at least another $300 million this year. The result for the rest of us is long waits and hallway medicine, and that's got to stop.
• I've committed to funding for Hamilton's LRT, and an NDP government would fund its half of transit operating costs for municipalities. I believe affordable public transit connects people to opportunity.
• I'm going to be a partner with municipalities — and that includes partnering on social housing. Hamilton's mayor and city council have pledged $50 million to fight poverty — and it's all going into affordable housing. As a partner with Hamilton, an NDP government would help leverage those funds. I'm committed to a one-third split of social housing repair costs, along with the municipal and federal governments, because easing the housing crunch and giving more families an affordable, safe place to live has to be a priority.

https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/7386487-here-is-what-i-will-do-if-elected-premier-of-ontario/

I wonder how many of these the Liberals will try to co-opt ahead of the election.