Ontario Election: New riding and choices.

[Remius]

So it should be no surprise that Ontario is about to have an election.  I like many have grown tired of the Wynne government.  I was tired last time and the time before that but it is what it is.

I happen to be in an interesting situation.  I am not a fan of Doug Ford.  I don't think he has a good grasp of issues or at least the complexities of certain issues and not a fan of populist style politics.  I was really hoping that one of the more moderate candidates would be leading the party but again, it is what it is now. 

Now, my current MPP is one I like.  She is a PC.  I was willing to vote for her because as much as I am nota  fan of Ford, I'm even less of a fan of Wynne. Someone once said to look at the candidates instead of the leader. I have done that in the past in another riding where federally I was not a fan of the liberals but really liked my Liberal MP.  so I figure I can do the same provincially since I like my current PC MP.

Except I found out that I'm in a new riding.  New people, new candidates.  I only found out because the PC candidate knocked at my door courting my vote.

She was a bit pushy asking me straight off the bat for my support.  So looking at my candidate a bit further I found two things of interest.

This:
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-pcs-close-investigation-into-claims-against-lanark-mpp

and more disturbing is this:

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/reevely-intra-conservative-battle-in-carleton-spills-into-the-open

So the liberal candidate is a spouse of a city councillor and is very involved in the community.

So what to do?  Some people here hold up the Rebel as a worthy news source yet that news source says that my conservative candidate is bad and that I shouldn't support her.  (don't worry I don't follow the rebel or believe them, but I would like to know from those that do if she is someone I should vote for).  My current MPP doesn't like her either so maybe that should push me to vote for the Liberal candidate?

So I really don't want to vote Wynne in. And I'm no fan of Ford (mind you he does seem pretty disciplined)
Many here have said to look at the candidates.  Ok, but the PCs don't even like the one they picked.  The Liberal candidate seems ok.

I'm a self described red tory so forget the Alliance party or the Trillium party.  I have yet to see an NDP candidate.  There is the None of the Above Party running.  Maybe that's who would get my vote. 

Campaigns matter. It's what I told my PC candidate and why I'm still on the fence but leaning away from the Liberals.

I guess I'll see what the all candidate debates look like.

Don't worry, this post is more for musings about the conundrum many voters will face rather than an appeal for help in choosing.

 

[mariomike]

I am not a fan of Doug Ford. 

You are not alone. Two-thirds voted against him in the mayoral election.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

You are not alone. Two-thirds voted against him in the mayoral election.

That would be two-thirds of Toronto voters.

 

[mariomike]

That would be two-thirds of Toronto voters.

Yes. That is why I said,

Two-thirds voted against him in the mayoral election.

Should have said, "...the Toronto  mayoral election."

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Yes. That is why I said,

Should have said, "...the Toronto  mayoral election."

My apologies, its been a long day.

 

[mariomike]

My apologies, its been a long day.

No problem. Thank-you. 

 

[FJAG]

Personally if your disgust with Wynne and her mob is as strong as mine, you'll hold your nose and vote PC regardless. I thought her bunch was going to be voted out in the last election and was shocked when they weren't. I'm not a fan of Ford either and I appreciate the fact that your local candidate may not be the best fit either but, that said, every vote counts.

:cheers:

 

[Brad Sallows]

How can anyone know whether a voter votes "against" a candidate rather than "for" a candidate, unless the voter says so?

 

[mariomike]

Good point.

 

[Remius]

Personally if your disgust with Wynne and her mob is as strong as mine, you'll hold your nose and vote PC regardless. I thought her bunch was going to be voted out in the last election and was shocked when they weren't. I'm not a fan of Ford either and I appreciate the fact that your local candidate may not be the best fit either but, that said, every vote counts.

:cheers:

It is.  But a good chunk of PC supporters are saying that the PC candidate is a terrible choice and even some of the established riding association staff have left.  So do I vote for good MP or vote for party with a leader I don't like?  I guess it depends on who my vote benefits.  If I vote for NOTA party does that benefit the liberals or the conservatives?  It's a new riding so I don't know.  the liberals are desperate and on life support, it seems that any vote that does not support them will hurt me more in the grand scheme.  FYI I am not voting liberal.  At all.  I just have yet to decide if I should vote PC. 

 

[walrath]

Focusing on the person who represents you and your actual riding instead of a leader who has little fidelity on specific issues pertaining to provincial governance and how it affects your riding is one of many appropriate ways to look at voting.

I was quite ready to give the PC's a go in 2018 as I'm progressive conservativ-y.
However I always start with the candidate who represents my riding, and they handled that poorly. Then there is Doug Ford, so maybe next election!

I've been reading up lately to figure out how I'll go.

• I don't like the Liberal Candidate.
• The NDP Candidate is strong, and looks to do a good job for my riding
• The PC Candidate was appointed, and does not inspire confidence
• The NOTA Candidate appeals to my voter apathy

Good Luck!

 

[FJAG]

I'm probably older than most on this thread and hence have a personality where cynicism is one of my major traits.

Back when I was young--my first election in fact--I voted for Pierre Trudeau's Liberals because he called me out to stand guard with a rifle in Quebec against the FLQ. "Just watch me" did it for me. Stanfield was boring. Unfortunately I little appreciated what he was about to do to the country in general and the military in particular. In 72 he won by a very narrow margin and sometimes I have nightmares that it might have been my vote that put him back into power.

These days I don't worry so much about how much the candidate can do for the riding because if the candidate's party isn't in power then there's nothing of value he/she can do anyway. Even a poor candidate with the party in power can accomplish more for his/her riding that a good candidate who stands in opposition.

I'm not a Ford Nation kind of guy but I'm a rabid anti-Liberal when it comes to Ontario. I live within a small Liberal hotbed within a solid Conservative riding with a fairly decent MPP who has represented the riding since 2011 so it's a pretty easy choice for me.

Best of luck

:cheers:

 

[observor 69]

I will never vote for Doug Ford. He is uninformed on the issues, IMHO is a bully and has the wrong temperament to run the province of Ontario. During my liberal MPP's time in office several major important projects have been completed in the riding.
But I believe the Ontario Liberal party needs time out to recharge and let the democratic process unfold.
Unfortunately the Ont. PC party badly stumbled when it did not elect Christine Elliott as leader. So vote Liberal for a party that according to the polls will likely not win or for a Premier who I hold no respect for.
Or vote Liberal "pour encourager les autres" the next time around.

 

[Remius]

I will never vote for Doug Ford. He is uninformed on the issues, IMHO is a bully and has the wrong temperament to run the province of Ontario. During my liberal MPP's time in office several major important projects have been completed in the riding.
But I believe the Ontario Liberal party needs time out to recharge and let the democratic process unfold.
Unfortunately the Ont. PC party badly stumbled when it did not elect Christine Elliott as leader. So vote Liberal for a party that according to the polls will likely not win or for a Premier who I hold no respect for.
Or vote Liberal "pour encourager les autres" the next time around.

And this is the problem.  If Christine Elliott had won I wouldn't even be having this conversation.

 

[George Wallace]

I will never vote for Doug Ford. He is uninformed on the issues, IMHO is a bully and has the wrong temperament to run the province of Ontario. During my liberal MPP's time in office several major important projects have been completed in the riding.
But I believe the Ontario Liberal party needs time out to recharge and let the democratic process unfold.
Unfortunately the Ont. PC party badly stumbled when it did not elect Christine Elliott as leader. So vote Liberal for a party that according to the polls will likely not win or for a Premier who I hold no respect for.
Or vote Liberal "pour encourager les autres" the next time around.

I'm not sure that just this attitude is what will guarantee yet another Wynne Government. 

Personally, I am bit of a rebel and would like to see the Liberal Party devastated in the next election, even to the state of extinction.  Both the McGuinty and Wynne Governments have reeked of corruption in my opinion and if they cannot be brought to justice through the legal system, then they should be brought to justice through the electoral system.  Even though my Riding representative may have brought some benefits to our Riding, it has to be examined as what it really is; vote buying.  Small contributions to a Riding do not excuse the overall waste and corruption exhibited by the past two decades of Liberal Government in Ontario.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Yet one more demonstration that Tom Bentley was right in his book Everyday democracy: why we get the politicians we deserve.

P.S.: You fooled us FJAG. We all thought that cynicism was one of you major personality trait because you were a lawyer ... never figured it had to do with your age.    ;D

:cheers:

 

[observor 69]

I'm not sure that just this attitude is what will guarantee yet another Wynne Government. 

Personally, I am bit of a rebel and would like to see the Liberal Party devastated in the next election, even to the state of extinction.  Both the McGuinty and Wynne Governments have reeked of corruption in my opinion and if they cannot be brought to justice through the legal system, then they should be brought to justice through the electoral system.  Even though my Riding representative may have brought some benefits to our Riding, it has to be examined as what it really is; vote buying.  Small contributions to a Riding do not excuse the overall waste and corruption exhibited by the past two decades of Liberal Government in Ontario.

My MPP has been a major player in millions being spent to improve the medical services of one of our cities hospitals. He has championed numerous improvement of Go train service as it affects the commuters in our riding.
This is the sort of "vote buying" that he was elected to do. Working in the best interests of his constituents.

 

[Lumber]

Even though my Riding representative may have brought some benefits to our Riding, it has to be examined as what it really is; vote buying. 

Vote buying is only a bad thing if it's nothing but lies and empty promises. If the politicians actually go through with real changes and improvements, then it doesn't matter what their underlying motivation is. A good deed is a good deed even if the underlying motivation was selfish. "No thanks, I don't want the free day care because you're just using it to get my vote". Nope.

 

[mariomike]

I will never vote for Doug Ford.

I voted Ford Nation in 2010. But, not in 2014.

 

[FJAG]

Yet one more demonstration that Tom Bentley was right in his book Everyday democracy: why we get the politicians we deserve.

P.S.: You fooled us FJAG. We all thought that cynicism was one of you major personality trait because you were a lawyer ... never figured it had to do with your age.    ;D

:cheers:

If truth be told I was a cynic long before I became a lawyer or became old.

I think I became a lawyer because I was a cynic.

Not sure if being a gunner first led to the development of my cynicism.

;D