Sandra Pupatello Pitch Speech

The inestimable Jeff Jedras (who is sitting next to me)  said Sandra Pupatello sounds a bit like the gal from Fargo, and there is some truth to that in her small-town accent.  "What you see is what you get" seems a key part of her message, and what you see is a big personality with big hair, a little corny at times but with a touch of the Iron Lady in her  as well.   "I will bring the opposition to their knees," is a paraphrase of one of her applause lines, and so far its the one this morning that made me laugh out loud, because it sounds like she's actually prepared to do it, with a baseball bat if necessary.

I think Sandra's speech was an explicit  attempt to contrast herself with Kathleen Wynne, though most of the differences between them are a matter of degree and tone.  Sandra gave a more full-throated defence of  OLP policy, though in fact she is proud of the same things, generally speaking, as Kathleen is.  She also projects as more of a warrior than Kathleen, though Sandra too has promised to  work with the opposition as far as possible.  And whereas Kathleen pushed her social justice credentials, Sandra struck with what I would call "meat and potato" issues.  No call out to First Nations; a bit more of a focus rhetorically on jobs jobs jobs.

Also, fellow progblogger Rachel DaCosta made a note of how she liked the pearl necklace Sandra was wearing, and indeed (at the risk of sounding a bit sexist) Sandra is a handsome woman who would look like a natural in any boardroom on Bay Street.  I spent some time picturing in my mind what she would look like on a debate stage next to Andrea Horwath and the squirrelly Tim Hudak.  In my mind I see Tim Hudak getting his ass handed to him.

To be Premier you have to win the next election, and of all the candidates so far, Sandra is the one that looks the most campaign ready which, when you think about, might be the thing most likely to scare the opposition out of provoking one.

PS.  I'm not going to blog the Eric Hoskins speech, but he is possibly hotter than Gerard Kennedy.

Gerard Kennedy Pitch Speech

Gerard Kennedy is, beyond all else, a gorgeous specimen.

His speech this morning was all about "doing politics differently".  It was, however, a pretty standard issue "doing politics differently" speech.  A "new day"; "it starts now"; "nobody left behind" and so forth.  I suppose you are supposed to hear echoes of other great progressive speeches in it, and not just clichés   but I'm not sure how well the whole  party outsider approach works from a guy that's been around Cdn/Ont politics for so long.  And, as for me, I don't have a problem with the current OLP status quo: green belt; green energy; shorter wait times; better test scores.  But I suppose being outside in GK's context means outside Toronto.  There was a shout-out to Northern Ontario, and a promise to the effect that it would no longer be "the other side of the map".  Don't quite know what that is supposed to mean policywise.  And, again, I'm not sure how all of this sounds coming from the mouth of a T.O. boy.

Missed Takhar entirely.

Teachers' Protest And OLPLDR Notes

Looks like they've manage to pull in a few 100 protesters.  On another note, it looks like some delegates were caught behind that pileup on the 401 and I think the party has decided to extend the hours for casting the first ballot.  Interesting what it might portend if this makes  the delegate composition on the floor more 416-centric.

A Quick Note On First Batch Of OLPLDR Protesters

Unfortunately, I'm having troubles emailing pictures from my new tablet (piece of crap just like old tablet, as it happens) to my netbook, but Jeff posted one.  The race horse farmers are here protesting  the end of the Slots at Racetracks Initiative.  I counted about 20 to 30.  Not that many, and remember: when they get too old to race these horses become glue or are sold  to  restaurants, where they are made delicious.

Tomorrow I might wander over to Edwards Gardens where the anti-wind people are protesting (I think).  I want to see how many bodies they bring out, or are they the same old gang as always?

Tough Day For Team Wynne

A couple of flubs-ups from the Wynne campaign in the last 48 hours or so.  Here a letter from her team identifying a supporter of hers as Muslim,  who is not; here a letter in Punjabi sent to a delegate, (I think she is a delegate) who speaks no Punjabi.  Both of these people presumably got the letters they did because they have Muslim/Indian sounding names.  Racial or "ethnic" profiling sounds a bit harsh for what is going on here, but it is certainly awkward, as though I was trying to impress a Chinese guest by serving them Japanese food because I couldn't tell one from the other.

I should say that I originally had my doubts about the provenance of these letters--whether they actually came from the Wynne campaign.  So I emailed this morning and have as yet  received no reply.  Certainly the address on the first letter is one of the ones given out on her website.

Meanwhile this got tossed over the transom earlier:

Not much context of the quote is provided--you don't hear what does drive Kathleen.  However, there is a good possibility that the next OLP leader will be thrown into an Ontario election immediately after having ascended to the Premier's chair.  Therefore it seems to me your message for the OLP leadership campaign must be the same message you will take on the road in any provincial contest.  I don't care if I win isn't that message.

Don't Bet On A(n Ontario) Spring Election, Part Duh

The NDP has done well wielding the balance of power over the past year, and seems disinclined to lose its leverage by triggering an early election. Horwath has hinted that she is in no hurry to bring down the Liberals and will try again to make minority government work. Hudak’s Tories remain mired in debt and may be content to keep their powder dry as they reorient themselves rightward with neo-con policies appealing to bedrock Tories.

And an economic turn-around absolves many sins.  We're probably not there yet in Ontario, despite what the last couple of month's jobs data look like, but the longer a OLP government can hang on, the likelier it will arrive while they're in power and they'll get credit.  Remember, though, if there is a 2013 election: its only Tim Hudak.

I Wouldn't Support Gerard Kennedy For Ontario Liberal Leader If You Threatened To Club Me With A Dead Walrus

...but this proposal (of Gerard's) is something that is absolutely necessary for the Ontario Liberal Party going forward:

4. Support for one member one vote leadership races in the future (possibly using the federal “supporter” system).

OK.  The supporter system is still a bad idea, for various reasons.  But moving beyond delegated conventions is something that must happen, for various other reasons.

PS.  Scott says:

...bloggers can come [to the Ontario Liberal leadership convention], but only if bloggers pay a 1000$ fee for the right to be an “observer”, and not given the accreditation as regular Mainstream media journalists are.

Another awful idea.  Rise up and rebel, Libloggers!  Or at least picket the convention!

PPS.  They've relented!  Our rebellion succeeded after less than three minutes!  As you were, Libloggers!

Cancel That Ontario Spring Election?

Somewhere in Liberal Land someone is thinking--its only Tim Hudak.  And I bet Andrea Horwath's recent comments about avoiding an early election are the result of looking at similar polls.  Pick the right gal to lead the OLP and this province could see a couple of fruitful years of (Liberal) minority government.

Glen Murray's Good Idea

Frankly, everyone in the OLP's leadership race ought to get behind the idea of abandoning delegated conventions, because:

“Liberals from everywhere in Ontario should be able to participate fully in all aspects of leadership selection — not just those who are able to serve as delegates and can afford the trip to the convention...”

Exactly: I paid for my membership; I should be able to vote.  I shouldn't have to face the indignity of getting approved as a delegate for candidate whoever and, should that candidate drop out, get traded to someone else.

Its also, frankly, a dirt cheap way for the potentials to signal that they are for party renewal and party transparency.  Right now, the debates, the tv appearances; these are a charade that goes on in public while the real work (selling memberships and etc.) goes on backstage.

Finally, Scott Tribe says OLP has been discussing what they will do/not do with bloggers at the convention.  Anyone hear what the outcome was?

Dear Sandra Pupatello...

...your robocall seems a bit glitchy.  The soundtrack restarts at about the 7 second mark.   Please fix. Otherwise nice.  Glad to promote your website.

Scott Tribe On Ontario Liberal Leadership Convention

Scott's been doing God's work asking the Ontario Liberals how they will be treating bloggers during the upcoming leadership convention.  And here's my suggestion: gong-show that it degenerated into aside, the recent  federal NDP convention  set a  high bar when it came to bloggers.  We got in free, got a press pass,  got a couple of tables with decent views of the floor with plugins for our computers.  We didn't, like the MSM, get a "filing room" to sit and think and suck our thumbs in before hacking out our crap.  We had to compete with the sound of Paul Dewar rapping.  And we didn't get free food, although I was snuck some and I'm not sure it was a great loss.

The Ontario Liberals should emulate this formula, generally speaking.

The Thing With Sandra Pupatello Is:

At this point, I like the plain-speaking Sandra Pupatello for the job, and I’m guessing she’s entering the race as the favourite. Should she win, she would, of course, make history as Ontario’s first female premier. I am somewhat perplexed, however, that Ms. Pupatello decided not to run for re-election last year, saying it was time for a change. Yet here she is competing for more of the same. Let’s hope this is not more of the usual Liberal duplicity or mendacity we’ve come to expect from this edition of the Ontario Grits.

Not necessarily a killer thing, and of course all the other potentials have their things too.  But this one is one of hers: opportunism would be the accusation, I suppose.

By the way, the link is to Russ Campbell, who is Tory but relatively sane.  And he isn't the only one pushing this line.  But what do I know anyway?  Apparently the Ontario Liberals need to promote somebody from outside of Toronto.  Why is that?  Why do people hate Toronto?  Is it because we are so beautiful?
At this point, I like the plain-speaking Sandra Pupatello for the job, and I’m guessing she’s entering the race as the favourite. Should she win, she would, of course, make history as Ontario’s first female premier. I am somewhat perplexed, however, that Ms. Pupatello decided not to run for re-election last year, saying it was time for a change. Yet here she is competing for more of the same. Let’s hope this is not more of the usual Liberal duplicity or mendacity we’ve come to expect from this edition of the Ontario Grits.

Gerard Kennedy Cannot Claim OLP Leadership Until He Reclaims Leadership Of Own Hair

You can't  go from being a hair-guy to being a substance guy.  It just doesn't work like that.  In fact, it works just the opposite.  You go from being a hair-guy to being a hair-guy with hardly any hair that talks on and on until people pass out.  There's no escaping this trap.  Gerard must get his hair back, or "acquire" a whack of it from mainland China, if you get my drift, or get out of the race.

Opportunities For Blogging At Ontario Liberal Leadership Convention?

Are there going to be any?  I'm told that the big do will be held at Maple Leaf Gardens, the site of so many glorious victories these last years.  One rumor says it will be an old fashioned delegated convention.  Another says the potentials will just get drunk and draw straws.

In any case, the federal NDP let us bloggers all in for free, and gave us a place to set up and write from.  Frankly, they made it too difficult to get at the free food and booze--you had to swap a single MSM pass-card back and forth among bloggers and then fight Postmedia guys for a last lick from the bottom of the whiskey bottle--but they tried.  Nevertheless, Ontario Libs Should be able top their performance easily.  Because Libs are supposed to be the normal folk--you show up at one of their parties, and you get fed, liquored up, and maybe even laid.  Just like going to a neighbor's BBQ.