Gordon Prentice at Large - Politics in Newmarket
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
Kathleen Wynne gives three Liberal candidates a dressing down after posting “inappropriate comments”. We are told they are all contrite.
Things said on social media, perhaps in the heat of the moment, leave footprints that don’t go away. They can follow you around for years.
We have some beautiful examples here in Newmarket where there is a treasure trove of material.
The animosity between Newmarket’s Ward 6 councillor, Maddie Di Muccio, and her nemesis, Darryl Wolk, is available for all to savour (if you like that kind of thing).
On 14 March this year, at 8.32am, pushing her Corn Flakes to one side, Di Muccio tweets:
Dirty politics attracts bottom-feeding scum like @darrylwolk. I stay away from that poison.
On 14 April at 10.36pm, Wolk’s boiling resentment against Di Muccio erupts with this ferocious tweet:
You are a master of lies, smears, threats, dirty politics & personal attacks!
Having mulled things over for a further ten minutes, Wolk shoots this dart at Di Muccio, hitting her straight between the eyes:
I can’t wait until Newmarket fires this toxic human being on October 27.
But social media isn’t always a bear-pit.
The early-rising Progressive Conservative MPP hopeful, Jane Twinney, tweets in a happy, non-confrontational way. They are designed to leave a warm glow. They are full of fun! They are vacuous, not vicious.
Up with the larks at 6.12am on 8 May, Jane tweets:
Another day on the Campaign Trail… today is going to be a fun day again. Early start on this gorgeous morning. #keepingitblue #VoteTwinney
Another tweet, typical of the genre, leaves Jane’s keyboard at 7.26am on 5 May:
Looking forward to a busy day ahead on the Campaign Trail! Let’s get this Province back on track! #onpoli #pcpo #million jobs
You get the message.
Elsewhere on the so-called “Campaign Trail” Hudak touts tax cuts as part of jobs plan and promises he would never run a deficit.
The pollsters report that people are sceptical and his support is eroding but at least he has staked out a position and gets people talking.
Meanwhile the NDP focus on so-called “pocket-book” issues.
Horwath’s campaign has yet to catch fire. She is promising to cut out the waste from a bloated bureaucracy.
She puts the figure at $600 million.
Oh dear!
29 days to go.
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
Tim Hudak today promises to cut income tax tomorrow.
We are told the 10% income tax cut will be “phased in” after the PC Government balances the budget in 2016-17.
These are all fantasy figures. Just like the 100, 000 jobs cuts in two years. This target is unachievable. From one end of the political spectrum to the other, the 100,000 pledge is ridiculed.
Meanwhile, the NDP “slams the Liberals over auto insurance rates”. No surprises there. Horwath’s well-worn pitch is all about making life “affordable”. She could be re-running the last election.
Don’t expect anything new and different (and specific) from the NDP. Instead of challenging the other parties with fresh thinking there is a policy vacuum.
The NDP locally is selecting their candidate for Newmarket-Aurora tonight.
30 days to go.
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- Written by: Gordon Prentice
The humiliation is complete as PC Leader and wannabe Premier, Tim Hudak, is “ushered off” a TTC subway car by transit police.
No permit. No photo op.
This exquisitely humbling “event” is picked up by the news media everywhere. A CBC video records it for posterity. The Toronto Sun reports the PCs blaming the unions. The Toronto Star talks about a campaign event going off the rails. The National Post is the kindest, saying the event was "almost" derailed.
However it was reported, yesterday’s cock-up becomes a metaphor for Hudak’s campaign. Another day. Another gaffe.
And the Star tops it off with an editorial faulting Hudak’s math.
Meanwhile, Kathleen Wynne sails through a less-than-challenging interview with Matt Galloway.
Andrea Horwath is up in Thunder Bay prospecting for an extra seat or two and complaining the Liberals are “long on promises and short on delivery”. Unfortunately, the NDP platform is being dribbled out in stages to maximise media coverage. I still don’t have the long list of NDP promises.
Here in Newmarket, York Regional Council hopeful, Darryl Wolk tweets
@gordon_prentice To be clear, I have not endorsed anyone in the Newmarket-Aurora Provincial. Listening to issues, putting Newmarket first!
Then, for good measure, he tweets again:
@gordon_prentice I do not support cutting “non-teacher” positions. We must support special needs students. Our candidate should talk policy.
“Our candidate” is, of course, Jane Twinney.
On 11 March 2014 Wolk tweeted to his 3,744 followers:
For the record I plan to vote for @JaneTwinney in provincial election.
Now we know, that in the intriguing World of Wolk, that does not count as an endorsement.
31 days to go.