Bob Rae

Tuesday August 10, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday August 10, 2021

Premier Bill Davis was the steady hand driving Ontario’s Big Blue Machine

William Grenville Davis, premier of Ontario for 14 years (1971 to 1985), was a baffling, contradictory figure – a shy, inscrutable man, who liked family and football yet spent his life absorbed by political issues, travelling up to 160,000 kilometres a year; a tradition-bound, non-intellectual with a passion for ideas and experimentation that gave birth to such intellectual playgrounds as the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

February 1, 2019

The press consistently panned the performances of Mr. Davis, reporting that he was bland and boring, but he charmed voters out of the trees. Right-wing conservatives described him as a left-wing socialist; left-wingers attacked him for pandering to the right.

“Bland works,” he once said. “The only time a politician gets in trouble is when he opens his mouth.”

He was renowned for his ability to appear prosperous, calm and confident, to say little, and to lead the province through dramatic, potentially unpopular changes.

Mr. Davis died on Sunday at the age of 92 surrounded by family in Brampton, Ont., a family statement said. He was the fifth consecutive Tory leader to occupy the premier’s office since 1943 and held the office longer than any other.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of Mr. Davis’s death. “The former premier of Ontario leaves behind an incredible legacy of service – and I have no doubt that the impact of his work will be felt for generations to come,” Mr. Trudeau tweeted.

Premier Doug Ford said Mr. Davis served Ontario “with honour and distinction” and flags across the province will be lowered to half-mast in his honour.

September 12, 2000

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney said in a statement that “Canada has lost a great statesman today, and I have lost a great and true friend. Bill Davis devoted his life to Ontario, to Canada and to his family. The progress he made on many fronts as premier place him in the front ranks as one of Canada’s greatest premiers ever.”

Mr. Davis supported the controversial energy policies and constitutional endeavours of then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau’s Liberals; under his premiership, the free-enterprise Tory government bought a 25-per-cent stake in Suncor, an oil company, and initiated tripartite industrial strategies advocated by the New Democratic Party. And as education minister, he reformed and vastly expanded the education system – all without upsetting too many of the people too much of the time.

Yet his skills as a politician failed to help his successor. Nearly 42 years of Conservative government ended 138 days after he stepped down as premier on Feb. 8, 1985. His successor, Frank Miller, called an election and failed to win a majority government in the May 2 election. Mr. Miller’s minority government lost a vote of confidence on June 18 and on June 26, he resigned. (Continued: Globe & Mail) 

 

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Tuesday, June 3, 2014By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Kathleen Wynne accuses Andrea Horwath of ‘unprincipled’ stand over possible Tory coalition

Voting New Democrat could result in a coalition government led by the Progressive Conservatives, Premier Kathleen Wynne said on Saturday, even though the Tories have shot down the concept of teaming up with another party.

2003 Debate

Wynne accused NDP Leader Andrea Horwath of betraying her party’s long-standing commitment to social justice by refusing to rule out propping up Tim Hudak’s Conservatives if a minority government results after June 12.

Wynne also contrasted the priorities of New Democrat icons with Hudak’s plan to slash spending and cut 100,000 public-sector jobs to balance the budget.

“It is shocking that the party of Jack Layton and Stephen Lewis — the party that has traditionally supported social programs, the party that should have supported our budget — would be thinking about supporting Tim Hudak,” Wynne said at a rally.

 

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“Andrea Horwath’s NDP is a party that used to have principles. It used to stand for something.”

Horwath has taken an “unprincipled stance” by not ruling out supporting the Tories in a minority government, Wynne said.

[caption id=”” align=”alignright” width=”234″] 2007 Debate[/caption]

“A vote right now for Andrea Horwath might be a vote for Tim Hudak. But a vote for Kathleen Wynne is a vote for Kathleen Wynne.”

So far, Horwath has only said she’ll deal with the election outcome after the votes are in. In recent days, she has stepped up her attacks on Wynne by calling the Liberals “rife with corruption.”

2011 Debate

In a statement released Saturday afternoon, Horwath said Wynne was grasping at straws.

“I have to say Ms. Wynne is in La-La land. She needs a bit of a reality check if she thinks New Democrats are going to allow her to sweep Liberal corruption under the rug in the province of Ontario. Ontarians deserve much, much better than that.

“And they certainly do not want to see a Hudak regime take over that’s going to fire hundreds of thousands of people in some strange attempt to create jobs. That math does not work out.” (Source: Toronto Star)

 

More: Two decades of Ontario Elections

SOCIAL MEDIA

Posted at the cartoon of the day at Yahoo Canada News.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Thursday, June 20, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, June 20, 2013

Bob Rae quits as MP

Bob Rae, who served as interim Liberal leader following the party’s disastrous showing in the 2011 election, is stepping down as an MP.

Rae told his Liberal colleagues of his decision during Wednesday’s party caucus meeting, an announcement that was met with tears and applause, according to sources.

Rae recently accepted the role of chief negotiator for First Nations in talks with the Ontario government about development of the Ring of Fire, and is to tour the nine Matawa communities in the mining and resource-rich area of Northern Ontario this summer. Rae is a former NDP premier of the province.

At a news conference with Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau in the foyer of the House of Commons, Rae said that work as a lawyer and mediator was taking more and more of his time and he felt he needed to focus on his role with the First Nations. He didn’t say when his resignation would be effective.

“This is not about money, this is about time. I’m not being paid for my work in the North,” Rae said, adding that his decision was about, “How can I effectively serve the interests of the people I’ve been asked to serve?

“The passion and the enthusiasm that I feel for the First Nations of Canada, the need for a different kind of partnership between Canada’s first people and those of us who’ve come later on, is absolutely necessary,” he continued.

Rae thanked his caucus colleagues and said “above all, I want to thank my leader,” saying he has enjoyed his time working with Trudeau. He added that he and Trudeau had been discussing his departure. (Source: CBC News)

Friday November 16, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Friday November 16, 2012

15 Candidates and Growing

The battle lines are now clearer in the Ontario Liberal leadership race, and women are included in the top tier of candidates.

Sandra Pupatello and Kathleen Wynne could end up fighting this one out at Ryerson University’s new athletic centre in the old Maple Leaf Gardens in downtown Toronto during the leadership convention in late January.

They’ll be facing off against the likes of erstwhile cabinet ministers Charles Sousa, Eric Hoskins, Gerard Kennedy and Glen Murray — and perhaps Minister of Government Services Harinder Takhar — all who may well end up using the race to set themselves up for an improved cabinet spot in a Pupatello or Wynne administration.

The fact that two women are in the running for that corner office on the second floor at Queen’s Park currently occupied by departing Premier Dalton McGuinty should not be an issue in 2012 or 2013. Source

Meanwhile, lots of people have declared their intentions, many with stellar credentials. Few have the political experience that would make them an obvious choice to lead a federal political party.

The list of those who have stated their intention to run, as of Wednesday, included Ottawa lawyer David Bertschi, Vancouver lawyer Alex Burton, Toronto lawyer Deborah Coyne, Toronto lawyer Martha Hall Findlay, Victoria lawyer David Merner, Toronto economist Jonathan Mousley, and Quebec MP Justin Trudeau. (Source: Globe & Mail) 

 

Friday September 28, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Friday September 28, 2012

Justinmania raises prospect others will drop out

Federal Liberals are facing the prospect of a short list of candidates for their upcoming leadership race following confirmation Wednesday that Justin Trudeau will throw his hat in the ring.

Many Liberals have been practically giddy over the dream of Trudeau’s name being on the leadership ballot — a dream that will become reality when the 40-year-old MP officially announces his candidacy at an event in Montreal next Tuesday.

But it is also no secret a number of other prospective contenders have been waiting for him to lay his cards on the table before deciding whether they would pony up the $75,000 entry fee and challenge him for the job.

The question now is how many will opt to save their money and quietly fade out of the leadership conversation rather than face the celebrity star power that threatens to unleash a second iteration of Trudeaumania.

Trudeau, clearly enjoying the attention and excitement revelations of his pending candidacy had generated, refused to confirm the upcoming announcement when confronted by a horde of waiting journalists Wednesday morning.

“Thank you very much for all your interest,” he said at one point as he left a weekly meeting of Liberal MPs and senators.

“I’m pleased to hear all the buzz and all the interest in the Liberal Party’s fortunes, but I have nothing to announce today. I will let you know when I have something to announce.”

Fellow Liberal MP Denis Coderre, who will announce whether he will run for the leadership on Nov. 9, said he welcomed Trudeau’s entrance into the race. (Source: National Post)