victory

Monday September 10, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, 

NDP win byelection, blocking Liberal majority

New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath is all smiles today after her party won one of two byelections that blocked the Liberals from a majority government.

Catherine Fife won the riding of Kitchener-Waterloo, which had previously been held by the Progressive Conservatives for 22 years.

Tory Leader Tim Hudak is complaining the unions “bought” the riding for the NDP, but Horwath dismissed it this morning as sour grapes.

Hudak says he takes responsibility for the loss, but says his party was beat by campaign muscle on the ground.

Horwath acknowledges that Fife got the “Cadillac of campaigns” with the party pulling in all their resources to get her elected, including 700 volunteers.

But Horwath says the voters of Kitchener-Waterloo voted for a strong woman who will listen to their concerns.

She suggested today that the win hasn’t emboldened her to try and topple the minority Liberals, who’ll need the help of one of the other parties to pass legislation.

McGuinty engineered the byelection by appointing veteran Tory Elizabeth Witmer to a $188,000-a-year post as head of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, convincing her to give up the seat she’d held for 22 years.

Backed by support from teachers and public sector workers angry with the Liberals for imposing a two-year wage freeze, Fife came from behind to take the riding about 170 kilometres southwest of Toronto for the first time in the party’s history. (Source: Global News)

 

Wednesday September 5, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday September 5, 2012 Harper must walk political tightrope in PQÕs Quebec Blamed by some in his own party for adopting policies that helped reawaken the QuebecÊindependence movement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper now finds himself walking a politicalÊtightrope as he prepares to face the demands of a fresh Parti Quebecois government. ÒHeÕs in charge and heÕs got to figure it out. So weÕre in for great fun and games,Ó said veteranÊQuebec Conservative organizer Peter White. ÒBut it isnÕt the end of Canada.Ó For months, White has argued that Harper and his small team of Quebec MPs were angering aÊlarge majority in the province by adopting unpopular policies and decisions in areas such asÊlanguage, law and order, and the environment. But despite the fact there are only five Quebec Tory MPs in Ottawa, White has also said HarperÊcould tackle the problem by raising his public profile in Quebec and explaining his policies more. ÒQuebecers came very close to saying ÔYesÕ last time (in the 1995 referendum on sovereignty) andÊthings were not nearly as bad then as they are today in terms of the emotion of the thing,Ó WhiteÊsaid Tuesday.Ê(Source: Postmedia) http://o.canada.com/news/harper-must-walk-political-tightrope-in-pqs-quebec Canada, Stephen Harper, Pauline Marois, Parti Quebecois, 24 Sussex, Unity, Crisis, independence, movement, poo, bag, PQ, victory

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday September 5, 2012

Harper must walk political tightrope in PQ’s Quebec

Blamed by some in his own party for adopting policies that helped reawaken the Quebec independence movement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper now finds himself walking a political tightrope as he prepares to face the demands of a fresh Parti Quebecois government.

“He’s in charge and he’s got to figure it out. So we’re in for great fun and games,” said veteran Quebec Conservative organizer Peter White. “But it isn’t the end of Canada.”

For months, White has argued that Harper and his small team of Quebec MPs were angering a large majority in the province by adopting unpopular policies and decisions in areas such as language, law and order, and the environment.

But despite the fact there are only five Quebec Tory MPs in Ottawa, White has also said Harper could tackle the problem by raising his public profile in Quebec and explaining his policies more.

“Quebecers came very close to saying ‘Yes’ last time (in the 1995 referendum on sovereignty) and things were not nearly as bad then as they are today in terms of the emotion of the thing,” White said Tuesday. (Source: Postmedia)