walk

Wednesday October 31, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday October 31, 2012

Liberals to hold leadership convention in Toronto

Dalton McGuinty leads zombie Ontario Liberal leadership candidates 

The Ontario Liberal party will pick its new leader in Toronto.

The leadership convention set for the weekend of Jan. 25 will take place take place at the former site of Maple Leaf Gardens, now home to Ryerson University’s Mattamy Athletic Centre and a Loblaw grocery store.

With his minority government facing a flurry of scandals, McGuinty stepped down on Oct. 15.

No candidates have officially declared their intention to seek the party leadership. Finance Minister Dwight Duncan and Energy Minister Chris Bentley — touted as possible contenders shortly after McGuinty announced his decision to leave — have both said they won’t run.

Possible contenders among sitting Liberal MPPs include Kathleen Wynne, Charles Sousa, Glen Murray, Eric Hoskins and Brad Duguid.

Former Liberal cabinet minister Sandra Pupatello hinted last week that she will also run.

Candidate must file their forms by Nov. 23. Delegates who wish to attend must also be party members by that date. Delegates will be selected on the weekend of Jan. 12.

Candidates must submit signatures from 250 party members, pay a $50,000 entry fee and comply with a $500,000 spending limit. (Source: CBC News) 

 

Thursday August 30, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Thursday August 30, 2012

Federalist voters are faced with some difficult decisions

Jean Charest has called the latest published poll results, showing his Liberal party losing the Sept. 4 Quebec election, “unreliable.”

But the actions of Charest and his party say otherwise.

When the Liberals spend more of their campaign budget on English television spots than usual, and when their leader spends time in the West Island and Outaouais in the last 10 days before a general election, it means something.

It means they’re in danger of losing even seats formerly considered safe.

The poll results from a survey conducted by Léger Marketing for the QMI news agency after last week’s crucial televised leaders’ debates, show Liberal support cratering.

The Liberals were a distant third in popularity among French-speaking voters — the choice of only 18 per cent — and third in every region except Montreal Island.

The poll results indicated that, barring a miracle, the Liberals were facing their worst defeat since 1976.

They also showed the Parti Québécois with less than overwhelming support, but enough for a slim majority in the National Assembly.

So with less than a week to go until the election, the federalist voter is faced with a difficult decision:

Go down with the Liberals, the only major party that is truly federalist. (Source: Vancouver Sun)