So for those of you who read this blog and don't live in these parts, we're having a provinicial election in Ontario on Oct. 10. I live in Etobicoke-Lakeshore which is in the southwest part of Toronto. I can see Lake Ontario from my apartment. The current premier is Liberal Dalton McGuinty. He was elected four years ago on the basic platform that he was going to reverse all the bad things done by Progressive Conservative premier Mike Harris. The problem is he really didn't do that and now he's coming back and asking voters to trust him again. Well, you know what they say about fooling me twice. The other thing is though he attempts to come across as compassionate, every indication is that he's really a prick. Ocasionally this comes out as it did last week in an encounter with a disgruntled cancer patient in Ottawa. He apologized when one of his flunkies told him the guy was right but it just shows who he really is. I'm not crazy about the other leaders so I went to an all candidates meeting at The Assembly Hall on Tuesday to give them all hell.
Of course my main issue is that clients of the Ontario Disability Support Program can't afford to eat. Mike Harris cut rates by 22% and turned the agency into a bureaucratic nightmare. McGinty was elected on promised changes to this and similar social service agencies. He hasn't done that and his silence indicates that he can't be trusted to do the right thing. So let's see what these candidates have to say about the ODSP when faced with a pissed off guy in a power chair. The meeting started with an explanation of the Mixed Member Proposition referendum. I'm not getting into it but I've already researched it and will vote yes. I wasn't interested in the fringe candidates and though I came in just as the Green Party guy started, I don't care about him.
First up was Andrea Nemeth of the New Democrats. I did visit her campaign office last week and I spoke to her on the phone. So she knew I would ask about this. NDP leader Howard Hampton hasn't addressed the issue. I'm not crazy about him because he doesn't know how to go for the throat. Sometimes he has to attack his opponents to score points. When I spoke to Andrea last week, she thought maybe he addressed it as health care. I said it's not a health care issue. The disabled are being subjected to unfair treatment and it's come to a point where a class action lawsuit about the ODSP has been launched against the Ministry Of Community & Social Services because we get no response from the current government. She agreed that it's shameful and said that at the meeting. She's also a co-op person so that's in her favour too. I believe Hampton will make appropriate changes. I doubt he'll win but a minority government is possible.
Next up is Progressive Conservative candidate Tom Barlow. His dad was a politician in Western Ontario. His whole spiel was about John Tory's leadership skills. Nothing he tells us is going to make us trust the PCs because of Mike Harris. Barlow's shtick ain't working. So he's continuing to quote their policy paper but he's not actually saying anything. Then I asked him about the ODSP. And when he continued the same thing, I got pissed and accused him of a non-responsive answer. He got that deer in the headlights look and admitted that he doesn't understand the issue. Gotcha! Afterwards, he asked for my phone number and said he would call. I'm not holding my breath but if he does, I will be fair and post about it. I encountered Andrea Nemeth this morning on Lakeshore and though she wasn't there when this happened, she knew about it because people told her I handed him his head. I just laughed.
Finally we have our current MPP Laurel Broten. She is Minister of the Environment. I've met Laurel before. She's very nice but way too glib for me. I've told her and her staff that I can't vote Liberal because their boss McGuinty is a prick and I don't trust him. She didn't say anything to change my mind. She doesn't understand the ODSP either but I have a feeling I'll hear from her if she gets the Community & Social Services portfolio. I do think she will win. The incumbent always has an advantage unless the leader really pisses off the electorate and she is well liked in the riding. The opposition leaders haven't made enough inroads to win but I'm voting NDP because I'm looking for a minority government.
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