Is Ontario headed for another Wynne win?

[Spirit Wind 7]

Love will rise and we will too.

Happy Easter!

 

[Luce NDs]

Winning is an isolated thing ... not good for all (non-utopian) when giving something into the system ... leave with a *giggle* at the end ... the successful will then worry about what they missed ... and you're not free until there's nothing to loose ... Lucid expressions about wisdom! Wise'd Ohm ... tis resistant and hard to approach ... thus those at ease say approach it not ... for then the Job begins ... the folly of dah Niche ... and groove in ... a tale of chaos ... the Hebrew Citi ... SET Eire ... or Seder?

If partaken ... one can feel the senses ebb away ... thus nothing tuit! Some say twit causing much twitter about powers ... w/o th' aught ...

Profound, adept ... or too far into it to think? Thus twas lost at the fringe ... horizon event or threshold ...

 

[Jaebius]

The first of the Ontario provincial debates for this time round takes place tonight.

It is the "Black Community Provincial Leaders Debate"

The debaters will be the leaders of the Liberals, NDP's, and Greens.

What's interesting to me is that the leader of the PPP, who has called himself "the only so-called black leader" has not been invited to participate.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Wonder why the PC party declined to participate?

I've just looked at the candidates for our riding, and I don't know why I don't just stop trying right now. PCs are a shoe-in.

 

[Mendalla]

Wonder why the PC party declined to participate?

Officially, Ford was already booked on a Northern tour when he got the invite. However, it may be more about his handlers trying to avoid putting him in any setting where he could "go off" and say something profoundly dumb. They've lost enough elections due to leaders with foot-in-mouth disease that maybe they are starting to smarten up, esp. with the likelihood of victory so strong this time. The last thing the PCs need is to once again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

 

[Jaebius]

The first of the Ontario provincial debates for this time round takes place tonight.

It is the "Black Community Provincial Leaders Debate"

The debaters will be the leaders of the Liberals, NDP's, and Greens.

What's interesting to me is that the leader of the PPP, who has called himself "the only so-called black leader" has not been invited to participate.

My guy was just... er... escorted from the room the debate is being held in.

 

[Jaebius]

Our leader was just... er... escorted from the room the debate is being held in.

Seven police officers plus security guards have now sent our leader home in a cab. Such a waste of resources.

 

[Spirit Wind 7]

Wonder why the PC party declined to participate?

I've just looked at the candidates for our riding, and I don't know why I don't just stop trying right now. PCs are a shoe-in.

It seems the PC candidate for leader is in Sudbury. Wynne has tried to make him promise he'll be at least in 3 televised debates.

 

[Spirit Wind 7]

Ford knew he'd be in Sudbury. And they need to be in "all candidate debates" all should be included to be actually
worthy of leading. They are being examples of how they plan to lead in the debates. Anyone shoved out
speaks volumes of how they will treat us in the long run.
It's not about winning, but who is willing to serve.

 

[Jaebius]

Ford knew he'd be in Sudbury. And they need to be in "all candidate debates" all should be included to be actually
worthy of leading. They are being examples of how they plan to lead in the debates. Anyone shoved out
speaks volumes of how they will treat us in the long run.
It's not about winning, but who is willing to serve.

Imho ALL leaders should be invited to All Leaders Debates.

 

[Spirit Wind 7]

I agree!!!!

 

[BetteTheRed]

Tonight, actually, at our "all candidates" meeting that we're planning to mount for our riding, we decided that it wasn't exactly "all candidates" but "all candidates with an official party affiliation". Leaves out one fellow who is a total PITA, runs for everything, and wrecks all candidates meeting. Last one of ours he was at, he started a fist fight with a photographer. In the sanctuary, no less. Fortunately, no provincial party will accept him as a candidate, even the total fringe, so we're off the hook inviting him. Or so we figure.

 

[revsdd]

Imho ALL leaders should be invited to All Leaders Debates.

That would be quite a debate. According to Elections Ontario, the registered political parties in Ontario are:

1) Cultural Action Party of Ontario
2) Canadians' Choice Party
3) Communist Party of Canada (Ontario)
4) Equal Parenting Party
5) Freedom Party of Ontario
6) Green Party of Ontario
7) New Democratic Party of Ontario
8) None of the Above Direct Democracy Party
9) Northern Ontario Party
10) Ontario Alliance
11) Ontario Liberal Party
12) Ontario Libertarian Party
13) Ontario Moderate Party
14) Ontario Provincial Confederation of Regions Party
15) Party for People with Special Needs
16) Pauper Party of Ontario
17) Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
18) Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda
19) The Peoples Political Party
20) Trillium Party of Ontario
21) Vegan Environmental Party

There'd be more leaders than audience members.

I'd say any party that has a seat in the Legislature or that polls at least 5% support in a select group of poll going into the election should have its leader eligible to take part in debates. Otherwise it becomes a joke.

That would mean the leaders of the Liberals, PCs, NDP and possibly Greens (who are hovering right around 5%) would be in.

 

[Mendalla]

1) Cultural Action Party of Ontario
2) Canadians' Choice Party
3) Communist Party of Canada (Ontario)
4) Equal Parenting Party
5) Freedom Party of Ontario
6) Green Party of Ontario
7) New Democratic Party of Ontario
8) None of the Above Direct Democracy Party
9) Northern Ontario Party
10) Ontario Alliance
11) Ontario Liberal Party
12) Ontario Libertarian Party
13) Ontario Moderate Party
14) Ontario Provincial Confederation of Regions Party
15) Party for People with Special Needs
16) Pauper Party of Ontario
17) Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
18) Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda
19) The Peoples Political Party
20) Trillium Party of Ontario
21) Vegan Environmental Party

Ye gods, that's a long list. We need an "I Don't Give a S**t Party" and a "Let's Party Hearty Party" just to round things out.

Some are pretty clearly one-off special issue parties (Stop the new Sex-Ed Agenda) or parties focussed on particular interests (Party for People with Special Needs) and those are rarely actually interested in power, just in promoting their agenda. Some of the others (Trillium Party, Ontario Alliance) sound like more general political parties but I'm not familiar enough to know. Hardly matters once you get below the NDP. Even the Greens really aren't much of a force here in Ontario at present.

EDIT: And a "Silly Party". We really need one of those.

 

[Mendalla]

Latest poll numbers, BTW, continue to look good for the PCs but it's still a couple months to go so there's plenty of time for things to change.

Ontario Liberal budget fails to woo voters as PCs gain double-digit lead: Ipsos poll

 

[Luce NDs]

Ye gods, that's a long list. We need an "I Don't Give a S**t Party" and a "Let's Party Hearty Party" just to round things out.

Some are pretty clearly one-off special issue parties (Stop the new Sex-Ed Agenda) or parties focussed on particular interests (Party for People with Special Needs) and those are rarely actually interested in power, just in promoting their agenda. Some of the others (Trillium Party, Ontario Alliance) sound like more general political parties but I'm not familiar enough to know. Hardly matters once you get below the NDP. Even the Greens really aren't much of a force here in Ontario at present.

EDIT: And a "Silly Party". We really need one of those.

Don't we have a pile of these as a provincial endeavor (kind've out there ... country wise)?

 

[revjohn]

Can we please stop calling them debates? There is no actual debating at these events.

Talking point fests are what they are. The most you can hope for is good theatre, more often than not it is time you will never get back that could have been better spent elsewhere.

Inviting every leader would result in nothing productive particularly since many parties are one issue Don Quixote wannabes tilting at figment windmills.

The lowest threshold for participation should be representation in the appropriate legislative assembly.

What I would be up for is actual debate. One every night of the Campaign. Use a standard debate format. Give each party Leader the opportunity to debate each other leader on set platform planks. Use proper debate etiquette to eliminate the dog and pony show antics.

Each debate can run for roughly three hours. This would allow each party leader in a three-party leadership debate to have an opportunity to debate each other leader without the distractions.

 

[Jaebius]

That would be quite a debate. According to Elections Ontario, the registered political parties in Ontario are:

1) Cultural Action Party of Ontario
2) Canadians' Choice Party
3) Communist Party of Canada (Ontario)
4) Equal Parenting Party
5) Freedom Party of Ontario
6) Green Party of Ontario
7) New Democratic Party of Ontario
8) None of the Above Direct Democracy Party
9) Northern Ontario Party
10) Ontario Alliance
11) Ontario Liberal Party
12) Ontario Libertarian Party
13) Ontario Moderate Party
14) Ontario Provincial Confederation of Regions Party
15) Party for People with Special Needs
16) Pauper Party of Ontario
17) Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
18) Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda
19) The Peoples Political Party
20) Trillium Party of Ontario
21) Vegan Environmental Party

There'd be more leaders than audience members.

I'd say any party that has a seat in the Legislature or that polls at least 5% support in a select group of poll going into the election should have its leader eligible to take part in debates. Otherwise it becomes a joke.

That would mean the leaders of the Liberals, PCs, NDP and possibly Greens (who are hovering right around 5%) would be in.

I see your point Steven. I wonder what the largest number of participants was ever at a political debate of any kind though. As I recall, the Republicans had many on stage debating during their primaries.

 

[Mendalla]

As I recall, the Republicans had many on stage debating during their primaries.

They had 17 candidates at one point but I'm not sure if any of the debates had all of them, though some had double digits. Slightly insane if you ask me.

Back to Ontario, I'm seeing a lot of criticism of Ford's decision to go after the head of Hydro One. Basically, the gist of the criticisms are that it comes across as hostile to business (the CEO is actually a very successful executive in business terms) when that's exactly who they need to be courting and that Ford should be focusing his energy and attacks on Wynne. Of course, those criticisms are coming from pro-business sources so a few grains of salt needed there.

The Globe's version, but I've seen similar from other sources I follow:

Doug Ford vs. Bay Street: Mindless populist attacks aren’t going to help Ontario’s Conservatives

 

[Jaebius]

They had 17 candidates at one point but I'm not sure if any of the debates had all of them, though some had double digits. Slightly insane if you ask me.

I'm thinking that there must be at least one kind of staggered debate system - meaning that not all debaters would be on stage at the same time.

Seems like it would be wise for me to choose a new provincial party to support this election anyway. The PPP is not likely to run a candidate in my riding.