I give credit where credit is due. The Conservatives have demonstrated the benefit of playing the 'long' game in convincing successful Canadians to enter the nasty world of politics. The culture of winning is not an accident, winners make their destiny. The Conservative Party of Canada is the party of Canada.
Making a case beyond winning: A case for a majority is needed.
Law and Order vs Rehabilitation Industry
Political Welfare Ends: Conservative will end political party subsidies
Invite genuine refugees vs Immigration Industry protection of Economic migrants with $ 50k
Protecting our environment vs Energy lobbyists wealth redistribution programs
Economic Management: less waste and better management of programs.
I still find it amusing Liberal bloggers think losing by less than one thousand votes is good news. A riding held for twenty two years: the liberal base in Vaughan did not abandon the former Liberal MP Mayor Elect Maurizio Bevilacqua. He handily dispatched the incumbent mayor Linda Jackson. J.W.'s base failed to show up in Winnipeg North for her run against the Mayor. She lost and the long held NDP seat changed hands to the Liberals who ran a well known experienced candidate campaign against two rookies.
23 more to go and I will have won!
Monte Solberg agrees here.After all, they didn’t lose by much, so if you really squint your eyes and drink a case of beer I suppose it’s possible that a loss could look like a victory.
One veteran Liberal told The Hill Timeseven though Liberal MPs played up the fact Mr. Fantino won with such a narrow margin, the fact that the Vaughan Italian-Canadian community swung heavily toward Mr. Fantino is another signal new and old immigrant communities in the City of Toronto proper are ready to change their voting patterns. The Liberal noted even the large Polish community is shifting toward Mr. Harper, in part out of discontent with past Liberal measures such as the legalization of same-sex marriage, and in part because of the Conservative focus on crime.
While the Conservatives clearly had the better night, it's noteworthy that both parties lost comparable numbers of raw votes last night, although in much different ridings.-Pundits' GuideWhat other long held Liberal riding is on the short-list? 'Vaughan showed us no seat is safe,' say Liberals.
Lac-Saint-Louise Quebec's next CPC seat?
Now in his 12th season as the leader of the Alouettes, Smith is one of the most recognized sports figures in Quebec. Montreal fans first got to know him as a star running back for the Als from 1972 through 1980, and then as the team’s President and CEO from 1997 to 2001 and from 2004 through today. His first term as the president of Alouettes followed five years as commissioner of the Canadian Football League. He has worked tirelessly for professional and amateur football over the last 30 years, playing a key role in reviving the tradition and glory of football in Montreal and Quebec as a whole. -Montreal Alouettes
Harper was accompanied by Quebec cabinet minister Denis Lebel and three of the province's Conservative Senators, Leo Housakos, Jacques Demers and Judith Seidman. The emcee for the event was Alouettes football club president Larry Smith, who praised the Olympic "Own the Podium" program and Harper as "the leader who can lead us to the future." West Island Gazette
The Tories are courting him to run in the Montreal riding of Lac-Saint-Louis in the next election.
The last Liberal majority compliments of Ontario had a similar pattern in Vaughan. Lac-Saint-Louis has seen a significant drop in Liberal voters showing to at the polls ever since. In 2000 the percent margin was 66%. It is now 22%, will a star candidate be enough to defeat the incumbent at the next General Election?
Can you imagine if Larry Smith joins the CPC? If he is able to convince retired, current members of the Alouettes endorse his campaign? The thought of two time Grey Cup Champions going door to door for Larry might be enough to get many Liberals reaching for something stronger than a couple Tylenol eh Warren?
Cheers.
Update Plan B is working out according to Nik Nanos - The current configuration of national support for the Conservatives suggests that numerically a Tory majority government can be formed without a significant breakthrough in the province of Quebec.
Warren Kinsella dismisses all the political punditry as responsible for inducing a headache by adding even more analysis here. Warren, you doth protest too much?
Warren feels Conservatives should be reaching for headache relief because his team led by Michael Ignatieff actually won on November 29, 2010. (Stop laughing, it's true read the article) Michael Ignatieff has led the Liberals since December 10, 2008. Any idea why the whole record of by elections by Ignatieff led Liberals is being downplayed?
Warren when your leader is considered the butt of jokes, it's game over.
Don't take my word for it, or the "Conservative" bloggers who view the stunts from the Liberal war room as comical material equivalent to George W. Bush. Many of us Conservatives did not believe the Liberals could do much worse than Dion and we were WRONG. The backroom Liberals in Toronto are due a big thank you for their decision in avoiding a messy "costly" leadership contest in December 2008. Dismissing the front line staff and volunteers from participating in the leadership of the Liberal Party was the prudent thing to do. The Liberal party executive have been doing a great job in catching up to the Conservative party. (Don't ask for metrics or any proof, I am just making it up and it looks good on the screen.)
I am not sure what was more comedic gold: G.W.B's "Mission Accomplished" on ending major combat operation in Iraq in May 2003 with a large sign in the background or in Sept 2009 Michael Ignateiff declaring in Sudbury Mr. Harper your Time is Up. without permission-blessings from his MPs and being called a shameless opportunist by Donald Martin for providing no credible alternative months later.
In my opinion when yourownteam is mocking you, it is much worse. If G.W.B. was successful in finding, killing Osama Bin Laden, his critics would have complained it took too long, cost too much money and it made matters only worse.
Your Ignatieff led Liberal team went zero for four in those by elections in November 2009. The NDP decided to not join the Liberal non-confidence vote against the Government and cited making parliament work.
From the Liberal perspective, these results must be deeply troubling. Despite a new leader, and party coffers refilling, the Liberals are not competitive for government at the moment. They desperately need something to shake up the current pattern of support. It may be mildly encouraging for the Liberals to note, however, that they have whittled the Conservatives 15-point lead down to 10 points.”
The Liberal Party dominance is evident smaller is better trust me!
This story was written before the FINAL numbers in 2009 of financial contributions. Only the second quarter was a significant improvement for the Liberals. In 2010 the Liberals are on track to repeat the 2008 fundraising levels of $ 5.8 million down from $ 9 million. Don't worry move along nothing to worry about.
In 2010 with numerous criticisms of the Conservative agenda, the Liberals have decided against voting no confidence in our Conservative led federal government. In an attempt to divide or provide comic relief (not sure yet leaning on comic) for the Conservative Caucus over Maternal Health you party manages to blow itself up. A pattern is evident: make a major public relations gaffe, ask for free publicity air time on the CBC to do damage control. (One small problem CBC news program ratings stink).
You need to get on a top rated show like HNIC with Don Cherry. You can always try those American Game shows on the CBC as they have good ratings.
Dion tried that two days after the CTV meltdown by visiting "The Hour". George was not impressed.
Ignatieff after losing the Liberal sponsored tax funded Abortions in Africa vote, he followed Dion with a Bad Day at the office. George again looked unimpressed.
If I don't have the data, does the data exist? Warren, I have been told by you of two polls, one that had a big lead and than a small lead. I have been told to get lost by you and do my own research. Without the information being made publicly available it can be classified as speculation or conjecture?
What can NOT be viewed as speculation or conjecture is information in the public domain that has withstood scrutiny. The Conservatives have dominated the fundraising since the rules changes by the Liberals in 2004. Nothing has changed except a blip or bump in Q2 2009 for the Liberals.
Clearly the Liberal base did show up for former Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua and gave him a substantial margin of victory weeks earlier. Your criticism for putting rookies in Winnipeg North is a valid criticism. against the NDP and Conservatives. What was the excuse for the Liberals to appoint a rookie at the last minute against a big name that your team was trying to recruit in Vaughan?
Do Liberals have no star candidates or big names willing to run under the Ignatieff Liberals? In Winnipeg North 7,589 NDP voters of 2008 did not show up. In Vaughan 9,510 Liberal voters felt Michael Ignatieff's pick was not worthy of their vote or effort, perhaps it was too cold?
In Winnipeg North Judy lost her campaign for Mayor to the incumbent after a successful career as the NDP MP. This 'red flag' of an NDP collapse was evident on election night. Why was Mayor Elect Maurizio Bevilacqua unavailable on the campaign hustings or at the launch for Tony Genco in order to help the Michael Ignatieff led Liberals hold the riding after a large number of Vaughan voters endorsed him just weeks earlier?
Party like it was 2008! If the Liberals and NDP were able to hold to their 2008 raw votes they would have held their seats easily. They didn't.
In both those cases, "safe" seats have became vulnerable because the base did not show up resulting in a change. In the case of Dauphin the third contest also considered a safe seat a similar drop in raw votes took place but the Liberal NDP opponents failed to motivate their base to show up. The raw votes fell by 2,647 for Liberals and 1,129 for the NDP vs their 2008 results. In Vaughan Fantino was able to fall short by only 130 votes of 2008.
Empty rhetoric won't replace the missing ammo
Without a strong foundation you can not hope to build a house or a political party. Liberals don't have a strong or motivated base contrary to public opinion of their cheerleaders.
Klondike Restaurant: PM and MP's with staff
Warren I have praised your contribution to the Sun and look forward to your insight on everything Liberal. I simply can't dismiss those pesky balance sheets, two general elections results, seven by elections that the Conservatives have earned 71% vs 14% your team, these FACTS are NOT speculative or conjecture. Conservatives don't appear to be worn out or losing momentum. according to Ken Dryden on October 2010. I am not qualified to give medical advice for what ails the Liberal base but 59% want a leadership change while 74% of the Conservative base don't. I am confident after the next general election if just two per cent of the Liberal base in Ontario take another pass on the Liberal party led by Ignatieff, our PM will have his majority without Quebec.
I have enjoyed reading the criticism from the opponents of our PM including the blog posts by Aaron Wherry at MacLeans for trying to take him to task over the recent gains here and here.
Apologists trying to get our PM are working hard and they have a plan
The opponents of our PM and our Conservative led government are facing desperate times. The public does not support their silly games and rhetoric.
You can howl at moon my dear nit pickers but we the people are moving forward and the old tired political parties of the past are fading.
Our PM has already beaten Trudeau and Chretien in less than half the time in picking up seats.
Kudos to the posters who get regularly piled on for not joining on coalition of nit-pickers. A special thank you to hollinm , s_c_f and Crit_reasoning.
The apologists for the opposition should be worried.
It's cold.....windchill minus five. This is the last weekend for volunteers to make their rounds before the polls close. My road trip consists of Hwy Exit 400 heading west on Hwy 7 until Hwy 27. I saw about thirty signs of various sizes from Genco and Fantino. The wind has taken a toll as many of them were leaning or down. My observation was limited to a quick drive on the main artery on my visit to bakery and a butcher.
It is a shame the global warming alarmists are unable to convince Mother Nature to hold off for a few more days as the cold weather anticipated may keep many voters from the participating in their by election on November 29, 2010. Pundits Guide has a post on the advance polling turnout is up in 2 of the 3 contests.
Liberal bloggers seem to the most outrages with the prospect of being shut out of all three ridings. Many Liberal bloggers outside of Vaughan have suddenly become experts in the Caledonia meltdown. Fantino reported to Liberal Provincial Government that has blocked any inquiry into Caledonia or the G20 problems in Toronto. It is funny are making predictions but I have not found any public polling for the three ridings.
Damage control has already begun by Liberals in the Toronto Star as they have Susan Delacourt has given protection of anonymity for a Liberal insider to make this rant.
In the second article they raise issues to vote against Fantino but provide another another excuse why voters may be tuning out the Liberal world view in the Toronto Star.
The volunteers in Vaughan have it better than Winnipeg as it is -13 and Dauphin-Swan-Marquette at -17 is looking at the potential of snow in their forecast for many days leading up to election night.
Hwy 7 Islington 8:45 am 11/27
Flurries at times heavy ending late this morning then cloudy with 40 percent chance of flurries. Local amount 2 cm. Wind northwest 20 km/h becoming light late this afternoon. High plus 3 with temperature falling to zero this afternoon.
Just after wrapping up my bakery-butcher trek the snow stared to fall and with the windchill it feels like minus five. I was in and out of the Liberal bastion in less than forty minutes. Let's hope the voters of Vaughan follow the example of Toronto and show up in large numbers and dump Liberals.
Good news with a Cherry on top for Conservatives in the GTA as the Vaughan election enters the home stretch.
Mr. Fantino also noted that the Harper government is investing $622 million by way of infrastructure projects in Vaughan on such things as the Spadina subway extension and renovations to the Al Palladini and Maple community centres. -Chamber of Commerce Forum
Blue Team: Fantino, Flaherty, Goodyear, Kent, Harper
Telephone town-hall had some interesting feedback. If they are able to capitalize on the results will Vaughan have a new Conservative MP?
During the 60-minute phone call, listeners could try to ask the candidate a question and were also asked four poll questions.
Callers were asked if Vaughan needs its own hospital, to which 96 per cent of those who answered said yes.
They were also asked if the Harper government was on the right track with the economy, to which 73 per cent of those said yes. Residents were also asked if the government's tough-on-crime approach, which has been central to Mr. Fantino's campaign, is the right one, to which 68 per cent of those who responded said yes. -York Region
University of Toronto political scientist Nelson Wiseman isn’t impressed with a Liberal campaign, in which Genco was acclaimed the day the election was called. “They showed how poorly organized they were. It shows me they were fishing for a bigger fish in Vaughan and they didn’t get it.”- Toronto Star
Force of Nature: PM Stephen Harper unstoppableforce or inept opponents?
The Rob Ford victory may not be end of a sea change from Liberal Red to Tory Blue. Forty per cent of respondents in the GTA indicated they would vote for the Tories and 33% for the Liberals.Ispos Reid Poll
We will see if this retreat of Liberal progressive is a sign of the next Blue Wave.
Don Cherry placed 7th ahead of John A. MacDonald on the CBC show The Greatest Canadian in 2004. He has endorsed Julian Fantino and has been a public supporter of Stephen Harper since 2006.
Will the Fantino brand combined with the organizational expertise of the Conservative Party of Canada be enough to over come the long held Liberal riding in a relatively short campaign cycle?
Does it make sense for Tony Genco, Greg Sobara to state the Provincial Liberal Government in Ontario in its second mandate should be held solely responsible for the absence of a hospital in Vaughan? Is it the fault of Mike Harris? If Tony Genco believes the Federal government has no role to play because of jurisdiction, why does he than demand hundreds of millions in education and daycare? Those are both fall in the jurisdiction of provincial files.
Tony Genco should be asked who is responsible for failing to build a local hospital in Vaughan?
Voters are very smart and understand if massive cuts in transfers to provinces in Education, Health and Social services during 1990 - 2004 are not repeated again it is much more likely for those provinces to be able to fund those priorities. If you cut $ 25 billion in Federal transfers to balance your federal books how important are those bragging rights to those in Vaughan waiting for a hospital Tony?
It appears the Harper government and its policies will be given an opportunity with Fantino as their candidate to end another Liberal myth on November 29th. This should be fun!
Michael Ignatieff with Tony Genco Liberal candidate
As Chair of the York Central Hospital Board, I can tell you that the Harper Conservatives never picked up the phone to discuss a new hospital in Vaughan – not once,” said Tony Genco, Liberal candidate for Vaughan.- Liberal Press Release
"Canada is a vitally important ally," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters. "The president looks forward to the opportunity to speak with Prime Minister Harper and visit our neighbour to the north." - CBC Feb 2009
If the most popular American President in 2009 made it a priority for his first official trip to visit our own Prime Minister within three months of coming to office, perhaps Tony could have found five minutes in his busy schedule as the Chair of York Central Hospital to call the federal government for help.
G8 leaders-Muskoka
The leaders of the most powerful countries make time to consult with our Prime Minister. Does Tony Genco think his time is too valuable?
PM with Premier working together on several projects for Ontario
PM working all Premiers on Economic Action Plan
PM working with Mayor of Toronto
The voters of Vaughan deserve a member of parliament that will be capable of working across partisan political lines at all levels to get things done. It appears Tony Genco may be unable to rise above petty politics to pick up the phone and look for help on behalf of the residents of Vaughan.
Voters can't afford the political rhetoric of Tony Genco The Liberal candidate for Vaughan has some explaining to do with the focus on negative campaigning. Good luck Tony, voters need their politicians to cooperate and get things done.
City, Region, Province, Federal Politics: Toronto York Spadina Subway Extension moves forward
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Canada's Minister of Finance; the Honourable Jim Bradley, Ontario Transportation Minister; His Worship David Miller, Mayor of Toronto; Toronto Transit Commission chair Adam Giambrone; and Her Worship Linda Jackson, Mayor of Vaughan, on behalf of York Region chair Bill Fisch, celebrated the groundbreaking today at the Wilson Yardconnection site.
1. He felt the back room deals with Liberals-NDP supported by the Bloc was undemocratic: Voters must decide.(Me too!) I feel the Bloc must be isolated and all three federalist parties should work together against this separatist party. His disdain for negative politics is evident and I also share that sentiment. The opposition parties are obsessed with power at any cost and that is unhealthy for a country he loves.
2. His family attends the same church as my cousins in Vaughan. Here is part two of his interview with his thoughts. If you are interested here is a clip from his interview with an alternative media outlet. Some Liberal rags are unhappy including some bloggers that Fantino won't be available to them. Perhaps if they have provided balanced coverage in the Toronto mayoralty race they would have a legitimate gripe. They blew it and now have to deal with the consequences of being viewed as a partisan mouthpiece for the left.
Many of you are uncomfortable with the inaction and problems in Caledonia. As a Conservative I empathize with the objections and groups opposed to his nomination. I don't believe Caledonia is an isolated case and as a country we need to be more vigilant if demanding the rule of law. As noted the opposition and other levels of Government are not consistent with action on serious problems regarding accountability or equality in aboriginal communities. It is a matter of judgment and who we trust. I have not lost confidence or faith in our PM and support his decision to allow the strongest local conservative candidate that may steal this riding or make it competitive.
The recruitment of Julian Fantino into the Conservative tent was not recent undertaking. Fantino noted that the PM while in opposition sought his opinion on matters. That mutual respect may have been the deciding factor why he chose to run with Conservatives. What do you think?
Will the Liberals repeat the same mistake in Vaughan in 2010 with Federal Conservative candidate Julian Fantino they did in 2006, 2008 and 2009?
The accomplishments of Harris with the electorate went far beyond typical Conservative voters. Until 1995, an “Italian-Canadian Conservative MPP” was a political oxymoron. With Harris, things changed and he made inroads into the GTA’s ethnocultural communities, electing six members of Italian origin, including the late Al Palladini in Vaughan.
The Liberals’ use of scare tactics now indicates they are both scared themselves and running on empty — just like the current federal Liberals, who are trying to get back into government by scaring Canadians about their Conservative opponent. It worked for Jean Chrétien only because the Conservatives were divided. Once they united, the Liberal secret weapon became more of a paintball gun. It didn’t work for Stéphane Dion, it’s not working for Michael Ignatieff and it’s not going to work for McGuinty. -Persichilli: Scare tactics won’t work for Ontario Liberals
Reservations and criticism has been confirmed by several people with the direction of the Liberal party.
"the federal Liberal party, which he says was bereft of ideas and direction by the time Stephen Harper's Conservatives won the 2006 election." - Ken Dryden
The Liberals in Toronto are in a panic with support of Rob Ford and now prospect of fighting against Julian Fantino for the vacated seat by Maurizio Bevilacqua on behalf of the Liberals since 1988.(York North 1988-1997, York-Vaughan King Aurora 1997-2004, Vaughan 2004-Present)
Judy Sgro participates in procession on Good Friday, 2002 with Toronto Chief of Police Julian Fantino, RCMP Ben Soave and Tony Ianno, MP.
The Prime Minister will be in Vaughan, ON next Friday to introduce former OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino as his by-election candidate, the Italian-Canadian newspaper in Toronto, Corriere Canadese, is reporting today, while the Liberals have already approached and been turned down by a series of potential candidates.
According to the story penned by editor Angelo Persichilli in Italian (and translated here), Fantino has not been specifically promised any position in cabinet, but had a personal meeting with Prime Minister Harper in the Langevin Building in Ottawa this past September 27, and is expected by party insiders to be "part of the [government's] inner circle" on taking office.- Pundits Guide
Will Judy Sgro, Dalton McGuinty be joining the Prime Minister in welcoming Julian Fantino as the newest candidate for the federal seat in Vaughan turning Conservative blue?
