CROSS DRESSING FOR SIX YEAR OLDS!
October 3, 2011 11:28 AM Subscribe
With the Ontario provincial election campaign still extremely close (warning: PDF link) in its last days, the Conservative party sends out a gay-baiting and trans-baiting direct-mail ad.
Party leader Tim Hudak, defending the ad, compains that the opposing Liberals think "a priority in education is sex-education curriculum starting at Grade 1 when they should be learning their ABCs and how to tie their shoes."
Previously in the campaign, Hudak's Tories ran an ad condemning the Liberal party's tax credit to businesses hiring new Canadian citizens, claiming that the tax credit would only go to "foreign workers."
Party leader Tim Hudak, defending the ad, compains that the opposing Liberals think "a priority in education is sex-education curriculum starting at Grade 1 when they should be learning their ABCs and how to tie their shoes."
Previously in the campaign, Hudak's Tories ran an ad condemning the Liberal party's tax credit to businesses hiring new Canadian citizens, claiming that the tax credit would only go to "foreign workers."
What an asshole. If you're opposed to sex ed in the first grade, then why not just say you think kids should be learning to read and tie their shoes? Do you really have to drag out every old "OMG GAY AGENDA PANIC" message out there?
posted by rtha at 11:32 AM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by rtha at 11:32 AM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Had to chuckle this morning after the G&M published an editorial this weekend endorsing the Liberals, and then publishing another story today about how Harper and Flaherty's endorsements will likely kibosh a Hudak government.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:34 AM on October 3, 2011
posted by KokuRyu at 11:34 AM on October 3, 2011
What is wrong with Becky in accounts payable?
posted by kingbenny at 11:34 AM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by kingbenny at 11:34 AM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
Hudak of being beholden to the Tea Party Ontario Landowners Association Tea Party.
posted by one more dead town's last parade at 11:34 AM on October 3, 2011
posted by one more dead town's last parade at 11:34 AM on October 3, 2011
Hudak also ran a bunch of innumerate ads with charts depicting 16% increases to spending with graphs that show 400% increases. Personally, I thought that was a new benchmark for offensiveness until I saw this. Nice work never resting when there's more people to offend Ontario PC party.
posted by GuyZero at 11:36 AM on October 3, 2011
posted by GuyZero at 11:36 AM on October 3, 2011
The most surprising thing I've seen this election was the Sun refusing to endorse anyone yesterday. Either they've seen how the polling data is trending, and their worried about their credibility following the Ford bros., or they genuinely think Hudak doesn't go far enough (even though they've basically been halfway up his ass for most of the past three months). I'm honestly not sure which- maybe they're trying to confuse people and get them to spoil their ballots?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:38 AM on October 3, 2011
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:38 AM on October 3, 2011
What is wrong with Becky in accounts payable?
She puts on makeup like she's in a guerrilla war.
posted by The Whelk at 11:39 AM on October 3, 2011 [7 favorites]
She puts on makeup like she's in a guerrilla war.
posted by The Whelk at 11:39 AM on October 3, 2011 [7 favorites]
The way things are going these days in Toronto/Ontario/Canada, when I saw these ads I thought "They're probably going to work."
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:39 AM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:39 AM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
Nice work never resting when there's more people to offend Ontario PC party.
Living under Mike Harris must have been awful.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:39 AM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Living under Mike Harris must have been awful.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:39 AM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Well it wasn't exactly pogroms and such but it wasn't exactly my idea of good governance.
posted by GuyZero at 11:41 AM on October 3, 2011
posted by GuyZero at 11:41 AM on October 3, 2011
In my riding, the Conservative candidate has done zero campaigning (presumably at the orders of the party, lest she say something stupid. She did not attend the debate, has not had a single press release, media event or even direct mail flier, has knocked on no doors... and still polls at 18%.
posted by 256 at 11:41 AM on October 3, 2011
posted by 256 at 11:41 AM on October 3, 2011
The Liberal's 'sex-ed in grade 1' plan was a policy briefly considered and abandoned last year. It has nothing to do with the new policy, which is called "Challenging Homophobia and Heterosexism: A K-12 Curriculum Resource Guide".
posted by rocket88 at 11:42 AM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by rocket88 at 11:42 AM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
What is wrong with Becky in accounts payable?
She likes using Comic Sans on the company newsletter.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:45 AM on October 3, 2011 [10 favorites]
She likes using Comic Sans on the company newsletter.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:45 AM on October 3, 2011 [10 favorites]
Mr. McGuinty shelved the new curriculum last April after a Christian group led by evangelist Charles McVety expressed outrage.
So Hudak's a dink for promoting a homophobe agenda, and McGuinty is a dink for backing down in face of that homophobe agenda. Great.
I'd never vote for Hudak in a million years, but McGuinty isn't much higher in my estimation, either. Backing down on this, backing down on wind farms, backing down on coal fired power plants...
Of the three leaders, I'm least dissatisfied with Horwath -- but I'm not happy with her, either. I find it inexcusable for a party leader these days not to be able to speak French. She's been leader for two years, this election date has been known for even longer -- to say that you'll have it for 'next time' isn't good enough. You're not ready for the job now. The NDP supports all Supreme Court Justices being bilingual -- the Premier of Ontario isn't of at least equal national standing to any one Justice? Pfft.
Declining choices. Another election cycle when I'd prefer to vote for moderator Steve Paikin.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:50 AM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
So Hudak's a dink for promoting a homophobe agenda, and McGuinty is a dink for backing down in face of that homophobe agenda. Great.
I'd never vote for Hudak in a million years, but McGuinty isn't much higher in my estimation, either. Backing down on this, backing down on wind farms, backing down on coal fired power plants...
Of the three leaders, I'm least dissatisfied with Horwath -- but I'm not happy with her, either. I find it inexcusable for a party leader these days not to be able to speak French. She's been leader for two years, this election date has been known for even longer -- to say that you'll have it for 'next time' isn't good enough. You're not ready for the job now. The NDP supports all Supreme Court Justices being bilingual -- the Premier of Ontario isn't of at least equal national standing to any one Justice? Pfft.
Declining choices. Another election cycle when I'd prefer to vote for moderator Steve Paikin.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:50 AM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
I hate that the headline is "Hudak defends flyers described as homophobic" when it should be "Hudak defends homophobic flyer". There is really no grey area here. This is not a "well let's get the other side of the story" kind of issue.
The flyer is blatantly homophobic, full stop.
posted by Theta States at 11:51 AM on October 3, 2011 [5 favorites]
The flyer is blatantly homophobic, full stop.
posted by Theta States at 11:51 AM on October 3, 2011 [5 favorites]
"Roughly 33% of girls and 14% of boys are molested before the age of 18, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Nearly 2/3 of all sexual assaults reported involved minors and roughly 1/3 involved children under the age of 12."
Of course there is information that is and is not age appropriate, but what kind of monster would want a total absence of uniform sex education for our children who have targets painted on them by our fucked up society. This is apparently a culture that is happy to sell thongs to eight year olds but unwilling to tell them what that means.
posted by Blasdelb at 11:53 AM on October 3, 2011 [7 favorites]
Of course there is information that is and is not age appropriate, but what kind of monster would want a total absence of uniform sex education for our children who have targets painted on them by our fucked up society. This is apparently a culture that is happy to sell thongs to eight year olds but unwilling to tell them what that means.
posted by Blasdelb at 11:53 AM on October 3, 2011 [7 favorites]
It might be a cheap shot, but the curriculum was kind of asking for it:
"Every morning, on the announcements throughout the school year, ask students to organize and
provide information related to past and present contributions of LGBTQ individuals."
Reeeeally?
posted by ianbanks at 11:54 AM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
"Every morning, on the announcements throughout the school year, ask students to organize and
provide information related to past and present contributions of LGBTQ individuals."
Reeeeally?
posted by ianbanks at 11:54 AM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Hudak is a dial-tone dressed up in Reform party cast-offs. I can't believe people are even giving this guy space on the bus, never mind voting for him.
posted by clvrmnky at 11:57 AM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by clvrmnky at 11:57 AM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
It might be a cheap shot, but the curriculum was kind of asking for it:
"Every morning, on the announcements throughout the school year, ask students to organize and provide information related to past and present contributions of LGBTQ individuals."
Reeeeally?
It's a resource guide for challenging homophobia and heterosexism. Discussing contributions of LGBTQ individuals seems like a reasonable way to do that.
posted by torisaur at 12:03 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
"Every morning, on the announcements throughout the school year, ask students to organize and provide information related to past and present contributions of LGBTQ individuals."
Reeeeally?
It's a resource guide for challenging homophobia and heterosexism. Discussing contributions of LGBTQ individuals seems like a reasonable way to do that.
posted by torisaur at 12:03 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
I can't believe people are even giving this guy space on the bus, never mind voting for him.
My hometown is in his riding. People there loooooooooooove Tim Hudak. He's spent a lot of effort making sure his picture is in every week's edition of the local paper at least twice, so much so that the paper is referred to as the 'Hudak Chronicle'. The guy must spend ALL of his time either appearing in a photo op, or getting to the next photo op. It really is remarkable and disturbing to witness. Substantive politics and government isn't a priority, or even wanted. Only image.
But Hudak knows his base. And that base is totally on board with stopping the gays, especially when he sugarcoats it in talk about his cute little girl.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:10 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
My hometown is in his riding. People there loooooooooooove Tim Hudak. He's spent a lot of effort making sure his picture is in every week's edition of the local paper at least twice, so much so that the paper is referred to as the 'Hudak Chronicle'. The guy must spend ALL of his time either appearing in a photo op, or getting to the next photo op. It really is remarkable and disturbing to witness. Substantive politics and government isn't a priority, or even wanted. Only image.
But Hudak knows his base. And that base is totally on board with stopping the gays, especially when he sugarcoats it in talk about his cute little girl.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:10 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Anyone noticed how the OPC logo (JPG) looks like an inflamed, clenched asshole?
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:13 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:13 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
A lot of parents wouldn't like their children being taught a curriculum like that. Is it wrong of a political ad to tell them something they would like to know, as far as a political ad is ever worthwhile?
posted by michaelh at 12:14 PM on October 3, 2011
posted by michaelh at 12:14 PM on October 3, 2011
The ad is quoting from a Toronto District School Board curriculum guideline about "Equitable and Inclusive Schools - Challenging Homophobia and Heterosexism: A K-12 Curriculum Resource Guide."
The ad is deeply misleading, and the quoted document seems completely irrelevant to this province-wide election.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:16 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
The ad is deeply misleading, and the quoted document seems completely irrelevant to this province-wide election.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:16 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is apparently a culture that is happy to sell thongs to eight year olds but unwilling to tell them what that means.
QFT
posted by trogdole at 12:16 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
QFT
posted by trogdole at 12:16 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
It might be a cheap shot, but the curriculum was kind of asking for it:
Yeah, wearing that miniskirt and all that makeup, what was it expecting to happen?
posted by quin at 12:17 PM on October 3, 2011
Yeah, wearing that miniskirt and all that makeup, what was it expecting to happen?
posted by quin at 12:17 PM on October 3, 2011
Also, the "Cross-Dressing for 6-year olds" thing is just made up. And the kissing booth doesn't involve actual kissing.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:17 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 12:17 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
A lot of parents wouldn't like their children being taught racism is wrong. Is it wrong of a political ad to tell racist fucks about that?
posted by kmz at 12:17 PM on October 3, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by kmz at 12:17 PM on October 3, 2011 [7 favorites]
And the kissing booth doesn't involve actual kissing.
I want my toonie back!
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:20 PM on October 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
I want my toonie back!
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:20 PM on October 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
A lot of parents wouldn't like their children being taught racism is wrong. Is it wrong of a political ad to tell racist fucks about that?
I don't know, I come from this weird place where people are allowed to vote for what they want even if I don't like it.
posted by michaelh at 12:24 PM on October 3, 2011
I don't know, I come from this weird place where people are allowed to vote for what they want even if I don't like it.
posted by michaelh at 12:24 PM on October 3, 2011
Has anybody said they should be removed from the ballot? We're just calling them out for being bigoted assholes. Where I come from you're allowed to call bigoted assholes bigoted assholes.
posted by kmz at 12:27 PM on October 3, 2011
posted by kmz at 12:27 PM on October 3, 2011
Believe it or not, this is the Hudak campaign reaching out to minorities.
See, the theory is that in the GTA, there are significant homophobic populations in minority traditional communities, and that by appealing to that homophobia as a common value, they can win back any ground they lose with anti-immigrant talk.
This was part of the Ford strategy. Supporters ran ads decrying the fact that his opponent was a man married to a man, but not anywhere most white people could see them.
Without commenting either way, I'll leave you to contemplate how valid a strategy this is. The main thing is that the Tories believe it works. Hudak at least stands behind his vile positions where Ford benefitted from an arms-length dirty-tricks cabal and denied everything.
posted by mobunited at 12:29 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
See, the theory is that in the GTA, there are significant homophobic populations in minority traditional communities, and that by appealing to that homophobia as a common value, they can win back any ground they lose with anti-immigrant talk.
This was part of the Ford strategy. Supporters ran ads decrying the fact that his opponent was a man married to a man, but not anywhere most white people could see them.
Without commenting either way, I'll leave you to contemplate how valid a strategy this is. The main thing is that the Tories believe it works. Hudak at least stands behind his vile positions where Ford benefitted from an arms-length dirty-tricks cabal and denied everything.
posted by mobunited at 12:29 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Hudak pandered to his base when he made the "Foreign Workers" comments, and it lost him lots of support from the middle. Same thing will happen here. It'll make two consecutive Ontario elections where the Conservatives were given a huge lead at the start and they blew it by acting like Conservatives.
posted by rocket88 at 12:31 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by rocket88 at 12:31 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Has anybody said they should be removed from the ballot? We're just calling them out for being bigoted assholes. Where I come from you're allowed to call bigoted assholes bigoted assholes.
I guess I am trying to spoil the fun or something, because it seems like there should be some point to all of it besides "grar the people I hate are still hateable."
posted by michaelh at 12:33 PM on October 3, 2011
I guess I am trying to spoil the fun or something, because it seems like there should be some point to all of it besides "grar the people I hate are still hateable."
posted by michaelh at 12:33 PM on October 3, 2011
…and I think what kmz is trying to say—if I'm reading this right—is that some issues are not decided by plebiscite, such as those enshrined in the Charter of Human Rights. If a majority of voters in your area want race-segregated classrooms, it's tough luck for them. If they don't want anti-racist teaching at school, it is also tough luck for them. Now, substitute "sexuality" or "gender" for "race."
posted by LMGM at 12:33 PM on October 3, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by LMGM at 12:33 PM on October 3, 2011 [6 favorites]
As a queer man, who went to a profundly homophobic k-12, i for one would actively encourage 6 year olds to cross dress. I just want people to feel pretty, and part of the problem is that Hudak just doesnt feel pretty.
posted by PinkMoose at 12:46 PM on October 3, 2011 [8 favorites]
posted by PinkMoose at 12:46 PM on October 3, 2011 [8 favorites]
It really is a campaign flailing around trying to hit anything it can in the last days before the election... Hudak has spectacularly imploded, when all the polls suggested Ontarians were interested in someone different to McGuinty.
It's pathetic, and won't actually help. Harper gained his majority by simply refusing to address any 'social' issues during the federal campaign, because he knows that, on the whole, Canada is basically a fiscally centrist but socially liberal place. His bone to his socially conservative base is the long-gun registry, and nothing else -- and urban Canadians don't really give two shits about hte gun registry either way, so it was a winning move for him vis a vis his base: "Nope, gay marriage is here to stay, but hey, at least you dont have to register your rifles any more!"
More than anywhere, Ontario is full of this kind of fiscally centrist but socially liberal voter. Had Hudak come out with sensible proposals to shrink the Ontario deficit over a number of years in a way that made sense and didnt involve simply gutting services, he could have been the next premier. Instead, he resorted to mind-numbingly pointless "cut taxes! cut govt! make jobs! the liberals want your money!" rhetoric, and when that didn't work, he resorted to attacks on immigrants and homosexuals. He just doesn't understand the average Ontarian, and that is why he will lose. No, not every Ontarian is a stereotypical "urban elite", but the rest are not small-brained hateful homophobes who want nothing from govt other than police on the streets either.
posted by modernnomad at 12:53 PM on October 3, 2011 [8 favorites]
It's pathetic, and won't actually help. Harper gained his majority by simply refusing to address any 'social' issues during the federal campaign, because he knows that, on the whole, Canada is basically a fiscally centrist but socially liberal place. His bone to his socially conservative base is the long-gun registry, and nothing else -- and urban Canadians don't really give two shits about hte gun registry either way, so it was a winning move for him vis a vis his base: "Nope, gay marriage is here to stay, but hey, at least you dont have to register your rifles any more!"
More than anywhere, Ontario is full of this kind of fiscally centrist but socially liberal voter. Had Hudak come out with sensible proposals to shrink the Ontario deficit over a number of years in a way that made sense and didnt involve simply gutting services, he could have been the next premier. Instead, he resorted to mind-numbingly pointless "cut taxes! cut govt! make jobs! the liberals want your money!" rhetoric, and when that didn't work, he resorted to attacks on immigrants and homosexuals. He just doesn't understand the average Ontarian, and that is why he will lose. No, not every Ontarian is a stereotypical "urban elite", but the rest are not small-brained hateful homophobes who want nothing from govt other than police on the streets either.
posted by modernnomad at 12:53 PM on October 3, 2011 [8 favorites]
Here's a fact-check on the flyer in question.
posted by modernnomad at 12:57 PM on October 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by modernnomad at 12:57 PM on October 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
…and I think what kmz is trying to say—if I'm reading this right—is that some issues are not decided by plebiscite, such as those enshrined in the Charter of Human Rights. If a majority of voters in your area want race-segregated classrooms, it's tough luck for them. If they don't want anti-racist teaching at school, it is also tough luck for them. Now, substitute "sexuality" or "gender" for "race."
I hardly think futility is the issue here. We want opponents to be futile. Futile opponents make people happy, not angry.
What hurts here is the conservative party is telling its constituents something they want to know...it hurts to think that the people reading that mail have a legitimate right to vote based on what they read and think. My point is that it's a sign of a healthy election...
posted by michaelh at 12:57 PM on October 3, 2011
I hardly think futility is the issue here. We want opponents to be futile. Futile opponents make people happy, not angry.
What hurts here is the conservative party is telling its constituents something they want to know...it hurts to think that the people reading that mail have a legitimate right to vote based on what they read and think. My point is that it's a sign of a healthy election...
posted by michaelh at 12:57 PM on October 3, 2011
Another plank in the Hudak platform is the chain gangs, which are also pitched at the innumerate: Hudak paints a vivid picture of hardened criminals being put to work at menial jobs. “I'm not asking prisoners to anything more than what hard-working Ontario families do each and every day – and that is, go to work.” No word yet on how hard-working Ontario families might feel about having their jobs turned over to convicts who will of course work free.
As well, since the average length of incarceration in Ontario is 20 days, and anyone serving more than two years is doing so in the federal system, these hardened criminals are mostly not eligible to take part in this.
It is unclear whether Hudak cannot do the math or he thinks you cannot.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:00 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
As well, since the average length of incarceration in Ontario is 20 days, and anyone serving more than two years is doing so in the federal system, these hardened criminals are mostly not eligible to take part in this.
It is unclear whether Hudak cannot do the math or he thinks you cannot.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:00 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Party leader Tim Hudak, defending the ad, compains that the opposing Liberals think "a priority in education is sex-education curriculum starting at Grade 1 when they should be learning their ABCs and how to tie their shoes."
Swiss sex education kit for kindergarten (NSFW)
posted by longsleeves at 1:06 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Swiss sex education kit for kindergarten (NSFW)
posted by longsleeves at 1:06 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
The National Post took some heat for running an ad similar to the flyer. They later apologized.
posted by auto-correct at 1:07 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by auto-correct at 1:07 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Maybe I'm being naive here, but I'm certainly not counting out Hudak as the next premier. Man oh man I hope I'm wrong, but the polls are just too close to write him off entirely.
As a poster mentioned above, the local PC candidate in my riding skipped debates and doesn't show himself in public. But he and the party are certainly robo-calling like there is no tomorrow. We're also getting live calling too with real operators inviting us to take part in phone-in "town halls" with the candidate and Hudak himself.
Without having a physical, real-life presence, it seems the local PC candidate is doing well in the polls, so it wouldn't surprise me if this riding went blue, and sadly I can see the same thing happening over and over again across the province.
Even if we end up in a minority situation (no matter who is nominally in charge) it's going to be ugly and messy. I'm really not looking forward to the outcome of this election at all.
posted by sardonyx at 1:09 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
As a poster mentioned above, the local PC candidate in my riding skipped debates and doesn't show himself in public. But he and the party are certainly robo-calling like there is no tomorrow. We're also getting live calling too with real operators inviting us to take part in phone-in "town halls" with the candidate and Hudak himself.
Without having a physical, real-life presence, it seems the local PC candidate is doing well in the polls, so it wouldn't surprise me if this riding went blue, and sadly I can see the same thing happening over and over again across the province.
Even if we end up in a minority situation (no matter who is nominally in charge) it's going to be ugly and messy. I'm really not looking forward to the outcome of this election at all.
posted by sardonyx at 1:09 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Following the National Post's apology for running the transphobic ad, the Toronto Sun decided that they wanted in on the action and published it too.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 1:56 PM on October 3, 2011
posted by sevenyearlurk at 1:56 PM on October 3, 2011
Oh, and can I add how much this sickens me. I spent some time this afternoon reading about Jamey Rodemeyer, the 14-year-old who killed himself last week after putting up with years of homophobic bullying, and thinking about all the other beautiful kids who we know have committed suicide over the last couple of years because other kids are taught that it's okay to hate. So I'm crying at work, and Tim Hudak and his cronies are smirking and trying to step into power on the backs of these defenseless children. It's horrifying and monstrous, and I don't know how anybody can vote for these bastards.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 2:03 PM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by sevenyearlurk at 2:03 PM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
I don't know how anybody can vote for these bastards.
Tax cuts, and makin' sure them minorities keep to themselves.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 2:33 PM on October 3, 2011
Tax cuts, and makin' sure them minorities keep to themselves.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 2:33 PM on October 3, 2011
The National Post took some heat for running an ad similar to the flyer. They later apologized.
And then endorsed Hudak for premier.
Been waiting a little while now for the high-water mark on shameless pandering to the GTA's nervous middle class. Mike Harris' plug-dumb scorched-earth cuts, Mel Lastman's city-hall-as-clown-college, Harper's tough-on-crime vote-split cynicism, Rob Ford's gravy train - each one seemed like it had to be the last populist gasp of a smallminded vision of Canada I can't wait to see die.
Though I no longer have a dog in the Ontario hunt, I'm very cautiously optimistic that Hudak, finally, represents a hateful pander too far. Between that and the overnight implosion of Ford Nation, might this finally be the high-water mark as well for Harperism? Whaddaya say, fellow Canucks? Can we get back to playing to the better half of our nature now?
posted by gompa at 3:32 PM on October 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
And then endorsed Hudak for premier.
Been waiting a little while now for the high-water mark on shameless pandering to the GTA's nervous middle class. Mike Harris' plug-dumb scorched-earth cuts, Mel Lastman's city-hall-as-clown-college, Harper's tough-on-crime vote-split cynicism, Rob Ford's gravy train - each one seemed like it had to be the last populist gasp of a smallminded vision of Canada I can't wait to see die.
Though I no longer have a dog in the Ontario hunt, I'm very cautiously optimistic that Hudak, finally, represents a hateful pander too far. Between that and the overnight implosion of Ford Nation, might this finally be the high-water mark as well for Harperism? Whaddaya say, fellow Canucks? Can we get back to playing to the better half of our nature now?
posted by gompa at 3:32 PM on October 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
I called Rossi, who is running in my riding. His campaign manager has claimed that no one has heard of the mailing, and had no context what-so-ever. She suggested that all Hudak wanted was for parents to have control over their kids education, and spun the McGuinty line. She asked me to send her some material, as a way to get me off the phone. I did, we will see how it goes.
posted by PinkMoose at 3:48 PM on October 3, 2011
posted by PinkMoose at 3:48 PM on October 3, 2011
but what kind of monster would want a total absence of uniform sex education for our children who have targets painted on them by our fucked up society
A pedophile monster?
posted by notreally at 4:24 PM on October 3, 2011
Hudak is a dial-tone dressed up in Reform party cast-offs.
Well, that seems to work in Ottawa.
posted by sneebler at 5:36 PM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
Well, that seems to work in Ottawa.
posted by sneebler at 5:36 PM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
Ottawa, like Toronto, or pretty much any urban Canadian city, is Liberal to NDP in the centre (MacGuinty is my MPP), trending to Conservative in the sub-urbs and rural areas. Ottawa centre has been NDP federally since Broadbent, and is currently represented by Paul Dewar (NDP). Further out, "Carleton County", the rural area in the city limits, is indeed very conservative, in every sense. The Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley is also very, very conservative, like the bible-belts of the Frazer Valley or southern Alberta.
posted by bonehead at 6:05 PM on October 3, 2011
posted by bonehead at 6:05 PM on October 3, 2011
is there no fucking line conservatives won't cross? For fuck sake - to think that this sort of stunt is not in any way repugnant is beyond me. I mean, these fuckers are meant to be the guardians of "values". I'm not suprised - Harper after all was coached by arch-turd John Howard who presided over shit like this
posted by the noob at 6:08 PM on October 3, 2011
posted by the noob at 6:08 PM on October 3, 2011
I'm amazed at how badly Hudak has done. While it's true that the Libreals are "the natural ruling party" in Ontario, there's a strong streak of fiscal conservatism that the Conservative party, particularly at the provincial level, taps into whenever the public feel that the Liberals have gone too far. MacGuinty's Liberals were at that point a year ago, late in a second term when governments tend to get sloppy, widely criticized for expensive mis-management of the electrical utilities file, scadals in the lottery offices, the health e-records consultant fiasco, and many others. This really was Hudak's election to lose.
I'll give the man credit: Hudak has done just about everything possible in his power to alienate the electorate. The path to power for PCs in Ontario is well-understood. Talk about financial responsability, deficit-management and job creation. Don't talk about immigration, public health, education or any of the other "social" issues. Harris did it a decade ago, Harper just last year. Hudak, on the other hand, seems to be running for the position of Village Idiot, rather than Premiere. It's been incredible watching him take the PCs from solid majority territory down to opposition leader to another Liberal majority.
posted by bonehead at 6:24 PM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
I'll give the man credit: Hudak has done just about everything possible in his power to alienate the electorate. The path to power for PCs in Ontario is well-understood. Talk about financial responsability, deficit-management and job creation. Don't talk about immigration, public health, education or any of the other "social" issues. Harris did it a decade ago, Harper just last year. Hudak, on the other hand, seems to be running for the position of Village Idiot, rather than Premiere. It's been incredible watching him take the PCs from solid majority territory down to opposition leader to another Liberal majority.
posted by bonehead at 6:24 PM on October 3, 2011 [4 favorites]
What is it with disgusting political rhetoric and lame-ass design skills? C'mon you authoritarians you used to have style at least, now it looks like Becky in accounts payable threw the whole thing together before lunch.
I'm becoming more convinced over the years that this is the desired design style for these types of campaigns.
posted by krinklyfig at 7:06 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm becoming more convinced over the years that this is the desired design style for these types of campaigns.
posted by krinklyfig at 7:06 PM on October 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Bonehead and modernnomad, you nailed it. I really want to find an alternative to McGuinty mainly because I think the debt problem is going to hurt us badly in the long run. But I'm also socially liberal. So I fit soundly into the category of "will consider Conservative alternative". What I won't consider is smiley-ass fearmongering.
I also find it interesting that the NDP in Ontario is not financially conservative whereas the NDP provincial governments in the Prairies have a strong track record of balanced budgets. Some commentators have put this down to the pay-as-you-go rural roots of the CCF.
I admit to being baffled by the NDP platform. Reducing the tax on hydro for example. Um, yeah, it's just what owners of monster houses would love. In the long run it'll increase consumption making our energy situation even worse. If you want to help low-income folks why not just reduce their taxes?
posted by storybored at 7:18 PM on October 3, 2011
I also find it interesting that the NDP in Ontario is not financially conservative whereas the NDP provincial governments in the Prairies have a strong track record of balanced budgets. Some commentators have put this down to the pay-as-you-go rural roots of the CCF.
I admit to being baffled by the NDP platform. Reducing the tax on hydro for example. Um, yeah, it's just what owners of monster houses would love. In the long run it'll increase consumption making our energy situation even worse. If you want to help low-income folks why not just reduce their taxes?
posted by storybored at 7:18 PM on October 3, 2011
Yeah, the NDP have been a total joke in this campaign. How can an allegedly progressive and environmentally friendly party be seriously proposing to cap gas prices? That's some crazy populist bullshit. Somebody needs to grab the reigns of that party and drag it towards a semblance of modern progressivism. With a stone-age approach to economics, the NDP will serve only to bleed votes away from the left edge of the Liberals, thus helping ensure conservative success at various electoral levels for years to come. Adopt the best of the social policies of the NDP with the economic policies of the Liberals, and you have a compelling electoral platform.
posted by modernnomad at 7:32 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by modernnomad at 7:32 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Somebody needs to grab the reigns of that party and drag it towards a semblance of modern progressivism.
Sounds like a weird mixture of progressive politics and populist economics.
posted by krinklyfig at 7:36 PM on October 3, 2011
Sounds like a weird mixture of progressive politics and populist economics.
posted by krinklyfig at 7:36 PM on October 3, 2011
Nice to see Canadian politics are just as fucked up as the U.S.
posted by mike3k at 8:08 PM on October 3, 2011
posted by mike3k at 8:08 PM on October 3, 2011
McGuinty Agenda Sounds like the name of an action movie in the Simpsons.
posted by delmoi at 9:24 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by delmoi at 9:24 PM on October 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
A lot of the provincial NDPs have always been shamelessly populist in their campaign strategies. The NDP here in BC was equally rabid as an anti-HST and anti-carbon tax (!!) party, and didn't ever bother to articulate their reasons for opposition... they just hated them because they were new taxes, so they saw a chance to shave some voters off the right-wing base. And a lot of the federal "NDP bump" that was experienced in BC was precisely due to this articulation of opposition at the provincial level. I've always felt that the provincial NDP is the federal NDP's worst enemy.
posted by mek at 2:06 AM on October 4, 2011
posted by mek at 2:06 AM on October 4, 2011
I think mobunited is spot on. This is Ford-style politics all over again and it worries me as it worked so successfully the first time around.
The fact that it has reached newspapers and online discussion only furthers the reach of the message and thus strengthens Hudak's campaign.
Sad reality, and I'm not sure what the right solution is as tactics like this should be called-out and ridiculed, but I fear that doing so hands the election to the Conservatives on Thursday.
I hope I'm wrong.
posted by purephase at 8:15 AM on October 4, 2011
The fact that it has reached newspapers and online discussion only furthers the reach of the message and thus strengthens Hudak's campaign.
Sad reality, and I'm not sure what the right solution is as tactics like this should be called-out and ridiculed, but I fear that doing so hands the election to the Conservatives on Thursday.
I hope I'm wrong.
posted by purephase at 8:15 AM on October 4, 2011
purephase, current polls all project a liberal govt; the question seems pretty much whether it will be a minority or majority. of course, in theory the polls could be entirely incorrect or the liberals could somehow implode over the next two days, but it seems unlikely.
posted by modernnomad at 8:22 AM on October 4, 2011
posted by modernnomad at 8:22 AM on October 4, 2011
I don't really have much to add to this, except to say that:
a) I like that Canadian politics get time here on the blue, because it lets me feel SOMEWHAT informed.
b) All those ads with Dalton McGuinty on a white background, where he is EXACTLY framed top-to-bottom (ie his head and feet are pretty much touching the top and bottom of the frame) weird me out for some reason. I keep wanting to zoom out JUST A BIT so there's a tiny bit of space around him in the frame.
posted by antifuse at 12:51 PM on October 5, 2011
a) I like that Canadian politics get time here on the blue, because it lets me feel SOMEWHAT informed.
b) All those ads with Dalton McGuinty on a white background, where he is EXACTLY framed top-to-bottom (ie his head and feet are pretty much touching the top and bottom of the frame) weird me out for some reason. I keep wanting to zoom out JUST A BIT so there's a tiny bit of space around him in the frame.
posted by antifuse at 12:51 PM on October 5, 2011
But at least it's a professional white background.
posted by one more dead town's last parade at 9:24 PM on October 6, 2011
posted by one more dead town's last parade at 9:24 PM on October 6, 2011
Sadly I'm not surprised. Sure enough, my riding went blue. Who needs debates? Who needs door-to-door campaigning? Who needs campaign literature? Boy people really depress me some days.
Losing a majority by one seat (as of this time of the night) really must hurt. I don't normally feel sorry for politicians, but I can see how that would feel like horrible.
Oh well, as I said before I'm not looking forward to the next session. I think 'ugly and messy' will turn out to be an understatement. I can't imagine how bad the first by-election is going to be.
posted by sardonyx at 10:05 PM on October 6, 2011
Losing a majority by one seat (as of this time of the night) really must hurt. I don't normally feel sorry for politicians, but I can see how that would feel like horrible.
Oh well, as I said before I'm not looking forward to the next session. I think 'ugly and messy' will turn out to be an understatement. I can't imagine how bad the first by-election is going to be.
posted by sardonyx at 10:05 PM on October 6, 2011
« Older "I hear that guy's ass has it's own congressman!"... | Poor Folk Bows Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by The Whelk at 11:30 AM on October 3, 2011 [6 favorites]