Brake lines of Liberal supporters cut: This isn’t my Canada

Some of us take our politics more seriously than others but I think we all agree that, no matter what our political views may be, everyone who gets involved, whether its taking a lawn sign or volunteering on a campaign, is doing their own bit, in their own way, to make Canada a better place. I have friends of many different political persuasions, and I know they’d all be disturbed about incidents like this:

Toronto police patrolled a midtown area overnight, after vandals cut brake lines on at least 10 cars parked at homes with Liberal election signs on their lawns.

"We're investigating. Officers are paying special attention to the designated area and we take this very seriously," Staff-Sgt. Shawn Meloche, from 53 Division, said last night. "This is a danger to life as well as to property. Regardless of the motivation – and there appears to be a connection (to the signs) – this is a public safety issue."

Affected residents live in the riding of St. Paul's, in a swath of the city around Eglinton Ave. between Bathurst St. and Mount Pleasant Rd., and had Carolyn Bennett signs on their property. Although Meloche confirmed 10 cases of vandalism last night, Liberal riding headquarters said the number was going up, reporting 14 by 9 p.m.

This isn’t just vandalism. In my view, its almost akin to attempted murder. It’s extremely dangerous. This kind of spineless and cowardly attack is unacceptable in Canada. And, sadly, it’s not an isolated incident. There were similar incidents against Liberal supporters last month in Guelph, during the aborted by-election campaign:

The escalation in Guelph is dramatic. Last night, over night, someone, or some group, went to all parts of the city vandalizing homes with Liberal party by-election signs out front. Houses were spray painted with slogans on the brickwork, garage, doors, and windows. But worse, much worse, is the fact that these cowards keyed the cars in the driveways with 'L' and cut the brake lines in the cars in the driveways. At least six cars are known to have had their brake lines cut. This is wreck less endangerment. Disabling the brakes on cars is a direct threat to life and limb and is way beyond the realm of acceptability.

This a very dangerous phenomenon. 14 brake lines cut in one night in Toronto. Six in one night in Guelph. This isn’t one or two crazies. It seems to be an organized campaign to threaten and intimidate Liberal supporters into silence. And that is something that should concern anyone that values free and open democratic debate.

I hope the police investigate these cases vigorously and forcefully, and I hope the cowards behind these incidents are caught and exposed. And I hope to hell they’re not associated with any political party. I would hate to think that is what my Canada has come to.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Guelph sign review

I don’t know about you but as a political junkie I’m always interested to look at campaign signs, and see the different themes, messages and strategies the different parties are trying-out.

And it’s always more interesting during a by-election, when the centralizing hand of the central campaign is a little less heavy and local campaigns are more free to be creative with their sign designs.

Therefore I’ve had my camera with me this weekend while I’ve been out in about in Guelph, and I thought I’d take a few snaps to share with those elsewhere interested in getting a for a little campaign sign review, by-election edition. Here’s my ranking and review of Guelph sign design:

1. Frank Valeriote, Liberal

The candidate’s name is large and prominent, standing-out well with black lettering on a largely white background, and doubling as a Web site address to drive traffic to the campaign site in an economical use of space. Stylized Canada flag motif is attractive, adding a dose of patriotic appeal. And a small saying on the bottom, Doing the right thing.

I like these signs, my only concern is how the detail of the waving flag design will hold up in the sun and weather, particularly if this morphs into a marathon campaign with a general election call. There’s a risk the detail could fad. With sign design, keeping it simple is always the way to go. Still, good signs.

2. Tom King, NDP

This is a simple, appealing sign design by the NDP. Like the usual NDP template it’s white name on orange background, and the candidate’s name is large and prominent. The large swath of green across the top corner is an interesting touch, perhaps an attempt to meet the challenge of the Green Party (who could draw more support than the NDP here if you believe that now-infamous poll) as well as counter the surging Liberal Green shift challenge. This sign also advertises the candidate’s Web site address and includes a saying on the bottom, Guelph’s National Voice. Good, simple message.

3. Mike Nagy, Green Party

Points to the Greens for having the only bilingual signs in this campaign, likely a function of the national template. Unfortunately, it does make for a more busy and cluttered site design. Dark green background on white text stands out, and reminds us, well, they’re the Greens. The white text on colour background seems to be favoured by all parties except the Liberals.

I’m not keen on their yellow party logo, and a Web site on the sign would have been a good idea but as I said it’s too busy already. Interesting construction too. Rather than have two pieces with a metal stake in between them, or wooden poles on either side, they attack the stake to one side and drill holes in to attach it with ties. Looks a little funny close up, but probably greener on materials.

4. Gloria Kovach, Conservative Party

A very basic, cookie cutter design that looks to have no deviation from the standard Conservative Party template. Which makes sense for a candidate that clings fiercely to the central party line, with no deviation from the standard Conservative Party template. Riding name in the top right corner, in case people aren’t sure where they are. No Dorthy, you’re not in Arnprior.

Elect in the top left corner standing-out in red, so you know she’s running for something. I know all parties often use elect or re-elect. But frankly, it just seems a tad archaic these days. Re-elect can serve to remind of incumbency sure, through that’s not always a good thing. Besides, don’t use elect and its easier to re-use those signs when you’re running for re-election…probably something Gloria needn’t worry about.

The white text does look good on the blue background though, and she has her Web site on there, which is also good. It’s a solid, workmanlike sign but it’s just so…bland. It’s a by-election, ask Doug Finley for permission to live a little Gloria!

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Did I fall asleep and miss election day?

As I mentioned earlier I’m spending the weekend in Guelph, and using by keenly honed powers of observation, deduction and reasoning I can tell you that there appears to be a by-election happening here. It's unmistakable. There are big signs along the road, small signs on lawns, literature being dropped, and a bustling office of Liberals working to elect a fine fellow named Frank Valeriote.

It all sure looks like a by-election campaign to me. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the Cambridge Times, and its reporter Lisa Rutledge:

But as a candidate vying for re-election, surrounded by other Conservative candidate hopefuls, including the newly elected Conservative Guelph MP, Gloria Kovach, Goodyear said the prime minister's visit doesn't exactly hurt the cause either. A backdrop of each of the candidates' signs lined the cultural centre's grounds where Goodyear stood.

That article was published last Thursday, and the error was pointed-out by several bloggers last week.

Wait, did I say someone forgot to tell them? Actually, that’s not quite true. I sent an e-mail to the editor of the Cambridge Times, Jeff Hurst, on Friday. It included a link to the article, I politely pointed out the error and mentioned the by-election date, and suggested he may want to correct the article. Easy enough to do with a Web piece, a few clicks. And mistakes do happen.

So imagine my surprise when I open up the story again on Sunday, and find:


Either these guys don’t work Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays, or they have no problem with allowing blatant and obvious errors to stand that make them seem like Conservative stooges. Dammed Liberal media!

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

The election madness contagion has broken containment

If you haven't yet been infected stock your pantry and then lock the doors, draw the blinds, and hunker-down: a major election fever system is spreading throughout the land. No one is safe. At least keep your children off the streets.

At first it seemed like Stephen Harper was just stoking election speculation to distract attention from the myriad scandals hammering his government and to distract from the increasing traction the Liberal Green Shift has been getting as Stephane Dion aggressively pitches it to receptive audiences accross Canada, including a crowd of 1400 that came out for a town hall in Oakville on a summer weeknight last week.

Now though, the election hysteria machine seems to have kicked into a whole new gear. I'm spending this weekend in Guelph volunteering for our Liberal by-election candidate, Frank Valeriote, and there is certainly general election buzz in the air here. The word on the street here, and back in Ottawa, is that Harper is serious this time. Gentlemen and ladies, start your engines.

Certainly a general writ drop in the next week or two will be a major inconvenience for all the by-election campaigns of all the parties in Guelph, St. Lambert, Westmount and Don Valley West. There's the administrative issues, the financing issues, what happens to advance votes already cast, and certainly they'll have a few less e-day volunteers than they've been counting on.

The thinking is Harper wants to go before the by-elections because he knows he's going to lose in all four, and he wants to avoid those headlines. I can tell you though, if he was going to lose these ridings before, if he aborts these by-elections he'll lose these ridings by even more. People here are going to be pissed.

As we've canvassed here the reception for the Liberals and Frank has been very strong. With a strong get out the vote effort we should be in good shape. Haven't knocked on one door yet where someone has admitted they're voting Conservative. I met Gloria Kovach's former next door neighbiour last night, and she was on the fence but leaning Liberal. If she can't win over her neighbours... At a few doors we were also asked what would happen if a general is called before Sept. 8. And everyone who brought it up was very hostile to the idea, no matter how they're voting. People can tolerate a four-week campaign, make it eight or ten weeks of annoying politicians bothering them and they'll be pretty pissed. The Conservatives will face a backlash.

Myself, in short form, if we're going to have a general now, I say fine, so be it.

Would I prefer to wait to get these by-elections done? Absolutely. I think we're going to get some great results in these campaigns that will give us some great momentum going into a general.

Do I think Harper is up to something? Absolutely. He's crazy like a fox, with his chess playing and what not.

Would I prefer that we defeat him in the House of Commons, on an issue of our choosing or otherwise? You betcha.

In the end though, if he's going to dissolve he's going to dissolve, and while we should absolutely slam him for the hypocrisy of flouting his own fixed election date legislation, we shouldn't try to stop it from happening. Not that there would be anything we could do, besides going with the NDP to the GG and asking for a chance to test the house. Health Minister Jack Layton, anyone?

But seriously, an election has been inevitable for some time now, and if its going to be sooner rather than later that's how it's going to be. The timing is never going to be ideal, we don't control all the levers of timing. I don't care much how we get into the election (in the HoC or request for dissolution), the trigger is forgotten by Day Two.

While if the writ drops in a week or two I'll feel for my overworked friends in Guelph, St. Lambert and the other ridings, I won't weep. We're ready for an election. We've got the policies, we've got the team, we've got the issues and we've got the momentum.

Bring it on. We play chess too.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

Pin the bridge on the Guelph riding map!

Want to play the fun new party game that's sweeping the nation? It's easy.

Just print out this handy Guelph riding map that has the local rivers marked in blue:

and these handy-dandy bridges:


Paste the map to the wall, and cut out the bridges. Affix a piece of rolled-up scotch tape to the back of each bridge. Be sure each person writes their name on their bridge.

Then, each person sticks their bridge on the map at the point they think the Conservatives will promise to build a fancy new bridge if Guelph residents only vote Conservative.

Then, just wait for the inevitable vote-buying announcement. The person who put their bridge closest to where the Conservatives promise to build one is the winner!

Good, wholesome family fun for kids age 8 to 80!

*Caution, side effects may include nausea, deja-vu, and disillusionment with democracy.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers

It's a litmus test...no its not...if we win it means majority...if we lose it means nothing

That, in a nutshell, sums up the Conservative line on the Guelph by-election. They downplay it, but at the same time admit they’re pouring resources in and consider it a bellwether riding to their majority chances. You’d positively get whiplash from the differing messaging.

Why, take the messaging in this one story on the Globe this morning alone. A story, by the way, that took one and a half journalists to write, is ostensibly about how the Conservatives view Guelph, and only managed to get one person to speak on the record: a Liberal senator.

First, from the downplaying expectations side:

* even as they say publicly that they can't win

* The Tories are playing down expectations of a positive result in Guelph. The Liberals won the riding by nearly nine percentage points over the Tories in the 2006 election, which is a difficult margin to turn around.
And now the bellwether side:

* Harper Conservative strategists are privately looking for a breakthrough in the by-election in Guelph, Ont., a riding they consider one of the keys to forming a majority government

* "If we can win ridings like Guelph in the next election, this is almost majority territory," a senior strategist said. "It will be a wake-up call for us if we don't do that well in Guelph."

* it is one of the 30 ridings on the Tory's main target list

* It is considered a bellwether riding, said the Tory strategist, as it has a mix of urban and suburban and its constituents would be affected by issues such as Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion's proposal to put a tax on carbon fuels.

* the party is putting resources into the riding, where they have an attractive candidate in Gloria Kovach, a long-time Guelph city councillor. High-profile cabinet ministers will make many visits over the next few weeks

Here’s the line that I fine the most amusing from this story:

The Tories are playing down expectations of a positive result in Guelph…Privately, it's a different story.

Privately, it’s a different story? It’s a different story in the same story. And when you’re talking to the media, whether it’s unsourced or not, it’s not exactly privately. You’re still aware that it’s going to be printed in a newspaper, and read by people.

Nothing the Conservatives are saying here is wrong. Guelph is a bellwether riding for them. It’s the sort of riding they need to win if they’re going to have any hope at a majority. And if they don’t win, as the unnamed senior Conservative says, that should be a wake-up call for them.

My point is about expectations. If even the Conservatives are admitting that Guelph is a litmus test for them (and shouldn’t they be making showings in Westmount and St. Lambert as well?), even if it their admissions are coming “privately” in the pages of national newspapers, can we stop pretending please that the Liberals are the only ones with something to lose in these by-elections?

Guelph is on their list of 30 targeted ridings. They admit its a bellwether. They're pouring in resources to support their "star" candidate. If they lose, won't that then mean the Conservatives are in trouble? Can we start talking more about Harper's failure to move his party into majority territory, despite spending us into a deficit while showering tax dollars all over the country? Can we start questioning his leadership then? Will he have hit a wall?

Expectations. They're not just for Liberals.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers