Category: La Belle Province

And here we go again. It now looks like we have a full slate in the London North Centre riding except, of course, for the Grits, who still haven’t been able to find anybody that wants the job (what’s that old adage about rats and ships, again?). I have to admit, I was damned surprised to see Stephen Maynard fall on his sword like he did, especially after the showing that he managed to pull off in the general election back in January. Getting some orders from above, were ya, Steve?

He denied top party brass, including NDP Leader Jack Layton, pressured him to step aside for the more experienced Walker.

No, of course you weren’t. 😉 Okay, folks; here we go with all the byelection ‘bojumbo you can find here:

The Freeps
Walker handed NDP banner
Grits pick hopeful Sunday
Megan Walker launches byelection campaign

The TO Star
Gay priest seeks Bloc nomination
Bloc acclaims priest as candidate

Canada.com
Gerard Kennedy not running in byelection
Bloc Quebecois acclaims controversial priest as byelection candidate

LifeSite
Pro-abortion/Pro-gay Marriage Quebec Catholic Priest Running for Office

CTV
Elizabeth May formally chosen to run for Greens

Well, what can I say? Another day, another bunch o links. And oh, lookie here! Why it didn’t take the MSM any time at all to start subtly wafting out the Christian Boogeyman angle. Seriously. Click the link that says “Tory byelection candidate tied to U.S. faith-based diplomacy group” and see for yourself. The Vancouver Sun and Ottawa Citizen carried it too. While they don’t come right out and say it (big surprise), the implication is obvious: vote for Haskett and the big, bad Tory party that’s been “taken over by Evangelical Christians” will turn Canada into a theocracy. Talaban a la Canuckistan. Gimme a break. 🙄

The Freeps
Candidates do parachute in and win
Grits still seek candidate

Canada.com
Tory byelection candidate tied to U.S. faith-based diplomacy group

Vancouver Sun
Byelections show it’s bare-knuckled politics as usual in Ottawa

canoe.ca
May wants to colour London riding green

Well, yesterday was kind of interesting. We got a candidate, the Dippers kept on dawdling, the Greens geared up and the Grits… Well, the Librano$ still haven’t been able to find any poor slob dumb enough to want to hang their sleazy brand on his c.v., although that might be changing tomorrow. Or not. Who the hell knows? You know, I’d almost feel sorry for them if it hadn’t sucked so much being one of the millions of taxpayers that they screwed over for more than a decade. So sympathy’s pretty much out the window, I guess.

Well, enough o’ that. Time to get on with what I’ve been burying my nose in so far today. Some good, some bad, some just there (whaddaya gonna do, eh?). Here goes:

The Freeps
Haskett, Burghardt again?
Green leader to run in London byelection

Canada.com
Controversial priest wants Bloc Repentigny nomination

TO Star
PM uses by-election to weigh Ontario support

Green Party Media Release

My Take?

Well, it was nice to see good news for a change. No, not directly related to the byelections, but it does show something. According to the pollsters at Angus Reid, the Tories are currently sitting nine points to the god across Canada. Sure, the Grits are up by 3 points, but what do you suppose is going to happen to that number after they drop the Rae-bomb on themselves in December (as many think they will)? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Bob Rae could very well turn out to be the best friend Stephen Harper ever had. For the time being, however, we have these two little byelections to worry about first.

Well, boys and girls, the game’s on in London-North-Centre (where no Librano$ seem to want the job) and in Repentigny and that means having a lot of spare time gobbled up. What it doesn’t mean, however, is that I won’t have any opinions or anything to say. I just won’t have as much time to say it. From now until Nov. 27, I’m going to try to make a daily habit of posting what links I can find on the issue. From the MSM, blogs, or whatever, I’ll toss it out.

This will save me time from regurgitating a lot of stuff that others have already said (and sometimes said better, the bastards) while still being able to make sure that all my own little bones of contention are flung as far and wide as possible. You’ll also notice a little google RSS at the bottom of the right sidebar now.

Granted, most of what I put up is going to be focused more on London than on Repentigny but hey, I don’t live in Repentigny. Get over it. 😛 Here’s what I’ve got for Tuesday, October 24:

The Freeps
Byelection race taking shape
Nothing political in vote timing, PMO assures
City council candidate jumps into federal race in London-North-Centre
Walker faces fight for NDP nomination
Walker in NDP candidacy storm

Conservative Life
Would the real Liberals please stand up?

Globe & Mail
Fortier defends decision not to run in by-election

TO Star
Green Party eyes two seats in House
Fortier’s big chance

Canada.com
Byelections seen as test of Harper’s management

Ottawa Sun
Timing is everything

My Take?

There seems to be a lot of whining, especially from the Hypogrits, about the timing of these byelections. Funny. I don’t remember hearing so much as a peep out of them when the Librano$ were calling elections whenever it looked like the wind was blowing the right way for them (with plenty of time left in their mandate, no less).

By the time you start reading this, I’ll likely be off to the London Conservative nomination meeting tonight. Who am I going to support? Not sure just yet. While I favour Haskett’s socially conservative stance on many of the issues, I just can’t shake the vaguely slick feeling that we’re getting Iggy’d here…

Guess I’ll just have to wait and see what they both have to say on the issues that matter to me. Things like national defense, judicial activism, defense of religious rights, law and order… You know; all that nasty right-wing stuff. Especially law and order. I live in a bad neighbourhood. 🙁

We’ll just have to wait nad see.

I would like to begin today by saying, on behalf of all of us here, that our most heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to the family and friends of Anastasia DeSouza, whose life was ended so tragically yesterday in Montreal. We also maintain our highest hopes for those still struggling to live through the ordeal. May their families get good news, and get it soon.

Out of respect for the sensitivities of those so deeply affected by this event, it has been decided that there will be no posting of opinions about the social implications (or anything else) regarding this matter until after the families have had the chance to come to grips with their loss and say their final farewells to their loved ones, after whatever fashion they follow.

There will be NO capitalizing on this issue here. Any commentary to that affect will be deleted immediately and the poster will be banned.

Again, our best wishes to the families. If there is anything at all that we can do, please do not hesitate to contact any of us.