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2018 Provincial Election Transit Promises
- Thread starter innsertnamehere
- Start date
drum118
Superstar
Cobra
Senior Member
Inside OPC sources: Caroline Mulroney (@C_Mulroney) has been tapped to replace Brown as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, will be announced tomorrow
https://twitter.com/A_Strong_Canada/status/956424048539525120
If true...watch out Wynne...better come out with those transit promises
https://twitter.com/A_Strong_Canada/status/956424048539525120
If true...watch out Wynne...better come out with those transit promises
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narduch
Senior Member
I'm worried about this as well.
They already over-promise and under-deliver on the transit file.
Indeed, if the PCs opt to go with the more conservative wing of their party, we could very well end up with someone more aligned with DoFo policy-wise when it comes to transit. From a transit perspective, Brown was the least-damaging (not good, but least bad) PC leader in decades. I'm not holding my breath that his successor will be too.
drum118
Superstar
Maybe Doug Ford will run for the PC Leadership, not the Mayor seat, since he will have more power to do what he wants.
kEiThZ
Superstar
We'll see how dumb they are shortly.
But I suspect, they'll go with a moderate. Recent events aside, Brown's genius was that he courted the conservative base and then offered up a rather moderate platform. He was trying to bring the PCs closer to the centre so they could win. I doubt anybody else who take the reins will do different. If they do, they'd be courting defeat.
The leaders aren't stupid. They know that Ontario has changed substantially since the days of Mike Harris. In the 90s, Harris could play off the 905 against the 416 and win. Today, that's just not possible. Because the 905 faces many of the same issues the 416 did 10-20 years ago. They now have the same infrastructure and service demands that Toronto did. The anti-urban nonsense will be a tough sell.
At absolute worst, we might see some rebalancing in transit priorities between 905 and 416.
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ssiguy2
Senior Member
If we can keep the circumstances of Brown's resignation out of the conversation then this is very relevant to public transit in Toronto.
Assuming that Brown would have kept his promises, this mean that the idea of QP taking over the Toronto subways is a no go and that may have greatly benefitted Toronto. It would not only "up load" the operational costs of the subways but very importantly any future upgrades/repairs to the lines and future rolling stock needs.
Conversely, electrification will be a sure thing with a Wynne victory which now seems all but certain. Wynne is also a city Premier so the DRL will get it's needed QP support as well as federal due to Trudeau's & Wynne's very close relationship.
Assuming that Brown would have kept his promises, this mean that the idea of QP taking over the Toronto subways is a no go and that may have greatly benefitted Toronto. It would not only "up load" the operational costs of the subways but very importantly any future upgrades/repairs to the lines and future rolling stock needs.
Conversely, electrification will be a sure thing with a Wynne victory which now seems all but certain. Wynne is also a city Premier so the DRL will get it's needed QP support as well as federal due to Trudeau's & Wynne's very close relationship.
Sandpit
Active Member
The presentation of the PC platform will definitely change, but it would look bad if any significant planks were dropped. It's one thing to abandon a platform after an election defeat: you can say the voters rejected your vision. But voters never cast judgement on the People's Guarantee, and the platform is supposed to represent the ideas and work of the entire party, so it doesn't make sense to toss the whole thing out just because the boss quit. Plus there's probably no time for any substantial changes anyway unless they were rammed through.
SaugeenJunction
Senior Member
For people that think Brown would have kept his transit promises, please refer to his stance on abortion, gay marriage, carbon taxes, and the way he treated PC nominations.
On the platform, we will see how the PCs deal with the leadership. If they have a leadership race, expect the new leader’s views to be reflected in the election platform. If they appoint someone, then it’s more likely they will stick with what’s been promised. But remember, the PCs will want to get rid of the Brown legacy. I’d expect policy revisions.
On the platform, we will see how the PCs deal with the leadership. If they have a leadership race, expect the new leader’s views to be reflected in the election platform. If they appoint someone, then it’s more likely they will stick with what’s been promised. But remember, the PCs will want to get rid of the Brown legacy. I’d expect policy revisions.
nfitz
Superstar
One really wouldn't expect it to much - I'm sure few except us here ran out and actually read the promises. And even then, I haven't seen any Toronto-specific polling since it dropped.
And really, other than perhaps a very strategic riding here or there, we are fooling ourselves if we think transit promises makes much difference to support - especially before the election. Not compared to all this Hydro BS ... I don't even know where the NDP is coming from with there recent claims that hydro has gone up 300% under the Liberals
(I keep meaning to do a reality check - I came to Toronto a year after the Tories left. First bill - $333.10 (after removing account setup charge) for 3 months, Oct 1-Dec 30 - 3115.9 kWh. Last 3 bills; Oct 3-Jan 5 ; 1649.8 kWh for $285.68
So it's gone from 10.6 ¢/kWh to 17.3 ¢/kWh. 63.0% in 13 years, averaging 3.8% a year.
Wow, that's actually less than I expected, given all the hype.
Hmm, what about since the last election. So last 3 months of 2013 - I'll have to average over 4 months (2 bills - Sep-Dec) ... 16.933¢/kWh. And to be fair, the same 4 months in 2017 ... 16.925¢/kWh ...
WTF ... Hydro rates have gone down since the last election? Or are effectively the same? Well, I'm going to have a fun chat with the NDP person who appears at my door. (the Tories too ... but in 13 years in Toronto, I've never seen one, once, with regular visits from the Liberals, and less from the NDP.)
nfitz
Superstar
Never heard of her ... wait ... had to google her to confirm. Brian's daughter, who last made the news on the occasion of her 18th birthday, with Frank Magazine's infamous competition??? (I never heard who won ...).
NFW. What's her political experience ... I actually can't find anything, other than her recent interest in running in York—Simcoe?
LRV manufacturers will be lining up outside Brian Mulroney's door with brown envelopes full of cash.
Liberals will be laughing themselves silly if the Tories do anything so daft. It won't happen.
DopeyFish
Active Member
IIRC the hydro rates are pretty much rest of ontario. Toronto has a different power provider than the rest of the province.
nfitz
Superstar
That's not true. Where did you hear this?
Our electricity comes from Hydro One just like almost everyone else in the province. It's exactly the same grid - which is why Toronto went down with almost the entire province, in the last large blackout. Much of the power is generated by Ontario Power Generation - which partially owns the Portlands Energy Centre - the 550 MW natural gas generator in Toronto, along with the Pickering and Darlington nuclear reactors, numerous other power plants, and most of the major hydro facilities in the province, including Niagara Falls.
Hydro One sells the power to the City of Toronto's agency "Toronto Hydro" which maintains the local network and sells to us. In the same manner that it's done in many other cities. "Waterloo North Hydro" in Waterloo (and surrounding townships). Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro in Kitchener. Thunder Bay Hydro in Thunder Bay. Greater Sudbury Utilities Inc. in ... I'll let you guess. Hydro Ottawa. London Hydro, Kingston Hydro ...
It get's more complicated in some places, with a group of municipalities controlling some providers. Such as Alectra (Mississauga, Vaughan, Hamilton, Markham, Barrie, St. Kitts,), but also serving some cities that aren't part of the ownership such as Brampton, Aurora, Richmond Hill.
There's probably some privately owned distributors as well.
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Sandpit
Active Member
Normally yes, but this is really awkward timing. Enough time to hold a (expedited) leadership race if they want to, but not really enough time for the new leader to settle in to the job and get acquainted with voters. Platforms also usually involve whole lot of brainstorming and revisions and go through focus testing, and there might not be enough time for that either. The PCs already have to throw much of their election prep out the window, and I'm not sure if they want to throw even more out.