Premier Doug Ford's Ontario

[WislaHD]

This isn't new or unique to Toronto or even Ontario. Conservatives the world over are under attack and we're repeatedly browbeated for our political choices and made to feel ridiculed and belittled for daring not to be politically "correct" - whatever that means.

I'd have a lot more sympathy if these same "Conservatives" didn't vote in populist authoritarian idiots as leaders of their party.

What all this shows me is that true conservativism (which I am on board with as a legitimate option to vote for in our democratic spectrum) is dead or dying, and being replaced by right-wing populism (which I cannot stomach).

(And the left becoming more populist, authoritarian and illiberal themselves is not an excuse for electing people like Ford as leader.)

 

[BurlOak]

The Speaker is typically from the government side. S/he is supposed to exercise the office impartially, and the legislature is supposed to allow and respect the role. We shall see.

I always thought the Speaker should not be an MPP. It should be someone nominated by the House and voted on. There is no stopping the appointement from being somewhat partisan - with some able to more impartial than others.

My point is that the Riding who's MPP currently becomes speaker does not have a voice. Nobody to official speak on their behalf in the house. Nobody to vote for the constituents wishes.

 

[44 North]

Saw a bit of Howard Moscoe on CP24 earlier today. He has an autobio coming out and spoke candidly - albeit briefly - about why he thinks TO's council is pure efficient democracy at its finest (even though many fail to realize this). Then he mentioned his view on why Doug and the OPCP is obsessed with Toronto. TTC ownership is a big part, but general control of Toronto is basically it. He equated it to Paul Godfrey's past desire to control swaths of the central waterfront. Again this was only briefly touched on, but thought Godfrey mention particularly interesting.

IIRC when looking at long-ago plans for the core waterfront I thought Godfrey had the right idea that we needed a fast rapid transit line along the the waterfront, I guess largely tied to eventual Skydome, Metro Ctr (much unbuilt to this day), and what came to be CityPlace. But I believe they wanted dumb nonsense like a PRT pod system. Sound familiar? Who else proposed an oddball, proprietary transit system along the waterfront? Doug and the monorail.

The comparison to Godfrey could be nothing, but aside from wishes for TTC ownership perhaps this recent hyper-TO focus could be related to waterfront stuff (e.g Metro Ctr expansion, over rail corridor, WaterfronTO takeover, the general Port Lands, etc).

 

[zang]

This isn't new or unique to Toronto or even Ontario. Conservatives the world over are under attack and we're repeatedly browbeated for our political choices and made to feel ridiculed and belittled for daring not to be politically "correct" - whatever that means.

If you want a definition of “politically correct”, it means not having a get out of jail free card for being a complete asshole to others.

 

[SunriseChampion]

17?!

I always thought the Speaker should not be an MPP. It should be someone nominated by the House and voted on. There is no stopping the appointement from being somewhat partisan - with some able to more impartial than others.

My point is that the Riding who's MPP currently becomes speaker does not have a voice. Nobody to official speak on their behalf in the house. Nobody to vote for the constituents wishes.

In our system nobody speaks for their constituents anyway. They all speak for their party almost all of the time.

This local representation idea is one of the myths perpetrated on us by FPTP champions.

 

[SunriseChampion]

If you want a definition of “politically correct”, it means not having a get out of jail free card for being a complete asshole to others.

You sure?

Seems to me the definition is more along the lines of "intellectually dishonest and afraid to offend".

 

[animatronic]

You sure?

Seems to me the definition is more along the lines of "intellectually dishonest and afraid to offend".

As opposed to “intellectually dishonest and eager to offend”?

Political correctness just means don’t be an asshole to someone living a different life.

 

[zang]

You sure?

Seems to me the definition is more along the lines of "intellectually dishonest and afraid to offend".

Except that those who complain about having to be "politically correct", generally imply they shouldn't be beholden to general respect for people's choices, race or circumstances. "Political correctness" is societal shame (one of the best motivators around, according to behavioural psychologists), and people get defensive out of guilt.

 

[christiesplits]

I'm surprised DoFo hasn't yet proposed shrinking the Ontario legislature, much like Harris did in 1999.

 

[Towered]

If you want a definition of “politically correct”, it means not having a get out of jail free card for being a complete asshole to others.

And the bulk of society's un-compassionate, selfish assholes are drawn to the Conservative party these days for its ideals. The older style progressive conservatism is dead.

 

[PinkLucy]

The people who count are the ones in Doug's head.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I'm surprised DoFo hasn't yet proposed shrinking the Ontario legislature, much like Harris did in 1999.

The whole exercise is the match the municipal boundaries with those of the province and feds. So, it would take the feds to change their boundaries to push the province, I think.

 

[W. K. Lis]

You can download the Mainstreet Toronto poll, dated 17sept2018, at this link.

 

[Northern Light]

I'm surprised DoFo hasn't yet proposed shrinking the Ontario legislature, much like Harris did in 1999.

Have to wait till after the sheep have voted on other bills first.

 

[King of Kensington]

You can download the Mainstreet Toronto poll, dated 17sept2018, at this link.

So there's as much support for secession as there is for Ford's use of NWC.