Caveat

GOOD JOB, ONTARIO!

As you likely know, a significant proportion of the Ontario electorate stayed home during this month's election.

Roughly half of the eligible voters in Ontario (total 8.38 million), didn't vote.  It was the lowest voter turnout in Ontario's history.

Of the 4.2 million people who voted, 42% or 1.76 million voted for the McGuinty Liberals.

So, the McGuinty Liberals are representing about 21% of the total electorate, or 13% of the total population.  Yet they have 71 of 107 seats in the Legislature while the Progressive Conservatives, who despite media bias and misrepresentation garnered 32% of the popular vote got only 26 seats in the House.

In other words, 1.76 million people elected 71 people to speak for 13 million people.

Something is terribly wrong with this picture.

Why don't people vote?  The advance polls were open for 10 days from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.  On election day, the polls were open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.

So, it can't be because voting is inconvenient.

Anybody who has been paying even minimal attention to this government's track record should want to vote them out of office.  I think that's the problem.

The majority of people really don't care.  As long as they can shop at Big Box, keep their jobs, buy themselves the odd treat and some cheap knockoffs made overseas, they figure everything is fine.

Politicians don't care about the 6% of people who actually pay attention and care about issues - there aren't enough votes to matter.  They aim their platforms at the majority of people who get their information in 10-second media clips or from the first three paragraphs of news stories.  These people can't discriminate between opinion and fact and frankly, I don't blame them.  It's almost impossible to find a supposed news report these days that isn't an editorial of some kind, especially on TV.

As we know, and as Marjorie likes to say, if you get your information from the mass media then you don't know anything about a subject.

Most people don't know anything about a subject.

They don't care about the chipping away of their Charter rights, corruption, mismanagement of public money and policies based on news clippings rather than expert opinion.  The reason for this is obvious:  they get their information from the same sources.

A friend suggests that the politicians are motivated by media fear-mongering and I agree.  It is the media who decide which issues matter, what they mean and what people should think.

It is the media who are actually driving things these days.

My greatest disappointment isn't that the McGuinty Liberals weren't punished at the polls for their abysmal performance.

It's that dog owners didn't get out and vote. If the conservatively estimated 1.5 million dog owners in Ontario had voted against the Liberals, the impact at the polls would have been tremendous.

I suppose it's the herd mentality.  As the Gnus run by, the lion grabs one who is a soft target.  The rest of the herd not only doesn't notice or try to assist their fellow Gnu, they race away, likely thinking 'better him than me'.

Trouble is, in human society, him is me.

Thanks to the people of Ontario for affirming this government's shocking disregard for what's right, fair and just.

This time you asked for it so don't cry to me.

Good job, Ontario!

NOT ON THE VOTER ' S LIST? NOT A PROBLEM

I was not on the Voter's List this time when I went to the Advance Poll last week, probably because our riding has been redrawn to match the Federal riding.  This is true of many ridings in Ontario for this election.

I was surprised, since I've voted in every election at all levels of government since reaching the age of majority, but despite not being on the list, it was really easy to vote.

I had to show ID with my name and address on it.  I used my Driver's Licence but you can also use a Health Card.  Passports are no good.  I think you can use another form of ID with a copy of a bill such as a power bill or telephone bill if you don't have a Driver's Licence or current Health Card.

The Returning Officer (RO) filled in a form which I signed.  Took about two minutes total.

Then, I presented the form to the RO who gives out the ballots and got my two ballots.

Then, I voted.

So please, get out and vote tomorrow, even if you're not on the list, even if you've never voted before.

Let's prove the media wrong.  They've been creating the impression that the election is a done deal and has been for weeks.

Get out and show Dalton and his gang that discriminating against innocent citizens doesn't cut the mustard in Ontario.

Polls are open tomorrow from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.  You are allowed time off from work to vote.

Fingers crossed for a good outcome in favour of democracy and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

 

Crossposted at Wag the Dog

ONTARIO COUNT DOWN - MY DOG VOTES!

ONTARIO COUNT DOWN - "My Dog Votes!"

PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL ONTARIO DOG OWNERS AND YOUR LOCAL CANDIDATES

We can count in hours the time left before the Ontario polls open. The Canadian Kennel Club respectfully asks for your time over the next 10 minutes to review our message and emails received from candidates with their personal stand on Bill 132.

The CKC, established in 1888, has the mission to "service its membership and the community at large by giving support, understanding, help and guidance in all their canine related endeavours" and today we continue to do this.

We know Bill 132, the "Pitbull Ban", has affected many CKC members in Ontario (approximately 10,000) and countless others in a broader provincial community of responsible and loving dog owners.

We all know the issues, cite expert criticism of breed banning and show support for dangerous dog legislation that is not breed specific.

We also know the reasons Bill 132 is ineffective and should not be part of our lives. We must go beyond the statistics and the making of laws and consider the everyday impact on the streets of Ontario ignited by this campaign issue.

Bill 132 has;

• changed the perception of dog ownership in Ontario
• changed lives of responsible dog owners in general, for many, in specific costly and painful ways
• changed the way our own neighbourhoods respond as we walk with our dogs
• changed our security of ownership as we realize that additional breeds could be added

Bill 132 changed the lives of all dog owners to the point where every dog and owner is now scrutinized when previously we were not. This social damage goes well beyond the technicalities of any law.

The Canadian Kennel Club urges you to ask each and every candidate in your riding the following questions and tell them their answer may be a deciding factor in your vote.

"Are you personally against the implementation of Bill 132 - Ontario's Bill to ban specific dog breeds? If so, will you commit to working within your party to remove Bill 132?"

Send us the responses at [email protected] . We all want to know and we will post them.

Expressions of support have been received including the following and, for many, they capture the essence of the day.

"I have no intentions of voting for any Candidate who supports Bill 132 - Ontario's Bill to ban specific breeds. I will tell them that MY DOG VOTES!!!

"Most definitely, my dog votes through me and it will never vote for this Liberal Party."


"John O'Toole Conservative incumbent for Durham has assured me that he personally will lobby and work to get the Breed Ban lifted and he assured me that this is his party's official stand. I am wearing his button, have his flag on my car and have asked him to put his sign on my lawn."

Now, not later, is the time to wave the flags wear the buttons, put up the signs and take your dog for a walk preaching to people to "think twice, vote once and choose to make a difference."

To see correspondence received from candidates to date visit www.ckc.ca, go to CKC Resources/BSL Resource Centre/MY DOG VOTES or click here.

Walk your dog on October 10th and stop in to cast your ballot, because in Ontario it's "MY DOG VOTES" day!

 

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE PC PARTY OF ONTARIO

The PC Party of Ontario has answered the candidate survey, which is posted over at Wag the Dog.

AH, MEMORIES

I got no means to show identification
I got no papers show you what I am
You’ll have to take me just the way that you find me
What’s gone is gone and I do not give a damn
Empty stomach, empty head
I got empty heart and empty bed

I don’t remember
I don’t remember

--Peter Gabriel

 

That crazy, Barking Mad Mac has posted a video which I 'm sure will bring nostalgic tears to your eyes.

Well, tears of laughter, anyway.

Watch as our esteemed defender of the Constitution proves to one and all that he actually can't spot a 'pit bull' a block away.

He said he could, but he can't.  Does anybody have to ask why the name 'Fiberal' is so sticky?

 

Crossposted at Wag the Dog

LEMMING CALL

Joanne has a good post up today about liberal arrogance and hypocrisy. (Note: scroll down to 'I give up' with the swan picture).

So, any lemmings out there?  I hope not, although somebody voted for McGuinty last time.

 

DALTON McGUINTY ' S RECORD AS PREMIER

If you want to see the truth about Dalton McGuinty's record, visit the campaign site he hopes you won't see.

 

GIVE THEM A REALITY CHECK ON OCTOBER 10

FIRE THE McGUINTY LIBERALS!

LONG LIVE THE DUCHESS!

Mac's gang has a great post featuring the indomitable Squibs Mercier, the grandmother of Staffordshire Bull terriers in Canada.

I'm very sorry to hear of the Duchess of Dorking's demise.  A beautiful dog in every way, she was a good 'un.

 

DOG OWNERS  DON'T LET OTHER DOG OWNERS  VOTE FIBERAL!

 

       MAKE McGUINTY PAY ON OCTOBER 10!

WHO VOTED FOR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST DOG OWNERS?

In case you've forgotten (we haven't) skip over to Wag the Dog.  There's a handy chart posted there which will refresh your memory.  Just follow the first link where it says "Click here to view the voting records of all Ontario Members of Provincial Parliament ".  Very enlightening indeed.

Those who missed the vote are also shown, which is equally interesting.

You'll see that a lone PC member, Norm Sterling, voted in favour of the ban.  I emailed him directly after the vote to say that at least had the guts to vote for what he thought was right, even though it was wrong.

The Fiberals whipped their vote but the other parties held a free vote on the dog ownership ban.  Those Fibs sure like whipped votes, don't they?

HA HA HA HA HA!

I'll say one thing for the Fiberals - they're great for comic relief!

Although it isn't that funny if you live in Caledonia.