Andrea Horvath is on a roll. Martin Regg Cohn writes:
This time, unlike last time, the New Democrats are putting forward voter-friendly policies such as partial pharmacare and cheaper child care. While their platform has echoes of the Liberal program — with the notable exception of an NDP promise of dental benefits for all — the pitch is backed by a far more popular salesperson.
Like the late federal NDP leader Jack Layton, Horwath is casting herself as a happy warrior pitching hope, not fear or anger. But the prerequisite for the NDP’s high hopes is that the Liberals be seen as having no hope, that instead of a three-way race it’s strictly a two-way contest pitting New Democrats against Tories — with the Liberals disqualified from the start.
The Ford campaign stands accused of buying the stolen identities harvested from a hack of the company which manages Highway 407, the private toll road the last Conservative government sold off to reduce the province's deficit. Apparently, the party was planning to pay international students to vote under the stolen identities.
Kathleen Wynne is running in third place. Nevertheless, Horwath has her problems:
After nine years as leader, she is comfortable with reporters and practiced at the role of opposition leader, but can be less forthcoming under questioning — whether it’s her vague child-care plan, an impossible promise to magically buy back Hydro One, or how she’d balance labour disputes against the public interest.
Horwath remains mindful of keeping her union base happy. On the eve of the campaign, the NDP blocked a Liberal government attempt to legislate an end to a two-month strike at York University, as recommended by an outside labour investigator who concluded it was hopelessly deadlocked and required arbitration.
Asked at a campaign event whether an NDP government would ever legislate the striking York teaching staff back to work, Horwath changes the subject to government funding. Asked again about how to resolve the labour dispute that affected 50,000 students, she still won’t say. Asked a third time, Horwath insists she has answered the question, though of course she hasn’t.
How it will all shake out is unclear. The campaign began with Doug Ford looking unbeatable. Now it's beginning to look like the premier might be a woman -- who leads either a majority or a minority government.
Stay tuned.
Image: FRANK GUNN / THE CANADIAN PRESS
8 comments:
There is no doubt Horwath is running a better campaign this time out, Owen; after a lot of deliberation, I am casting my vote for her in June. Initially I had planned to decline my ballot, something I have never done, but after reading a column by Martin Regg Cohn a few months ago on the state of our democracy, I realized my motives for declining did not really stand up to closer scrutiny.
I may also vote for Horwath, Lorne. But I'll wait before making a final decision. Because we live in a parliamentary democracy, we're not just voting for a leader. He or she will have to command the confidence of the house. I don't want him to have that confidence.
Can minorities in Ontario form a coalition as they did in BC? Would they?
Good questions,Toby, It happened in Ontario back in 1985. We shall see.
I am with Lorne and yourself on this one Owen, I think the best we can hope for at this point is a minority NDP government. I suppose a coalition is possible but I find it improbable!
Who knows how the votes will add up, Rural? But I can't see the Liberals winning another majority.
Horwath is sounding like the lesser of three weevils, Owen. If Ford wins it'll shred my last fragment of belief in a benevolent God.
If the polls are right, Mound, Horwath has the momentum. Whether it will be enough to put an end to the Ford parade remains to be seen.
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