In this election, Justin Trudeau is fighting Andrew Scheer by taking aim at Doug Ford. Martin Regg Cohn writes:
The point is to draw a direct line between an unpopular Ford’s provincial Progressive Conservatives and his federal Conservative counterparts led by Andrew Scheer.
Point. Counterpoint. Counterpart. It’s not hard to connect the dots — and superimpose them over the battle lines that form Ontario’s electoral boundaries.
When the Liberals unveiled their program, it was Ford who was behind it:
Upon winning power, Ford suspended a scheduled $1 increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and imposed a 2-1/2 year freeze until the next inflation adjustment for Ontario’s lowest-paid workers.
By contrast, if he regains power, Trudeau promises to hike the minimum wage to $15 for federally-regulated workers.
Ford’s provincial government has announced widespread cuts to OSAP student loans. Trudeau’s retort?
If re-elected, a federal Liberal government will increase Canada student grants by 40 per cent.
In a miserly attack on postsecondary graduates, Ford rescinded the six-month “grace period” on interest payments for students fresh out of school (and perhaps out of work). His government claimed it wise to “align” Ontario with Ottawa’s existing grace period, ostensibly to “reduce complexity for students.”
Trudeau’s platform goes in the other direction, extending the federal grace period to two years. So will Ford harmonize the interest-free period to once again “reduce complexity for students?”
Ford’s government sidelined Ontario’s anti-racism directorate; Trudeau’s government would double funding for its anti-racism strategy.
Ford cut spending on tree planting in his first budget; Trudeau would budget $3 billion to plant 2 billion trees over the next decade.
Ford reduced child-care funding; Trudeau would boost it.
Ford revoked free prescription drugs for all Ontarians up to age 24 and over 65; Trudeau wants a universal pharmacare program.
So you see what's going on. I honestly don't know how this election will play out. But I'm betting that, should the Conservatives win, they'll praise Andrew Scheer. If they lose, they'll blame Doug Ford.
Image: rabble.ca
14 comments:
If the Cons win, it won't be because of Scheer! Even in English the man's a terrible public speaker who makes Stephane Dion look like JFK. I can't stand listening to him recite his banal talking points with each sentence containing "Justin Trudeau failed," "that'll put more money in your pocket" or "allowing hardworking Canadians to get ahead."
I get it Andy, you're running on Harper's old ideas, have none of your own, and are so wooden there's a trail of termites following you. I don't need Ford to know you'd be terrible as a PM.
Cap
I agree with you, Cap. Scheer's a wooden candidate. But, in Ontario, Scheer can't escape the shadow of Doug Ford.
I have never experienced an election remotely as dreary as this. Scheer was chosen when Tories and everyone else believed Trudeau was pre-ordained to win a second massive majority. No A-List Conservatives wanted to squander their aspirations. Scheer would make a dandy placeholder. Then Justin screwed up again and again and again. His biggest sin was breaking his promise on electoral reform. Then came SNC-Lavalin, "cash for access" and the 'blackface' scandal. Trudeau became Scheer's benefactor and now he's poised to win. The Liberals have failed our country.
It's all been very disappointing, Mound. Still, I hope that -- somehow -- we avoid Scheer.
.. the new political deflection term is 'mischaracterized' .. add in any word of your choice and just add 'mis' with a hyphen.. I have requested the Registrar at University of Regina confirm a degree was granted to Andrew Scheer.. If indeed he does not have a degree and really did not have a 'business career' .. I believe he is toast.. One of four required accreditation does not an 'insurance broker' make.. and lying about a degree takes the cake.. How will he mis-position that if true.. and my sources say he has completed no degree at University of Regina - there is no record of a degree.. He is simply a Harper Reform drone evangelical - multimillionaire welfare queen - career political animal living off our dime - the entire brood of seven - not an expense of any sort - and his own autographed jet - complicit mainstream media
Your contention that Scheer may not have a degree is news to me, sal. If true, that news -- you'd think -- would finish him.
Now it turns out that Scheer is a dual US-Canadian citizen. Couldn't be bothered to begin proceedings to renounce his US citizenship till this past August. Still, look at it this way, he's probably been paying US taxes, as the IRS likes to collect top-ups from Americans abroad. Soon he'll be able to keep more of his public paycheck, if and when the US agrees to his renouncement.
Ding Dong. Although Warren thinks he's a darn fine fellow, so there's that.
BM
Well to-day it has been let out that Scheer maintains a Canadian-American citizenship status.
But its interesting that someone seems to have let that out today and I didn't get the impression that it was him because has now admitted that he does possess dual citizenship status.
Not sure that Evangelicals in general would be the least bit concerned whether he has American status or not, but it seems to have come out as a revelation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8scSwaKbE64
Anything else?
.. the update, apparently from the horse's mouth is..
Scheer did take courses at University of Regina, and applied them to His University of Ottawa accrued degree credits.. An inquiry will be sent my moi to the Registrar of that School of Higher Learning (i have not heard back yet from U of Regina Registrar) If so.. he can skate on his slippery pronouncements re education & degreed status.. Presumably he has a piece of paper framed on a wall somewhere. Presumably, renouncing his dual citizenship that nobody remembered to ask about is very time consuming.. thus he started that in August of this year.. as soon as he won the 'leadership' race from Maxime Bernier. .. Hmm well uh, I guess he was busy moving into the mansion Ms Ambrose vacated.. David Climenhaga over at Alberta Politics has a fine piece this ayem, referencing Mark Twain.. something about 'confounding your enemies by telling the truth' .. Not sure mr Scheer is clear on that or reads Mark Twain. The Boss here asked me yesterday if I had any friend, associate or family who has 5 children.. i ransacked the memory banks.. three children was the limit, many with two. She asked with a straight face who could afford to support a family of seven people today.. I pity the door knocker from the 'conservative' candidate.. who gets her at the door and not polite me.. that might be like knocking on the door of a wolverine..
Sheer's knock against Trudeau is "not as advertised," BM. It's coming back to bite him.
Scheer keeps calling Trudeau dishonest, Lulymay. But theere's two kinds of dishonesty -- what you say and what you don't say.
Shakespeare's line keeps coming back to me, sal: "One may smile and smile and be a villain."
What worries me, John, is the second line: "Sitting in his nowhere land."
Post a Comment