Progressive Conservatives today elected Niagara-area MPP Tim Hudak as their new leader, charting a new right-wing course for a party that has struggled while moored in the political centre for the past seven years.
In a third-ballot victory at the PC convention in Markham, Hudak, 41, bested MPP
Frank Klees, 58, (Newmarket-Aurora), winning 5,606 of 10,250 electoral votes cast in 107 ridings in the preferential-ballot contest.The married father of a toddler won by securing the second-choice votes of also-ran MPPs Christine Elliott, 54, (Whitby-Oshawa) and Randy Hillier, 51, (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington).
He will lead the Tories to battle against Premier Dalton McGuinty Liberals in the 2011 election.
Heir apparent to former premier Mike Harris, who governed Ontario from 1995 until 2002, Hudak plans to steer the party back to the right following politically unsuccessful forays to the centre by former premier Ernie Eves, leader from 2002 to 2004, and John Tory, who led from 2004 until his surprise defeat in a March 5 by-election in Haliburton.
Hudak, front-runner throughout the campaign, led on all three ballots in the contest,
which ended up being something of an "Anybody But Klees" vote.After the second ballot at the party's convention this afternoon in Markham, Hudak had secured 4,128 of 10,332 electoral votes.
Klees, a social conservative who was backed by a coalition of evangelical Christians, anti-abortion activists, and new Canadians, sat in a second with 3,299 electoral votes and Elliott was third with 2,903.
Senior Elliott campaign sources had told the Star that her supporters would break "two to one for Hudak."
Elliott herself remained publicly neutral after dropping out.
"There are two good candidates left in the race," she said as she exited the onvention room floor with her husband Finance Minister Jim Flaherty at her side.
"Of course, you always want to win but I am happy with how the campaign went and the race we ran," said Elliott, who put on a brave face.
On the first ballot, announced around 11 a.m., Hudak — the heir apparent to former premier Mike Harris in whose cabinet he served -- finished with 3,511 of 10,348 electoral votes cast from 107 ridings. Klees had 3,093 and Elliott had 2,728....
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Hudak -- Heir Apparent To Mike Harris
It appears that the Toronto Star has already got its messaging down.
Ontario PCs Must Unite Behind Hudak
The battle has been fought; it is time for the healing to begin. After a short, but at times nasty, race for the Ontario Progressive Conservative crown, Tim Hudak has emerged victorious. Regardless of whether that was your desired outcome or not, Hudak’s victory is an immutable fact that no amount of infighting and bickering can change. It is now time for all conservatives to put aside their differences and unite behind our new leader. Although, after considerable thought and deliberation, I cast my ballot for Frank Klees, I now wholeheartedly support Hudak. The leadership race is a thing of the past; whether your candidate was Hudak, Klees, Christine Elliott, or Randy Hillier, it is important that the party shift its focus from internal rivalries to the real task at hand – getting rid of Dalton McGuinty in 2011.
McGuinty has already done enough damage to our province. We cannot afford to allow him another four years to finish the job. While Tim Hudak has emerged victorious today, he cannot lead the party back into government singlehandedly. Victory in 2011 is a task that will require a concerted effort and the full cooperation and support of all four leadership candidates and their supporters. Tim Hudak must reach out to all the factions within the party and include them in the plan for 2011. Although today marked the end of the leadership aspirations of Klees, Elliott, and Hillier (at least for the next few years), they too have an important role in the future of the party. Each candidate demonstrated unique leadership qualities that make them a valuable asset as the party moves forward. Although in some circles feelings of disappointment and resentment may linger, all conservatives must put aside these differences and work towards ending eight years of Liberal rule. If there is one thing that everyone can agree upon it is that McGuinty has got to go.
McGuinty has already done enough damage to our province. We cannot afford to allow him another four years to finish the job. While Tim Hudak has emerged victorious today, he cannot lead the party back into government singlehandedly. Victory in 2011 is a task that will require a concerted effort and the full cooperation and support of all four leadership candidates and their supporters. Tim Hudak must reach out to all the factions within the party and include them in the plan for 2011. Although today marked the end of the leadership aspirations of Klees, Elliott, and Hillier (at least for the next few years), they too have an important role in the future of the party. Each candidate demonstrated unique leadership qualities that make them a valuable asset as the party moves forward. Although in some circles feelings of disappointment and resentment may linger, all conservatives must put aside these differences and work towards ending eight years of Liberal rule. If there is one thing that everyone can agree upon it is that McGuinty has got to go.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Ruby Dhalla And The Ethics Committee
Today Ruby Dhalla was the latest politician added to the list of those dragged before the ethics committee. It has now become a common sight to see MPs and other political heavyweights hauled in front of the ethics committee be grilled on the newest scandal to rock Parliament Hill. However, there is a question that begs asking: what is the point? My problem is not so much Ruby Dhalla’s appearance, but with the ethics committee itself. I can’t for the life of me understand what purpose it serves and how this charade is giving value to taxpayers. First of all, what does Ruby Dhalla’s personal nanny situation have to do with parliamentary ethics? It is not the responsibility of the ethics committee to investigate the personal lives of MPs. While Dhalla’s actions certainly appear reprehensible, it has nothing to do with her ability to perform her job as a Member of Parliament. The citizens of Brampton-Springdale will be given a chance to pass judgement on her suitability to act as their representative in the next election. The allegations should be investigated by the appropriate authorities and they are indeed true, Dhalla should be dealt with accordingly. It is not, however, the responsibility of her parliamentary colleagues, to delve into the issue.
The bigger issue, however, is the purpose of the ethics committee altogether. The committee has become nothing more than a highly-charged partisan forum for politicians trying to score cheap political points. It is a venue that serves only to facilitate partisan witch hunts and political games. No MP has any incentive to approach the issue with an open mind; each and every individual involved is there simply to further his or her own political agenda. Everyone already knows how the process will unfold: the Conservative, NDP, and Bloc will try to milk the scandal for all that it is worth while the Liberals will close ranks and stand up for their own. Each member of the committee arrives with a predetermined agenda – an agenda that is most certainly not to find out what really happened. Last year MPs embarrassed themselves by hauling Brian Mulroney before them. The entire Mulroney affair was a farce; a joke that served only to re-entrench negative stereotypes about politics and politicians. The Dhalla investigation will be no different. It will serve no purpose other than to use the power of parliament to kick a political opponent while she is down. There will be no answers, no definitive pronouncement of Dhalla’s guilt or innocence. The bottom line is that MPs should not be investigating one another. The process serves no purpose and is a waste of the resources of parliament. This was the case during the Mulroney investigation and it is the case now. Enough is enough.
Update: Ruby Dhalla appeared before the immigration committee, not the ethics committee. But the principle remains the same: MPs have more important matters to worry about than Ruby Dhalla's nanny problems and the entire process is fraught with partisan politics.
The bigger issue, however, is the purpose of the ethics committee altogether. The committee has become nothing more than a highly-charged partisan forum for politicians trying to score cheap political points. It is a venue that serves only to facilitate partisan witch hunts and political games. No MP has any incentive to approach the issue with an open mind; each and every individual involved is there simply to further his or her own political agenda. Everyone already knows how the process will unfold: the Conservative, NDP, and Bloc will try to milk the scandal for all that it is worth while the Liberals will close ranks and stand up for their own. Each member of the committee arrives with a predetermined agenda – an agenda that is most certainly not to find out what really happened. Last year MPs embarrassed themselves by hauling Brian Mulroney before them. The entire Mulroney affair was a farce; a joke that served only to re-entrench negative stereotypes about politics and politicians. The Dhalla investigation will be no different. It will serve no purpose other than to use the power of parliament to kick a political opponent while she is down. There will be no answers, no definitive pronouncement of Dhalla’s guilt or innocence. The bottom line is that MPs should not be investigating one another. The process serves no purpose and is a waste of the resources of parliament. This was the case during the Mulroney investigation and it is the case now. Enough is enough.
* * * * *
Update: Ruby Dhalla appeared before the immigration committee, not the ethics committee. But the principle remains the same: MPs have more important matters to worry about than Ruby Dhalla's nanny problems and the entire process is fraught with partisan politics.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Swine Flu Outbreak Must Be Taken Seriously
Since the emergence of swine flu has become a prominent issue, I thought that I would take the opportunity to share a little insight that I gained on the subject by writing a paper analyzing the societal vulnerability to avian influenza.
Although influenza is a common disease that affects people on a yearly basis, it has the potential to be much more than a minor irritant. On average, two or three times a century a global influenza pandemic wreaks havoc around the world. This frequency has not decreased with the improvement of medical knowledge. The reason that experts are taking the outbreak of swine flu so seriously is that an influenza pandemic poses a genuine threat to society. It has the potential to kill millions and to destabilize the entire global economic and political structure. Pandemic ifluenza is not a distant threat. In fact, experts around the world agree that the next pandemic is not a question of if but rather when.
So what is Swine Flu? Simply put, swine flu is merely another variant of influenza A, the same virus as the common flu. Influenza A is not a virus that is confined to humans. It is a common virus among numerous animals as well. Due to this similar genetic makeup, it is possible for a form of influenza common among animals to cross the species barrier. In fact, most, if not all, human influenza viruses originated from animals, although birds are generally considered to be the primary source.
Not all influenza viruses that cross the species barrier have pandemic potential. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, there are four necessary conditions that must be met before an influenza virus has the capacity to reach the pandemic stage.
The first requirement is the development of a new strain of influenza as a result of a major genetic change in the composition of the virus. This process creates a new strain of the virus that has never been seen before.
The second condition is that this new virus must be virulent enough to be capable of causing serious illness or death. A virus with limited virulence does not pose a grave threat.
The third requirement is the presence of a population with no pre-existing immunity to the virus. Without any natural immunity, the global population is defenceless to stop the rapid spread of the virus.
Finally, the virus must reach the point of criticality – the point at which the pandemic begins. This is when the virus acquires the ability to quickly and easily transmit from person to person. This can be achieved in two ways: the virus can mutate and gain the ability by itself or it can reassort, or combine, with a form of human influenza.
Many viruses achieve the first three requirements but fail to obtain the ability to easily transmit. The avian influenza virus H5N1, for example, has been considered a threat for years. It has easily met the first three conditions and has even crossed the species barrier, but with the exception of a few isolated cases, it has never spread from person to person.
Swine flu, however, has come perilously close to achieving all four conditions. It is closer to reaching the pandemic stage than any other virus has in years. All that stands in the way of a pandemic, is the ability easily transmit from person to person. Although swine flu has demonstrated this ability, it is not yet able to do so efficiently. So far the outbreak has been localized and the virus has not demonstrated the capability to spread rapidly. It is only when it gains this ability that a pandemic can begin. When or even if it will do so remains a mystery. It may gain this ability quickly or it may never do so. However, officials are right to take this situation seriously because of the potentially devastating consequences that a pandemic may have.
The Public Health Agency of Canada conducted a study in 1999 in order to project the social and economic costs that a pandemic would exact in Canada. Basing their data upon a mild to moderate level pandemic scenario, the study concluded that with a 35% infection rate, 41,459 Canadians would die, 108,824 would require hospitalization, 4,740,825 would be in need of outpatient care, while another 5,449401 would be ill without any formal care. In total, more than 10.5 million Canadians would be infected with the virus. The study estimated that the economic cost on the healthcare system alone would be anywhere from $10 to $24 billion. This cost, however, does not take into account the overall economic impact on society as business, trade, and tourism would surely grind to a halt.
However, this study focused on a 35% mild to moderate infection rate. In the worst case scenario, as in the 1918 Spanish Influenza pandemic, up to 70% of the population could be infected. The Spanish Influenza left an estimated fifty to one hundred million people dead worldwide.
The Spanish Influenza, however, was in an age before it was possible to travel halfway around the world in a matter of hours. Despite the best efforts of government officials, if swine flu reaches the pandemic stage there will be no way of stopping its spread. Although technology has improved and work on a new vaccine is surely already underway, it will take anywhere from four to six months before a vaccine is ready for public consumption. Even then, as of 2006, Canada only has the capacity to produce 8 million doses of vaccine a month, resulting in an additional 3 to 4 months before the entire population is vaccinated.
While swine flu has not reached the pandemic stage and it may never do so, it is important to be prepared. Pandemic influenza poses a very real threat. Although swine flu may very well end up being much ado about nothing, it is not yet another an overblown media event. Swine flu presents a threat than must be taken seriously because of its potentially horrific consqeuences.
Although influenza is a common disease that affects people on a yearly basis, it has the potential to be much more than a minor irritant. On average, two or three times a century a global influenza pandemic wreaks havoc around the world. This frequency has not decreased with the improvement of medical knowledge. The reason that experts are taking the outbreak of swine flu so seriously is that an influenza pandemic poses a genuine threat to society. It has the potential to kill millions and to destabilize the entire global economic and political structure. Pandemic ifluenza is not a distant threat. In fact, experts around the world agree that the next pandemic is not a question of if but rather when.
So what is Swine Flu? Simply put, swine flu is merely another variant of influenza A, the same virus as the common flu. Influenza A is not a virus that is confined to humans. It is a common virus among numerous animals as well. Due to this similar genetic makeup, it is possible for a form of influenza common among animals to cross the species barrier. In fact, most, if not all, human influenza viruses originated from animals, although birds are generally considered to be the primary source.
Not all influenza viruses that cross the species barrier have pandemic potential. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, there are four necessary conditions that must be met before an influenza virus has the capacity to reach the pandemic stage.
The first requirement is the development of a new strain of influenza as a result of a major genetic change in the composition of the virus. This process creates a new strain of the virus that has never been seen before.
The second condition is that this new virus must be virulent enough to be capable of causing serious illness or death. A virus with limited virulence does not pose a grave threat.
The third requirement is the presence of a population with no pre-existing immunity to the virus. Without any natural immunity, the global population is defenceless to stop the rapid spread of the virus.
Finally, the virus must reach the point of criticality – the point at which the pandemic begins. This is when the virus acquires the ability to quickly and easily transmit from person to person. This can be achieved in two ways: the virus can mutate and gain the ability by itself or it can reassort, or combine, with a form of human influenza.
Many viruses achieve the first three requirements but fail to obtain the ability to easily transmit. The avian influenza virus H5N1, for example, has been considered a threat for years. It has easily met the first three conditions and has even crossed the species barrier, but with the exception of a few isolated cases, it has never spread from person to person.
Swine flu, however, has come perilously close to achieving all four conditions. It is closer to reaching the pandemic stage than any other virus has in years. All that stands in the way of a pandemic, is the ability easily transmit from person to person. Although swine flu has demonstrated this ability, it is not yet able to do so efficiently. So far the outbreak has been localized and the virus has not demonstrated the capability to spread rapidly. It is only when it gains this ability that a pandemic can begin. When or even if it will do so remains a mystery. It may gain this ability quickly or it may never do so. However, officials are right to take this situation seriously because of the potentially devastating consequences that a pandemic may have.
The Public Health Agency of Canada conducted a study in 1999 in order to project the social and economic costs that a pandemic would exact in Canada. Basing their data upon a mild to moderate level pandemic scenario, the study concluded that with a 35% infection rate, 41,459 Canadians would die, 108,824 would require hospitalization, 4,740,825 would be in need of outpatient care, while another 5,449401 would be ill without any formal care. In total, more than 10.5 million Canadians would be infected with the virus. The study estimated that the economic cost on the healthcare system alone would be anywhere from $10 to $24 billion. This cost, however, does not take into account the overall economic impact on society as business, trade, and tourism would surely grind to a halt.
However, this study focused on a 35% mild to moderate infection rate. In the worst case scenario, as in the 1918 Spanish Influenza pandemic, up to 70% of the population could be infected. The Spanish Influenza left an estimated fifty to one hundred million people dead worldwide.
The Spanish Influenza, however, was in an age before it was possible to travel halfway around the world in a matter of hours. Despite the best efforts of government officials, if swine flu reaches the pandemic stage there will be no way of stopping its spread. Although technology has improved and work on a new vaccine is surely already underway, it will take anywhere from four to six months before a vaccine is ready for public consumption. Even then, as of 2006, Canada only has the capacity to produce 8 million doses of vaccine a month, resulting in an additional 3 to 4 months before the entire population is vaccinated.
While swine flu has not reached the pandemic stage and it may never do so, it is important to be prepared. Pandemic influenza poses a very real threat. Although swine flu may very well end up being much ado about nothing, it is not yet another an overblown media event. Swine flu presents a threat than must be taken seriously because of its potentially horrific consqeuences.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Flaherty Was Right All Along
The harmonization of the PST with the GST in yesterday’s Ontario budget has rightly grabbed all the headlines. It was a blatent tax grab and trying to buy Ontarian's support with their own money is just as bad. If McGuinty had truly wanted to make this thing revenue neutral he could have cut the PST. However, lost in the clamour is the fact that Ontario is going to drop its corporate tax rates from 14% to 12% to 10% by 2013. Isn't that what Jim Flaherty has been telling him that he should do all along? McGuinty will never admit it but this seems to be a tacit admission that Flaherty was right after all.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Judges Should Interpret Laws, Not Make Them
This is one that really bothers me. The Federal court has ordered the government to seek clemency for a Canadian on death row in a Montana prison. The judge ruled that the government’s decision to stop seeking clemency for Ronald Smith was ‘unlawful and invalid.’ Let me say off the top that I don’t agree with the death penalty (not that I can find much sympathy for those who find themselves on death row). However, I do not think that this matter is any of the court’s business. The last time I checked, judges are supposed to base their rulings upon the law, not their own personal opinion and moral code. While Canadian law rightly prohibits the death penalty, it does not compel the government to act to save someone on death row in a foreign country. The judge might believe that the government has a moral obligation to help Smith -- and he may well be right -- he has no authority over the matter. It is not up to the courts to dictate government policy; we elect our government to make these kinds of decisions. I wish that judges would stick to interpreting the law, rather than trying to make them.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Ignatieff On Attack Ads
I love this quote by Michael Ignatieff in an article the Toronto Star on the subject of Conservative attack ads.
"We know how the Conservatives operate . . . We know that the Conservatives see negative advertising and character assassination as their primary electoral strategy."Funny, but you could just as easily replace the word Conservative with Liberal. I guess Mr. Ignatieff wants us to conveniently forget that attack ads have long been the modus operandi of the Liberal party. Preston Manning, Stockwell Day, and Stephen Harper were all favourite targets of Liberal mudslinging and ‘character assassination’. What better example is there than that infamous “soldiers with guns, in our cities” commercial. While I am not a big fan of attack ads, the Liberals are just as complicit as the Conservatives. Coming from a Liberal, the whining sounds a just a wee bit disingenuous.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
What A Waste Of Money
It looks as though the Commission looking into the Mulroney-Schreiber affair will cost taxpayers upwards of $14 million by the time it is all said and done. And to what purpose? To investigate an alleged wrongdoing that happened nearly two decades and five Prime Ministers ago with a party in power that no longer exists. We might as well be holding a Commission to investigate any wrongdoings of the Trudeau regime for all the good this Commission is going to do. What a waste of money. All of this because of a partisan witch hunt by the opposition sent in motion by the allegations of a desperate man looking to stave off extradition and jail time.
Maybe Brian Mulroney did something wrong, maybe he didn't -- that is for the police to decide. But at this point, who really cares.
Maybe Brian Mulroney did something wrong, maybe he didn't -- that is for the police to decide. But at this point, who really cares.
McGuinty Decides Not To Ban!
Wow. Dalton McGuinty has gone against every base instinct he has ever known and decided to forgo governmental regulation in favour of common sense. After banning everything from smoking and hand-held cell phones in cars to pitbulls, McGuinty, aka Mr. Nanny State, has opted to defer to parental common sense when it comes to children wearing helmets on the ski slopes. How uncharacteristic. I would have expected McGuinty to be leading the crusade on this one. I guess miracles do happen.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Oh How Things Change
How many of these people to you think were all over Stephen Harper for allegedly being too cozy with the United States?
Funny how things change.
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