Category: Provincial Politics

Why not cut to the chase? The Beer Store advertising that is currently running on television is slandering every convenience store in Ontario. It is wrong. It is unfair. It should be stopped. If it takes a lawsuit: so what? What do you think lawyers are for?

Sure we have some disreputable convenience stores. Just because convenience stores can be allowed to sell cigarettes does not mean that all would be suitable to sell beer and wine. There have to be some standards and licensing requirements.

And speaking of standards, when was the last time Brewers’ Warehousing took a look at some of the disreputable beer stores in Ontario. The company probably gets complaints every day about the Anne Street store in Barrie and they have never done anything about it. Is that Beer Store staff adverse to swabbing the floor occasionally so that the customers do not get stuck to it?

When the Beer Store President Ted Moroz brags to the media about Ontario’s world-class beer retailing, it is enough to make you choke up your Molson. When some idiot at Queen’s Park decided that Brewers’ Warehousing would be bottle and can recycling headquarters for the province, recycling was set back 50 years.

Mind you those geniuses at Brewers’ Warehousing seem to know more about recycling than they do about marketing or merchandising. Marketing is a foreign language to these people. Their idea of merchandising goes as far as offering some cheap sports oriented beer gear. When it comes to beer merchandising, you can forget it. Nobody shops at a Beer Store. You get in, get your predetermined order and get out as fast as you can. And no gentleman asks a lady go to the Beer Store for him.

You have to admire the current campaign the Toronto Star is running against Ontario’s foreign-owned beer monopoly. Poor Martin Regg Cohn really has to stretch to come up with something new to write about it. If the Star editors would just turn Rosie DiManno loose on them they would have the beer monopoly screaming uncle in no time.

In Regg Cohn’s latest 1000 words on the subject, he made the point that the real objective here is “convenience.” Our convenience stores are not going to sell beer cheaper or even sell as many two-fours. And we might have to put some convenience stores out of business if they do not follow the rules. Too bad we cannot do that to the beer stores that are doing a rotten job.

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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

The Ontario Liberals have called in another blue ribbon panel to tell them how to make more money from provincial assets such as the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), Ontario Power Generation and other crown corporations. The panel will be chaired by Ed Clark, president of TD Bank and made up of former finance ministers and other luminaries. They will be paid nothing and are likely to produce nothing.

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa has made it clear from the get go that he is not interested in selling any of the assets. This leaves the panel with little in the way of options as it is not likely to suggest across the board price increases. Any in depth analysis of modifying the pricing strategies and potential profitability of the various provincial cash cows will likely take more time than Charles has left in office. The likelihood of a June provincial election looms large—and without some new thinking, Charles could be toast.

The basic problem with this exercise by the panel is that the individual crown corporations have to be analyzed in a different way. The first question for each is why does it exist and why should it be government owned? If that analysis had been done properly on the Bruce Nuclear operation and Highway 407, those assets might never have been sold.

But any finance minister can tell you that financial need trumps analysis. Your boundaries are what you can get away with. That then begs another question: in as much as times change, what is available for a different approach today? While low cost electricity is still an objective of provincial policy, why is it necessary for the government to be involved in the distribution of liquor? Any provincial government objective for control of liquor disappeared more than 50 years ago.

Selling the LCBO is not only an idea whose time has come but the government can make more from taxes on privatized liquor sales than it makes today from the entire operation. And when you break down the LCBO into its separate components, it is worth more to the investors than it is to the government. The centralized procurement and distribution system that exists is better than any private company could invent and is worth almost as much as all the stores and licenses to be sold.

In the same sense, the privately owned Brewers’ Warehousing is an excellent distribution and recycling operation but letting convenience and grocery stores sell beer will be more profitable for the province. Convenience stores and grocery stores will sell far more small packages of beer. This will make more money for the brewers and for the province.

If Charles Sousa was a marketing man instead of a banker, he would have figured this out for himself. First, fire the panel.

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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

The late Keith Davey explained it that the point of the Truth Squad that got a great deal of media coverage in the 1963 election campaign was not to correct the meanderings of the creative mind of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. The point was to show that there was a serious gap between what he said and the facts. The media ate it up and the point was made. Niagara Falls lawyer Judy LaMarsh only had to show up at three of Mr. Diefenbaker’s stump speeches during the campaign and her career was made.

You have to admit that the creation of the Truth Squad was a far better solution to political hyperbole than the current lawsuit pressed by Premier Kathleen Wynne against Opposition Leader Tim Hudak. While the point has been made by Ms. Wynne, there is little contrition or truth on the subject coming from Mr. Hudak.

In an era of libel chill and spurious litigation, we need more creative solutions such as the Truth Squad. In a recent brush, for example, with a blogger who likes to use libel chill, Babel-on-the-Bay had some fun and gained a bunch of new readers from the threats. After many years of writing political brochures, there is no question that we understand the use of fair comment. The only problem with writing what people thought was an apology was that it was hard to stop laughing.

And that is what Premier Wynne needs. This woman has to stop looking like some dried up old granny ready for her rocker and get a life. She desperately needs to be seen having some fun. She needs to learn the art of the political quip—the short, one-liner that can even make our media savants look amused.

Nothing will drive your political opponents crazier than making good fun of them. How can voters support somebody at whom they have been laughing?

And, as for Timmy Hudak, he has gone too far. He has failed to bring the public with him to his conclusions. There is no corpse. There is no smoking gun. As the police officer told the legislative committee, in a long career in law enforcement, he has never had to give evidence in a trial before anyone has been charged. Timmy is no lawyer. He is not much of an opposition leader either.

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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

Can you not just admire these Ontario politicians? They are so brave and forward looking that they are going to try some liquor kiosks in a few of the bigger grocery stores. These are the super stores that have dry cleaners, wine kiosks, mini-banks, children’s wear and women’s dresses, pharmacies, a spa and maybe a bakery and deli. These are stores that are built in areas with a potential of more than half a million shoppers. And most are controlled by the Weston family.

But remember this is just a test. Maybe they will roll out another ten or so in time for the next Ontario election. There could also be an occasional addition during a particularly tough by-election. Bear in mind though that Walmart need not apply.

We expect that the first of these booze kiosks will be at that shrine to hockey, the old Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The Weston family turned it into a super-supermarket On the assumption that there is lots of space going to waste there, it will likely be the standard to which all other such kiosks will aspire. It could even be used to test new products and maybe even introduce the first President’s Choice booze products. It would be so appropriate to have Gregory Weston’s picture on the better aged scotches.

Pricing for the booze kiosks will be no problem. The Weston family runs the most expensive chains of grocery stores in Ontario and their pricing will fit right in with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. The LCBO has been overcharging Ontario residents for liquor and wine for close to 100 years and we presume the Weston family will have to follow suit.

While it is fun to ridicule this idea, we had better admit here that the Weston family will probably have nothing to do with the pricing or brands of booze in their kiosks. These brave little outposts of the LCBO empire will be run by the LCBO, not the Westons. The kiosks will even keep local LCBO hours no matter what hours the grocery stores might be open in that market.

What we would really like to know is why is there so much ballyhoo about this really dumb idea? And it is dumb. These kiosks will be too damn small to give shoppers any choice in what they can buy. It will promote only quick sellers. It will not link booze with food which would have been the objective if it was done properly. It is a bad idea, promoted by incompetent politicians.

We really have to get those people at Queen’s Park away from the booze. They do not know what they are doing.

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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

Every election should have a morning line. As the polls are already open for advance voting in Quebec, this is a bit late but the situation in Quebec is still fluid. While the polls are showing the Quebec Liberal Party in the lead it is only marginal. As happens in any horse race, things change. And there is always that extra juice caused by momentum. It is what makes the race interesting.

Quebec Liberal Party – 2 to 1

Phillippe Couillard and the Quebec Liberals are currently favourites. Couillard has been shaking off the increasing attacks on him and his party since Quebecers deduced that he came out ahead on the first debate. In the second debate, he held out against increasingly desperate attempts at smearing him with past concerns both real and imagined. His opponents were hurting themselves with some of these attempts.

Parti Québécois – 3 to 1

Pauline Marois and the Parti Québécois have dropped to second place because of the mistakes they have been making with their campaign focus. It has become less clear as the campaign goes on who might lead Quebec into a referendum and the ultimate role of Pierre Karl Péladeau. He could be more of a liability than anyone expected.

Coalition Avenir Québec – 10 to 1

Coalition Avenir Québec and Leader François Legault are losing votes steadily to the Quebec Liberals. It is these votes that are increasing the likelihood of a Liberal majority.

Québec Solidaire – 50 to 1

Québec Solidaire with its collective leadership has actually stayed the course through this election and might hold on to its two seats. The only value to the party is if Pauline Marois needs just two seats to keep the Liberals from taking over. It would make for a very volatile few years in Quebec politics.

Liberal majority government – Even money

While the Quebec Liberal Party is far too right wing for Babel-on-the-Bay to support, there is no question that the economic benefits of a stable majority government are critical to the wellbeing of Quebec citizens at this time. There is no question also that the simple plurality of Quebec votes will favour the Liberals. It will not necessarily translate into a majority of seats in the Quebec Legislature. Bonne chance!

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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

For years in the 1900s when the Ontario Liberals were out of office and during the few years they were in, they refused to consider certain moves. The first of these moves was to amalgamate the City of Toronto. Right or wrong, that was done by former Premier Mike Harris. Now we have the argument about the antiquated Liquor Control Board of Ontario and the Beer Store. Premier Wynne and her cabinet are ignoring these long overdue issues. It could cost them the election.

The problem is that their pollsters are telling them that these are not hot issues with Ontario voters. They will become issues if they are made an issue. What Wynne and Company fail to understand that many of those who do care about this sort of issue are soft Liberal votes. These are voters the Liberals cannot afford to lose.

As matters stand today, the Liberals are counting on Horwath’s New Democrats and Hudak’s Conservatives running true to form and delivering a minority government to the Liberals.  Even a minority could give then at least three to four years of relative peace to get their act together. At the same time, it could give the Conservatives and the New Democrats time to put new leaders in place.

But what if the Conservative’s Timmy does not screw up? What if he got his act together and stopped shooting himself in the foot every time he opens his mouth?

Nobody cares about the computers in the Premier’s office. Nobody cares about gas plant waste. What if Timmy actually stuck to talking about things people care about?  What if he promised lower energy costs? What if he promised Ontario lower gasoline prices? What if he promised a smart sale of the LCBO to pay for the Ring of Fire and Toronto subways? What if he kept his word about having beer in convenience stores?

There is no question that Kathleen Wynne’s concern for pensions is striking a responsive cord but you can hardly run an election on just the Boomer generation. She has to take a hard look at the Liberal demographics and broaden her reach. If Timmy beats her to her own voters, she is in trouble.

Sure, she knows that Timmy would be a disaster as Premier—worse than Mike Harris and not as street smart as Rob Ford—but if he got the proper management for his campaign, a lot could be forgiven and forgotten in the time for the election. And Timmy wants it bad enough to do it.

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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois seems to be losing her overconfident grip on things political in her province. She picked the timing. She picked the star candidate. She set the agenda. She screwed up.

It started with Marois’ Charter of Values. That was the most bigoted, ill-conceived, corruption of secular values, we had seen for a long time. And yet it was planned for failure. Marois was using the ingrained bigotry of Quebec’s Roman Catholic heritage to create a spurious fight to take to Canada’s Supreme Court. Knowing that she would lose there was to be her conditions to favour a referendum on sovereignty.

But you can hardly run an election in a hijab. Marois needed more. The weakness in her campaign was that Quebec voters are worried about jobs. She needed some way of showing that she had people on side that can create jobs. It was for this purpose that she introduced her star candidate Pierre Karl Péladeau. That was mistake number two.

Since he had no economic credentials anyway, Péladeau pumping his fist in the air and calling for sovereignty became the poster-boy picture of the campaign. There was a rival picture of her pushing him out of the way when she did not want him giving the wrong answer to the news media. It makes you wonder if Marois has ever considered doing better preplanning.

And then there was the first leaders’ debate. She would not allow one in English but instead is having two in French. If the first one is typical, she should not have agreed to any. Her opponents were hardly reluctant to gang up on her in that first debate. They had her on the ropes in no time. They were obviously better prepared. What she will do better in the next debate is just speculation.

With the last two weeks of the campaign to go, the péquistes have gone into the panic mode. They are adopting the standard mode of politicians everywhere: when in doubt, run and shout. Their funniest attempt at circling the wagons was the claim that McGill students from outside Quebec were registering to vote and were attempting to steal the election from the pur laine Quebecers.

It must have come as a surprise to them that Quebec election law allows Canadians residing in Quebec to vote in provincial elections. In a few ridings in Montreal, that could add a few hundred or so voters to the voters’ lists. It was nice of the separatists to remind the students to register but their numbers are hardly about to win the election for any particular political party.

What we should all care about is that bigotry and divisiveness does not win.

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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]

This is embarrassing. The Ontario Liberal government has a cabinet minister responsible for next year’s Pan Am Games who makes the Conservative MPP from Barrie look good.

The Liberal cabinet minister is the MPP for Markham-Unionville Michael Chan. English is obviously not his first language. To add the usual rudeness and lack of decorum in the Ontario Legislature to the Minister’s difficulty with public speaking makes it very hard for him to deal with the questions in the House. And unlike many politicians, he has difficulty speaking easily on subjects with which he has no familiarity.

But this all plays into the soft hands of the MPP from Barrie. We rarely speak of this person because we do not hold him in particularly high esteem. This is a guy who came from the human relations side of business who yearned for a life of living off the avails of politics. His first attempt at being on Barrie’s city council came a cropper because the voters decided against returning him to office after his first term. It was not so much what he did wrong as he did not do much. At least the voters seemed to think so.

Still wanting a political career, he threw his hat into the ring to become a candidate for the Conservatives in Barrie for the 2011 provincial election. The front runner in that nomination race made a mistake that left the failed councillor as the accidental provincial Conservative candidate. This then lead to a lack-lustre campaign by a lack-lustre candidate. And if it had not been for the seemingly unlimited ego and over-confidence of the Liberal candidate, the Conservative would not have stood a chance.

To the surprise and consternation of many in Barrie, the Conservative won. As the election produced a minority government, we were confident that we would soon be able to fix the problem.

Being very short of talent in the Conservative caucus, Conservative Leader Timmy Hudak told the Barrie guy that he might as well be the Conservative’s critic of tourism, culture and sport as well as the upcoming Pan Am Games. Little did Barrie’s boy know that he had fallen into a bonanza of publicity. He had poor Michael Chan doing his work for him. All he had to do was look owlishly into the television cameras and spread alarm about anything connected to the Pan Am Games. This was shooting fish in a barrel.

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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to  [email protected]