Category: Provincial Politics

The Perfidy of Quebec.

by Peter Lowry

This argument is not going away quietly into the night. Premier Legault of Quebec said the other day that the question of Quebec’s Bill 21 and 96 did not belong in a federal election debate. Justin Trudeau said the question to Bloc leader Blanchet about Bills 21 and 96 was “offensive” and “inappropriate.” And conservative leader Erin O’Toole, in one of his stronger remarks, claimed the question to be “a little unfair.” The problem remains that Canadians across the country have little problem in recognizing bigotry when they see it.

And people who think they should be chosen prime minister should stop pandering to Quebec. A Quebec court has already noted that Bill 21 violates the basic rights of religious minorities. The only way the Quebec Assembly can get away with this bigotry is with using the “not withstanding” clause in the Canadian constitution.

What those fools in the Quebec assembly need to understand is that Canada’s real strength is in its diversity of languages, customs, fashions, religions, ideas and ambitions. And nobody can ever be allowed to carve out a chunk of this country and declare it a “no-go zone” for people of a different language or religion or tribe or different environmental concerns.

More people in Quebec need to come to understand the falsehoods and the perfidy of the Quebec assembly. They need to see through the ambitions of these bigots. You might disagree with the Hassidic Jew but you have to recognize his right to his religion and customs. The observant Sikh has a right to the five Ks of the Tenth Guru—the uncut hair, the comb, iron bracelet, underwear and the symbolic knives. You do not even need a religion to enjoy the freedoms, foods and customs of others. Our country is open to all.

The facts are that as much as we might disagree with someone who wears their religion or customs ‘on their sleeve,’ they have the right to do so. You might think that those laws that discriminate against these people are not directed against you. Just wait until next year—they might be. It is by protecting others, that we protect ourselves.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Decision in Quebec.

by Peter Lowry

There is much riding on the French language debate tomorrow. It could be equated to an English language debate for just Canada’s western provinces. It would have different spectres to address but would raise the same kind of angers and prejudices. It might explain our failures in nation building.

And we are failing. Many blame the rising tempers that we are witnessing as a reflection on the pandemic we have faced so awkwardly. It could run even deeper than that.

Not that Canada is unique. We can see the similar anger in our American neighbours. It is evident on the streets of London, Paris and Rome. We can see it in the continued turmoil of the Middle East, on the streets of Mumbai, the displeasure with governance in Hong Kong, and the intransigence of Beijing.

But that hardly makes Quebec insignificant. Those of us who love what Quebec stands for in a united Canada still worry about what the debate can foretell.

And frankly, if Jagmeet Singh, Erin O’Toole and Annamie Paul missed attending, it would not change much. They are only there to spread confusion. They just add noise. They could possibly win a few votes but are unlikely to affect the outcome in Quebec.

The two candidates with the most to gain and, of course, the most to lose are liberal leader Justin Trudeau and Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet. Both speak as native to Quebec.

As we move across Canada on election night, we expect the liberals to have a lead out of the Atlantic provinces. A greater lead out of Quebec would spell at least a liberal minority. And if the vote in Ontario does not cap the lead, there is still hope in British Columbia.

But it is a fair fight between Blanchet and Trudeau. They are both at home in French. Both have a quasi-endorsement by the currently popular provincial government. Each understands the biases and concerns of Quebec voters.

But they differ in interesting ways. Trudeau is to the manor born. Blanchet tries to emulate the modern Québécois business executive. We will watch the debate with interest.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Is there an App for that?

by Peter Lowry

Who was that masked man on the white horse riding to our rescue at Queen’s Park the other day? “Yes,” he said, “There will be vaccine passports in Ontario.” Whether they are working before Christmas, or not, is another matter. Our premier’s reluctant choice is to copy the Quebec app that is only now being introduced. It is an app that you can bluff.

The app, plus government identification with picture, can prove you have had your Covid-19 shots. QR codes by themselves can be copied. QR codes, by themselves, are quite meaningless. Can you just imagine the line-ups and wait time at large sports or musical events? And who is going to check that carefully at restaurants or other venues requiring vaccination?

You get the impression that smart phones and their apps have been sent to this world to annoy us. They should be called “stupid” phones. They are for people who might need a mental crutch to feel important, to answer their questions and get them through the day.

Nobody is that important that they need to answer a phone 24-7. And nobody is that important that they should demand face-time with someone who is addressing bodily functions in a washroom.

An automobile insurance agent could not understand why I laughed when he offered a discount if I gave them access to my smart phone. The company wanted to keep track of my driving. I have an app in my car that does that and it tells me I am a boring driver. The only problem is that giving the insurance company access to your smart phone (if you own one) is particularly intrusive. It is just none of their business where I am and where I am going.

And besides, it is hardly worth the saving. If they wanted to pay for my phone, I might reconsider.

But even then, I am not sure what I would do with a phone that has a higher quality camera in it, than I have ever owned before. I don’t do selfies.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Is Dougie at Summer Camp?

by Peter Lowry

(The following post was written Friday before Dougie showed up and told his reluctant cabinet that Ontario was going to have some sort of vaccine passports. There is more to come on this subject.)

It is a strange thing to say but we really do miss Ontario premier Doug Ford. That shmuck has deserted us when we need him most. We need a break from this dull, useless federal election. We need a break from Ontario’s depth of despair over the delta variant of Covid-19. We need someone to hate other than federal politicians. And hate him, we will, if he does not get off his fat ass and get us some vaccination passports in this province.

The son of a bitch is supposed to be a populist and a populist does not disappear when you need him. He might not have been able to get us beer for a loonie but 10 or 12 million vaccination passports are a drop in the bucket for a guy with Doug’s label printing background.

Yeh, we know that the minister of health thought we could just use the receipts we were sent when we got our vaccinations. She thought they could not be duplicated. All she proved was that she knew less about computers than she did about her ministry. And judging by the conditions in our hospitals these days, she is doing a poorer job in the health portfolio than Dougie is doing in the premier’s chair.

Maybe Doug Ford is trying to prove something. It might be that Ontario is better off when he is not front and centre to criticize.

We all know how much he would like to be out stumping the province with his buddy Erin O’Toole. Erin has no right to tell Ontario’s premier to get lost.

To be fair to premier Ford, it will give Ontario voters a chance to evaluate his choice of ministers for this province. We realize there is a limited amount of concern or empathy or smarts among conservative members of the legislature. He does the best he can.

But we need him now to arrange for covid-passports. We cannot have a mishmash of rules with universities and private companies making their own rules. We need a provincial government to do its job.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Bill Davis: The Last Progressive.

by Peter Lowry

There are few conservatives left to fit the Bill Davis mould. When I first met him at Queen’s Park, he was the young minister of education. Compared to what we have in that job today, Bill was a beacon of hope. As a liberal, I had no problem liking and respecting Bill. And I liked the people around him.

Bill had all the trappings and jargon of the conservative but he mixed it with decency. His word could be trusted. He had a wonderful sense of humour.

He had to relinquish the education job when he became premier. We were spending almost five times the money on education. It was worth it. Our community colleges were the jewels in Bill’s political crown.

I had to introduce Bill as Premier of Ontario to a few hundred people at an international luncheon one time. There were few votes for him there. He accepted. He came. We had some good laughs. He delighted the audience.

Bill was always a great booster for Brampton and Ontario. He was a true Canadian. He enriched Ontario.

One of his standing jokes was when seeing my wife at a function, he would sidle over and implore her to run in the next election for the conservatives. He knew our neighbour was the sitting MPP but he would brush that aside. He also knew that his wife Kathy and my wife were friends. They had worked together as court of revision for our riding in a federal election.

Bill was a conservative with a conscience. When he said that ‘bland works,’ he could have also said that elegant works and that keeping your word works. He was all those things.

The only time Bill disappointed me was when he retired in 1985. He knowingly hurt his party by his last-minute repentance and giving full funding to Catholic education in Ontario. It cost his party, cost the province and ushered in the learning liberal years of David Peterson, the wasted NDP years of Bob Rae and the ‘uncommon sense’ years of Mike Harris.

Bill is gone and his party has opted for conservative cant over honesty. He will still be honoured.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Alberta’s not ‘second class.’

by Peter Lowry

For once we have to agree with premier Jason Kenney of Alberta. Just the other day, the Toronto Star ran a news story with the headline ‘“Alberta’s not second class,’ Kenney says.”

But Kenney is second class! This guy is a fraud, a misogynist, a con-man and an embarrassment for the wonderful people of Alberta.

He was Stephen Harper’s hatchet man in the worst federal government that Canada ever suffered. When the Ottawa gravy train ended for Kenney, he came back to Alberta, bought a truck, painted it blue and set out to convince Albertans that he was their saviour.

He took on Brian Jean of the Wildrose Party at the OK Corral—his one-time fellow member of parliament. It cost Alberta the services of a caring and strong community supporter. Mr. Kenney’s only idea of community seems to be the Calgary Petroleum Club and roof-top dining.

But what few are able to understand is Kenney’s constant and unflagging hatred for Ottawa and things liberal. This writer is probably better able to castigate Justin Trudeau but if the PM ever does anything smart, I am willing to acknowledge it.

Kenney’s thinly disguised hatred for Quebec is another problem. His approach is like scratching at a scab. He wants to keep it raw and bleeding. The fact that the prime minister got that narrow-minded government in Quebec to accept the child-care funding is a kudo for Trudeau. The deal is very clear: parents in Quebec will end up with reasonably priced and first-class daycare for their children. The feds are going to pay a fair share of the cost. The same deal is available to all provinces despite Mr. Kenney’s claims.

If Mr. Kenney will not meet the standards, he is letting down Albertans who need and want well-run and regulated daycare at the same reasonable cost as in other provinces. What surprises this writer is that with all the time Mr. Kenney was there, he should have learned how to make friends in Ottawa. If he was not such an arrogant bastard, he would get along much better.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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When Daylight Comes.

by Peter Lowry

It will be like having another Christmas. We’re gonna have an election, we’re gonna have an election. Thinking about this opportunity for Canadians, I was musing the other day about Erin O’Toole’s chances. No, no not his chances of being elected prime minister. That horse left the stable a long time ago. I am talking about his slim chance of winning in Ontario’s Durham riding. A lot of good liberals live in that electoral district. What if they got off their asses and booted out that carpetbagger O’Toole?

There is going to be sure to be another conservative leadership event anyway. And this time, the Tories might be smart enough to do away with preferential voting. After all, what they got the last two times should have taught them something about voting systems.

There are only two things wrong with Mr. O’Toole’s proposed conduct of the campaign. Their names are Jason Kenney and Doug Ford. And frankly Canadians are tired of Alberta premier Kenney whining about how badly his pollution-producing province is being treated. This is the province that, in the fat oil-rich years, cheerfully told easterners to freeze in the dark. It is a province that has never had a provincial sales tax. Premier Kenney is a phony and a fool and we all know it. He invested a billion and a half dollars in a pipeline that was promptly cancelled by in-coming President Joe Biden of the United States.

And yet Kenney bitches and whines some more about prime minister Justin Trudeau who is busy building him a doubled pipeline over the Rockies to Vancouver. This pipeline is to pump the most polluting oil source in the world—from the Athabasca and Cold Lake tar sands—to ocean going ships and send it around the world.

But we can hardly leave Ontario premier Doug Ford out of the equation. This neanderthal is prime minister Justin Trudeau’s secret weapon. In vote rich Ontario, Doug Ford spells the death toll for conservative ideas and policies. He is hardly going to hide in his kennel for the duration of the election.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to:

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Playing Pandemic Politics.

by Peter Lowry

There was some interesting political posturing this past week in Ontario. New democratic party leader Andrea Horwath came out of semi-retirement to embarrass herself and, in the process, she reminded Ontario voters that the Ontario liberals really do have a leader. Horwath even called him Mr. Del Duca. What it all added up to was more pig-headed posturing from premier Ford, voters finding out that Horwath is as confused as ever and being reminded that the provincial liberals really do have a leader.

The real winner out of this ménage was the liberal leader. Any chance he gets for some ink is a win for him. And especially when he is on the side of the vast majority of Ontario residents.

It seems Mr. Del Duca made the relatively unnoticed suggestion that health care and education workers should get vaccinated against COVID-19 or find a new line of work. It seems Ontario’s dim-witted premier said something like “firgetaboudit” and then forgot about it. Meanwhile our NDP leader was invited to be interviewed by the CBC and was asked about Mr. Del Duca’s suggestion. And that was when she blew it.

Ms. Horwath climbed on her high horse at the question and ridiculed Mr. Del Duca for his silly suggestion. It seems she puts her idea of charter rights ahead of the safety of medical patients and school children.

It was not until her caucus of colleagues at Queen’s Park got in touch with her, that she found out she had done wrong. Her NDP warriors wanted to woodshed her for her putting the Canada’s charter of rights and freedoms ahead of the safety of sick adults and children.

What Ms. Horwath did not seem to understand is that there is a growing anger among the Ontario population that anti-vaxxers and other thoughtless people are endangering the rest of us. Despite the excellent response by about 80 per cent of Ontario residents 12 and older, some people remain willing to risk ill-health and death rather than get vaccinated. She had to take back her careless remarks.

I am a strong believer in individual rights. I also believe if you want to play Russian roulette with your life, you may—but not near me.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Emancipation Day?

by Peter Lowry

For a guy who pays close attention to politics in this country, I should admit I’m embarrassed. I was so busy celebrating Simcoe Day in Ontario I had no idea what this new Emancipation Day is about. We really have to stop tearing down statues, reviling former leaders, changing what we call holidays and changing words in the dictionary.

I am no etymologist but I do treasure the words of the Oxford Dictionary in its various dimensions, rely on Ernest Fowler in understanding grammar, admire John Bartlett for his handy references and also make my share of typos, as well as grammatical and spelling errors. It seems we like to write but we have forgotten how to edit.

I draw the line at somebody, somewhere, decreeing that “indigenous” means, if your ancestors came here 15,000 years ago, your people are “from here.” Perverting our language is not going to make anybody feel better about themselves. I find my aboriginal and métis acquaintances much prefer the respect and fair treatment they deserve as Canadian citizens. I have always known that many of their ancestors got a bum deal from past European settlers. There are some reparations needed. We have to resolve this by working together.

And what can really annoy me is the newcomer to Canada who discovers that the streets are not paved with gold, that there are some of us who are not as tolerant as they should be and the newbies condemn the rest of us for it.

Frankly, I think I have travelled enough in this world to realize that there are lots of nice people and some assholes everywhere. Get used to it.

And, speaking of assholes, I hope the next time we see some people tearing down an old statue, that the people doing the pulling are under the statue when it falls. That would be justice for all!

What really leaves me cold is the eagerness of politicians such as Toronto councillors to spend ratepayers’ money on fixing what they consider errors of the past. Is Toronto so confused that we have to rename Dundas Street? I never knew nor cared who the street was named after. I hardly care what you call it but it will always be Dundas to me. It is the same as the O’Keefe Centre, SkyDome and when the Cleveland Indians come to play the Blue Jays. Some people just need a better appreciation of history.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

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Ontario’s Johnny Appleseed.

by Peter Lowry

Ontario residents must have this image of the Ontario premier skipping along the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway (Highway 401) throwing loonies and toonies left and right. That is his answer to every problem he hears about. He says he will throw money at it. He tells us he is generous with the taxpayers’ money.

But the question is: Will he really spend it?

This subject was posed very recently in Babel-on-the-Bay.com. It was when the Ontario budget office informed us that our hospitals had been unable to spend a billion dollars in the past year that had been available for them to spend. This was at a time of stretching the limits of intensive care, of closing our hospitals to visitors and volunteers, of closing hospital kitchens and settling for poorer quality catered foods, of telling those caring for patients that they would not get raises but needed to work longer shifts. At a time when money was available, our hospitals were not getting the money needed to do their job.

But that does not stop the supposed free-spending ways of our premier.

Why just the other day, Mr. Ford said he was shocked to learn that there might be a backlog in surgeries and other medical procedures because of the demands for care of COVID-19 patients. This is based on the information from the hospitals that they turned away about 25 per cent of necessary but not time sensitive procedures. What the hospitals do not know and are concerned about is the number of people who did not come to the hospitals’ emergency facilities during the peak of the pandemic. The drop off was significant but there is no way to put a figure on an expected surge in patients as the pandemic subsides.

The first $300 million was in the spring budget anyway, so nobody seems impressed with Mr. Ford’s additional $24 million.

But is this real money or just more of Mr. Ford’s phantom money?

All we can advise Ontario voters is they should try to stay out of hospitals until the hospitals have returned to putting some decent food on patient trays.

And there should be a nice chilled apple on every tray in honour of Johnny Appleseed, who, it is reputed, visited Ontario in the early 1800s with his seeds, so that Canadians could also enjoy apples.

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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry

Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to a new e-mail:

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