Provincial Conservative Leader Tim Hudak comes to Babel so often that someone suggested that he and the local Conservative candidate are dating. If the wise-acre had seen Deb Hutton, Hudak’s prizefight manager and wife, lately, Tim is probably very cautious about that. More likely, Tim has found how easy it is for Conservatives to get media coverage in this town.
He was back in Babel last week for a huff and puff session on law and order. This happens whenever the Tories are hard up for an election issue, they trot out their latest huff and puff on law and order. Even if the latest crime statistics say crime is down, the Tories tell you they will increase crime so that they can do something about it.
Tim’s latest news is that he will personally put GPS trackers on all the criminals so that the police will know where they are to prevent a crime or to arrest them. You would think that someone in the Conservative Party would have the computer smarts to explain to Tim that he is talking about an outrageously expensive monitoring system.
At the same time, someone who understands GPS technology should tell him about the technical limitations of global positioning systems that he is ignoring. And, if all else fails, a criminal lawyer should explain to him that the courts might start to balk at the idea of condemning people to life-long monitoring. In Ontario, people have rights!
The local provincial Conservative candidate actually said something at this announcement. Instead of the usual bobble-head act, the former councillor said he agreed with his leader. He was quoted in the local newspaper as saying that he has two kids and “these guys have a 90 per cent recidivism rate.” It makes you wonder if the candidate gets his statistics from his kids or if the reporter understood what he said.
That seems to sum up the next weeks of campaigning in Ontario. Leaders with plans that they do not understand will travel the province, addressing small audiences of party members. Local candidates will loyally stand by their leaders, backing them up with statements that make no sense. And then there are the local news media that do no research, nor question silly statements and slavishly report the foolishness. Thankfully, it will be over on October 6.
-30-
Copyright 2011 © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to [email protected]