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October 12, 2007
The sight of Tracy at that moment affected me in a way I can't fully explain
Wednesday's Ontario provincial election and plebiscite returned the Liberals to power with a majority government, rejected a change from first-past-the-post to proportional representation and now we are treated to a productivity enhancing public holiday - Family Day - in February. Also rejected as part of the Conservative platform was a proposal to extend public funding for "faith based schools", perhaps the best explanation for a record low voter turnout of 52.8 per cent.
"They couldn't bring themselves to vote for the Liberals or the NDP over faith-based schools, so they just sat it out," she said. "I think Ontarians actually wanted some change, but they didn't want the kind of change John Tory was talking about with faith-based schools. That overwhelmed whatever desire people had to reprimand the Liberals," she said, referring to McGuinty's broken promises from the 2003 election, like raising taxes.
For historical reasons, Ontario has a separate, publicly funded Catholic school system running parallel to the (now) secular public school system. Most people do not have a robust objection to this state of affairs despite its apparently being in violation of Canada's treaty obligations and over the objections of the "United Nations". Ontario governments do not rise and fall on the issue. The magic, unuttered and for now unutterable words that explain the objection to Conservative plans are "publicly funded madrassas"; not a prayer I would vote for that.
A Conservative party tied in knots in obeisance to words like faith and religion but totally unable to work out the consequences of the vain appearance of consistency cannot be trusted with government. I parked my vote with the Party for People with Special Needs (taking 0.6% in Trinity-Spadina).
Posted by Ghost of a flea at October 12, 2007 08:03 AM
Comments
Nay to Family Day!
Posted by: Ben (The Tiger in Exile) ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.ghostofaflea.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 12, 2007 02:02 PM
Family Day * is * lame beyond belief. But I for one am looking forward to our Premier having to hedge the meaning of the word "family" the first time he is interrogated on the subject.
Posted by: Ghost of a flea at October 12, 2007 02:18 PM
So what are we supposed to do on Family Day (we've had that odious holiday in Alberta for years now). Are we supposed to spend time with our family on that day? Or are we supposed to spend time creating more family? Because if it's the latter, I propose that we rename the holiday to "#@$% Like A Rabbit Day".
Posted by: Sean McCormick at October 14, 2007 08:53 AM
If so, Family Day can only serve to embiggen Ontario.
Posted by: Ghost of a flea at October 14, 2007 09:49 AM
The Conservative Party leader in Ontario is named John Tory!? How could you not vote for someone with a name like that? It's as if I refused to vote for Republican gubernatorial candidate Snooty "Fat Cat" McGodbotherer.
Posted by: utron at October 15, 2007 03:33 PM
