Larry's Corner

Ontario’s Election: An analysis of the Local Reaction
By Larry Di Ianni
(posted October 16, 2007)

As had been predicted, Andrea Horwath, Ted McMeekin and Tim Hudak in a cakewalk, Sophia Aggelonitis by a comfortable margin and Paul Miller/ Nerene Virgin, take your pick. Paul Miller won by a squeaker.

All the winning candidates will do a good job, I’m convinced, with Ted McMeekin slated for a cabinet post and Sophia also being on the short-list for major recognition by the party.

I was particularly interested in what the winning MPP’s have said in reaction to their win, specifically, with regards to helping their riding and Hamilton.

Andrea Horwath and Paul Miller read from the same song sheet. Their response was that the voters of their riding ‘had sent McGuinty a lesson on his broken promises, the $10 minimum wage, and the loss of manufacturing jobs in Ontario generally and Hamilton specifically.’ Both promised to keep raising these issues while keeping McGuinty to the promises that he made during the election.

Ted McMeekin and Sophia Aggelonitis took a very different approach. Each wants to work for his/her constituents and the city, but Sophia especially went out of her way to recognize the reality of Hamilton’s political landscape and vow to work with her colleagues across the aisle, regardless of political stripe, on a Hamilton agenda. And what is that agenda? Fairness for city finances. Investment in our economy. Keeping promises already made, and the well-known list goes on.

Tim Hudak, who some are touting for political promotion if John Tory is forced to leave, as many suspect, is for the first time also representing the city of Hamilton by virtue of the Glanbrook, upper Stoney Creek components of his new riding. What were his pledges? To keep the Mount Albion access road open, to ensure the province gives the remainder of the Karst lands to the Conservation authority, and to keep McGuinty’s feet to the fire on his election promises.

So, what to make of all of this? When examined individually all the responses seem to make sense from the perspective of the speaker. But what is best for the constituencies? And what is best for the city?

Sophia and Ted, being in government, will be made accountable for every single promise they, and their party, made in this election. That is as it should be. Such is the responsibility of government.

Note, however, that Horwath and Miller are really promising little for the city. To ‘raise’ issues is not enough. The reality is that contrary to the two NDP MPP’s comments, the lesson for McGuinty in this election was NOT that people were unhappy with his broken promises, but that people were quite pleased with his government and returned him to power with a considerable majority. So, what should Andrea and Paul have done? They, as Tim Hudak did, should have given us some measurable goals to then assess their performance on. It isn’t enough to be ‘in opposition’ to something, tell us what you are for and how you will work with the government to deliver.

Hudak was gutsy enough to do that. He will keep Mount Albion open; and he will deliver the Karst lands to the HCA. If that doesn’t happen, he will have to accept responsibility for the failure. That is brave and appropriate.

Andrea and Paul have set their bar very low. ‘Raising the issues’ is hardly a difficult thing to do. In fact they have already done it, some would say. They may as well stay home. Surely an MPP’s job isn’t that easy!

Good luck to all our newly elected members.

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