My Endorsement for MPP

One of the advantages of having your own blog is the fact that you don't have to follow the corporate line. Most publications that I read, like the Toronto Star are one sided when it comes to their political reporting. Everyone who follows politics knows that the Star 9 out of 10 times endorses left leaning candidates and political parties.

In the riding of Simcoe Grey we have 4 candidates who come across as very professional in the way they have conducted their campaigns. Most people know that I can be very partisan when it comes to my blog postings, but in my review on who I support as our next MPP, it was a really hard decision between 2 of the 4 candidates.

First I want to talk about who I don't support and why. In the case of NDP candidate David Matthews, I watched the Rogers Cable Debate both in the studio and the one at the Legion Hall in Collingwood, and I also watched the Rogers Cable candidate profile. I found David to be very passionate about the NDP platform, but I also found him to be very boring in the way he presented himself and the way he tried to get the NDP message out to the voters. With the exception of the Rogers Cable Candidate Profile, David was reading from the binder he carried with him at most of the all-candidate meetings. I also don't feel that what the NDP offers really fits into the needs of the people of Simcoe Grey, and therefore I won't be offering my endorsement.

As the former Liberal Candidate in the 2007 election, most people asked me why I did not run again in this election. The answer is quite simple, I could not support a Premier who has broken his promises, and lied to the people of Ontario time and time again. Donna Kenwell who until she became the candidate was the President of the Barrie Liberal Riding association does not strike me as a person who really cares about the riding. Yes she's lived in the riding most of her life, but I never knew who she was when I ran in 2007, and she's devoted her efforts in supporting the Liberals in Barrie over the Liberals in Simcoe Grey. I watch her performance during this campaign and she had no fire in her belly, she was not exciting, and she did not offer any change. To me she was late to the game, and was only running for the sake of the party. Therefore she does not get my endorsement.

Now over to the 2 candidates who I feel could do the job as our next MPP.

PC, Jim Wilson who's been the MPP in the area for the past 20 years is a hard working and dedicated person, who has proven that he can get the job done when it suits him politically. I say this because he seems to focus on issues that can gather him  votes when it comes to election time. In 2007 he claims that it was his efforts thast got Hwy. 26 work started again, he claims it was his efforts that got the birthing unit re-opened at Stevenson Memorial in Alliston, and he claims it was his efforts that got the St. Paul's school in Alliston re-built. In 2007 I announced that the funding for St. Paul's new school was approved, and what Wilson did was call me a liar, and never retracted his comments, and today the students have a new school in Alliston. Wilson method of operation is to attack the Liberals, and he is great at towing the party line. In 2007 he was for faith based funding, and then when John Tory changed his mind, so did Wilson. I just find him to be a good little follower, and while the PC platform is not what's good for Ontario as this time, I also feel that Wilson is not good for Simcoe Grey at this time either, therefore I can't endorse Jim Wilson.

Green Party candidate and party leader, Mike Schreiner is my choice for MPP in Simcoe Grey. Mike is a great public speaker who has proven that he really cares about our farming community, and about the small towns that make up our great riding. Mike was the only candidate who really addressed our local issues like the proposed Mega Quarry, protecting our water supply, and wind farms. Mike wants to allow our local councils to make the decisions that have a direct effect on them, and take away that power from Queens Park. He believes in the best way to build a strong Ontario is by allowing the decsions to be made at the local level in areas of Education, Health Care, and local growth. He was the only candidate from what I observed who cares about our farmers. While Jim Wilson did touch on the subject of farming, he again was towing the party line. The big difference between Wilson and Schreiner is that Wilson is controlled by the party, and Schreiner is the party. The buck stops with Schreiner. Mike did not engage in any direct attacks towards the other candidates, and presented himself in a very professional manner during the course of this campaign. His vision for Simcoe Grey is a vision that most people I've spoken with is the type of vision they would want to see in our riding. Therefore I feel that Mike Schreiner is the best candidate to be our next MPP at Queens Park as the Province heads into a very unknown future.

On October 6th regardless of who you support I encourage each and every one of you to go out and vote. Some people feel that their vote does not count, but I can tell you from experience that every vote counts. So please go out and vote on October 6th for the best candidate you feel can get the job done at Queens Park.

Until next time!