Somebody out there is reading this blog

Seconds after posting that the NDP mistakenly thought the upcoming Parkdale-High Park by-election was being held on Saturday, Sept. 16 instead of Thursday, Sept. 14, a breathless New Democrat called the Political Notebook's Toronto branch office to advise that the party has sent out a corrected press release. The world is saved, the NDP knows the date of the by-election.

Note to Dippers: buy a calendar

Perhaps this is why the New Democrats seldom win elections -- they show up to vote two days late.

How else to explain the following NDP press release about the provincial by-election that is being held in Parkdale-High Park on Thursday, Sept. 14 and not on Saturday, Sept. 16.

Ethics Commissioner called on to review Sylvia Watson

TORONTO, Aug. 24 /NDP Provincial Secretary Diane O'Reggio will submit a complaint to David J. Mullan, Ethics Commissioner for the City of Toronto, calling on him to investigate possible breaches of the City's Ethics Code by Councillor Sylvia Watson in her campaign for a seat in the Ontario Legislature.

"We've received a number of complaints from constituents in Parkdale-High Park who feel that Sylvia Watson is using her City-funded website to promote her provincial campaign," said O'Reggio. "If an elected official is using public services to further their personal career instead of the public good it has to stop. The Ethics Commissioner is the authority on this so we're forwarding the matter to him."

A provincial by-election will be held in Parkdale-High Park on September 16. Sylvia Watson will be running for the Liberals led by Dalton McGuinty. On August 16, Sylvia Watson issued an e-newsletter to constituents about her campaign. She subsequently posted the same newsletter on her Councillor's website - provided by the City. The newsletter reads like campaign literature - listing Watson's political accomplishments, the date of the election, and announcing Watson's candidacy.

Toronto City Council's ethics code states: "No member shall use the facilities, equipment, supplies, services or other resources of the City (including Councillor newsletters) for any election campaign or campaign related activities."

"Toronto's Council has adopted strict rules to ensure that public funds aren't used for campaigning," said O'Reggio. "We're asking the Commissioner to ensure the rules are followed."

Ouch!

In its issue published Friday, Foreign Direct Investment magazine, a British publication owned by the Financial Times, named Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty its world "Personality of the Year."

This was front-page news in Canada's largest circulation newspaper -- yeah, this one -- but McGuinty's political foes were less charitable.

To wit, here are two press releases sent out Thursday:

 

DALTON MCGUINTY DESERVES A FEW MORE AWARDS

(Queen’s Park) - The Ontario PC Party today suggested several other awards Dalton McGuinty’s public relations experts could nominate him for after securing a “personality award” from a British magazine.

Man of the Year Award for his work on behalf of autistic children.

Community Builder Award from forestry communities in Northwestern Ontario.

Nobel Peace Prize for suspending the rule of law in Caledonia.

Airline Passenger of the Year for frequent short-haul flights on routes such as Toronto-Hamilton and Toronto-Peterborough.

Defense Lawyer of the Year for a passionate defense of Cabinet Minister Harinder Takhar after he broke the law.

Heisman Trophy for prolific punting of major issues such as property tax and municipal finances.

Academy Award for role as a tough guy in ongoing fiscal “fight” with federal government.

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for the 2003 Liberal Party Platform with its famous line: “I won’t raise your taxes.”

Olympic Gold Medal for Gymnastics for twisting around his coal promise.

Exporter of the Year for sending tens of thousands of Ontario manufacturing jobs abroad.

Ultimate Fighting Champion for his willingness to pick a fight with Ottawa at any time, over any issue.

Team Canada MVP for telling the other premiers how much more important he was than them.

American Express Consumer of the Year for his efforts to remind Ontarians how much fun deficit spending can be.

 

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KORMOS RESPONDS TO McGUINTY’S ‘PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR’ AWARD

QUEEN’S PARK - NDP MPP Peter Kormos statement to Premier Dalton McGuinty named world "Personality of the Year".

"Give me a break, it's not like he was the Sunshine Boy! The real test is what the people of Parkdale-High Park think of him, not some British fish and chips magazine wrapper.”

Putting the "new" in New Democrat

As the director of communications for the NDP at Queen's Park, Jeff Ferrier is familiar with the labour movement.

But labour took on a whole new meaning Tuesday when his wife Joanna Carson gave birth to their first child, Astrid Grace Carson Ferrier.

The big event took place conveniently close to the Legislature at Women's College Hospital at 2:54 p.m. with Ontario's youngest New Democrat weighing in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces.

Mother and child are doing well and dad's sense of humour hasn't changed. Less than 24 hours after the birth, the proud papa was in the office showing off pictures.

"The baby is beautiful, she obviously doesn't take after me," he quipped.

Half of life is just showing up

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the most powerful man in Canada, has been rightly criticized for shunning the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, found time - and $500 million (U.S.) - for the gathering of 20,000 delegates searching for ways to curb the disease.

Harper, of course, was too busy asserting Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic and dispatched federal Health Minister Tony Clement to the prestigious conference.

But the second most powerful man in Canada did turn up for the event.

Premier Dalton McGuinty welcomed delegates on Sunday with remarks at the Rogers Centre.

"Since the world first heard of AIDS, it has killed 25 million people - twice the population of Ontario," McGuinty said.

"So the theme for this conference could not be more appropriate: it is time to deliver."

The premier noted that this year his government will spend $54 million on HIV-related research, treatment, prevention, care and support services.

It’s a mere drop in the bucket, but at least McGuinty showed up.

Every Mad Dog has his day

Bob 'Mad Dog' Runciman, the former Harris/Eves-era cabinet minister and long-time Leeds Grenville MPP, isn't wasting any time gearing up for the Oct. 4, 2007 provincial election.

Silencing skeptics who wondered if the 63-year-old firebrand was still interested in Queen's Park, Runciman announced Tuesday that he will seek re-election for an eighth time next year.

"I’m enthused and encouraged by John Tory’s leadership and increasingly optimistic that Ontarians will look to him and the PC party as an alternative to a McGuinty Liberal party that has lost their trust and confidence," Runciman said in a statement.

Tory, for his part, called the move "great news."

"I’ve been encouraging him to run for some time because his tested leadership and experience will be enormously important in our efforts to form the next government," said the PC Leader.

Some close to Tory had worried Runciman, a long-time supporter of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, might opt to run federally in an election expected as early as next spring.

Provincial Tories aren't the only people at the Park relieved to hear the Mad Dog will bark another day.

As a former journalist, Runciman has always been popular with reporters, who appreciate his candour, his oft over-the-top rhetoric and his refusal to duck tough questions.