The rise of Hugh Arrison?

http://www.mississaugablogs.com/2008/05/missy_south_rumblings.html

New John Stewart entry, with many very interesting tidbits on the (mis)adventures of the Mississauga South Conservatives:

-Phil Green, the Tory candidate in the previous 2 elections, endorsed Hugh Arrison. Green wanteed to run a 3rd time for the Conservatives, but was vetoed by the party, and has not hid his disappointment. Green, in his endorsement, also takes a not so subtle shot at Ted Opitz, the out of riding candidate who increasingly seen as the choice of the party establishment:

"Green says Arrison has enjoyed a "tremendous" financial and business career and understands the concerns of the riding, because he lives in it."Just as important for me, Hugh knows that there can be a big difference between what is legal and what is the right thing to do," says Green, an obvious reference to candidate Major Ted Optiz's recent ploy to buy up web site domains that his opponents could potentially use and redirect people from those sites to his own."

Additionally, the choice by the other candidate, Raya Shadursky to have long-time Tory and two-time mayoralty candidate Roy Willis nominate her clearly shows that Raya and Hugh are going to make Opitz's outsider and establishment image an issue, which could leave Opitz facing an "Anyone but Ted" situation, as Mississauga Conservatives rebel against what they see as Tim Peterson Mark II.

Speaking of which:
"Tim Peterson, who has already expressed interest in running provincially again for the Tories against Charles Sousa in Mississauga South in 2014 (I'm assuming he means 2011), has his house for sale."

To which I say, Say What? Not surprising Tim is selling his place on Indian Road, but Tim Peterson running for the PC's again? He got the worst results for the PC's in the history of the riding, alienated a huge chunk of the Conservative electorate, and ran a bad campaign reliant entirely on John Tory, who has no guarantee to be around in 2011 anyway. I guess he can go for the nomination (something tells me he won't get appointed this time around) but I can't see him performing even close to respectably in an open nomination process.

Anyway, if Opitz does win (although I would say his chances might be a bit lower now) he will have to fight a tough narrative of being Tim Peterson Mark II, with plenty of anti-Ted quotes by prominent local Conservatives floating around. Less then 2 weeks to go now.

The Tim Peterson Angle gets played against Ted Opitz...by the Conservatives

http://www.mississaugablogs.com/2008/05/ground_control_to_major_ted.html

John Stewart is back, and while the stuff about Opitz's use of websites is interesting, but hardly a new political development, the real meat is the words of ex-tennis champ David Brown, (who by the way, I am pretty sure is not the same David Brown who ran for the PC's in the last provincial election in Mississauga-Erindale and the federal PC's in Mississauga South in 2000) who is rival candidate Hugh Arrison's campaign manager:

" Brown proceeds to play the Tim Peterson card, suggesting that Mississauga South Tories do not accept interlopers well. Opitz, of course, doesn't live in the riding which means he has to work twice as hard to prove himself to the 400 or so core members of the association, who will likely end up holding the balance of power in the contest."

And while in fairness in Orpitz, who says he will no longer use the re-directing sites, after a talk with the other candidates, I wouldn't be shocked to see Brown's words used in some anti-Opitz literature, should he win the nomination:

"It's not the way to represent the party and it's not the way to conduct yourself with the other candidates. I think people will use this to judge the character, or lack of character within this individual. This is not the way we feel Conservative candidates should be operating."

While we are on the subject, I find it interesting that Brown plays the Tim Peterson card, considering that when I was working in Szabo's campaign office in 2004, Brown came in a requested a Szabo sign with the "Team Martin" part folded back, because he said he wanted Szabo to win re-election, but the Liberals to lose overall, so I am assuming he cast his vote for the MP he is now hoping to knock off with Mr. Arrison.

Did I call it, or did I call it?

http://theliberalbag.blogspot.com/2007/11/progressive-canadian-party-all-but.html

"I wouldn't be surprised to see Parsons and Love be candidates in the next election"

and today?

http://www.liberal.ca/story_14006_e.aspx

"Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion today congratulated Tracy Parsons on having been nominated to represent the Liberal Party of Canada in the riding of Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley. Ms. Parsons is the former leader of the Progressive Canadian Party."

The Liberal Bag: Predicting fairly unsurprising political events since 2007.

How To Lose A Spin War without really trying

I would have loved to see this as an article:

It shows our leader taking a strong stand for a progressive policy, defending the Liberal vision of Canada, and which although controversial, if presented right, is a representitive of the type of policies that Liberals must stand for.

However, this is the headline we get:

Note to Liberal MPs and spin masters: Publicly bashing a key platform plank of your party is a good way to lose a spin war. Imagine if during the Ontario provincial election, Liberal MPP's almost daily talked to the media behind Dalton McGuinty's back that they supported faith based funding? At this point, it isn't about a carbon tax or not, it is about standing united behind a policy and trying to tell Canadians that only a Liberal government can be trusted with managing the old economy, while creating the new, and demonstrating the callousness of the Conservatives towards the environment, and the NDP in selling out on the file. These leaks and back talkings need to stop, lest the discussion that the carbon tax could be an election become a self fulfilling prophecy.

RIP Arthur Kroeger

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/05/10/kroeger-obit.html

As a student of the College which is named after him, I want to give my condolences to Kroeger's friends and family. Kroeger was the embodiment of the spirit of the professional, non-partisan civil service, serving both Liberal and Conservative governments. I only met Arthur once, at the start of my first year, but I found him to be kind, wise, and a gentleman.

Don Stephens drops out of Mississauga South Conservative race, Ted Opitz the new frontrunner?

http://www.mississaugablogs.com/2008/05/then_there_were_four.html

The guy who I assumed might have been the initial front runner, Ward 2 Peel District School Board trustee Don Stephens, is done. Stephens gave the standard "personal reasons", which of course means he didn't think he could win, or beat Szabo, or he thought he might be putting his Trustee position at risk. The most interesting tidbit is this:

The guy everyone seems to assume the party wants: latecomer Major Ted Opitz, a reservist with the Royal Canadian Regiment.

Opitz would seem to be the wild card. He has good credentials, but the wrong postal code.Mississauga South stalwarts have always been fussy about having their community represented by native sons or daughters (see Tim Peterson for details.)

Well, the Conservatives have a meet and greet at the Port Credit Post Office from 8:30 am to 1 pm for the Mississauga Marathon, I think I might show up and ask some questions. I encourage other Mississauga South residents, of all parties to do the same.

Canvassing In Mississauga Streetsville

Earlier this week I hit the pavement with a great group of Young Liberals from Mississauga-Streetsville. It was an amazing turnout for a non-writ period, and a wonderful example of the work Young Liberals can do for the party. Bonnie has this one in the bag.