byelections – David Akin’s On The Hill

Chrétien endorses former NDP MP now running for Wynne's Liberals in Sudbury

Canada’s former Prime Minister Jean Chretien laughs during an interview with Reuters in Ottawa November 15, 2011. Chretien today endorsed the New Democrat who beat one of his former ministers in Sudbury as the Ontario Liberal candidate in a provincial beyelection. (REUTERS/Blair Gable)

Former prime minister Jean Chrétien and his wife Aline today endorsed Glenn Thibeault, running for the Ontario Liberals in the provincial byelection in Sudbury. Thibeault deserted Thomas Mulcair’s NDP caucus to run for Wynne’s Liberals. Chrétien provided the endorsement even though it was Thibeault who knocked off former Chrétien cabinet minister Diane Marleau in the 2008 general election, becoming the first New Democrat to win in Sudbury since 1968.

Meanwhile, the United Steelworkers are running a radio ad in Sudbury, endorsing the NDP and taking direct aim at the “dirty politics” of Thibeault.

Here’s the release from the Ontario Liberals about the Chrétien endorsement: Continue reading Chrétien endorses former NDP MP now running for Wynne's Liberals in Sudbury

In Alberta, the opposition scores direct hits using Access to Information laws

There are four important by-elections underway right now in Alberta. The vote is on Monday. The Premier, the Health Minister, and the Education Minister have their names on ballots in three of the four ridings. Jim Prentice, Stephen Mandel (above, pictured in 2006), and Gordon Dirks, of course, are all members of the longest-ruling-party in Canadian history, the Alberta Progressive Conservatives.

The PCs, though, are in trouble mostly because a lot of Albertans seem disgusted with a sense of entitlement that has grown around the party. Using government aircraft to fly family and friends around. A former premier’s plan to build a multi-million dollar “sky palace” apartment for herself in Edmonton. And so on.

The opposition Wildrose Party are taking full advantage of this “target-rich” environment with some well-timed direct hits using information it received using access-to-information laws. It scored again Wednesday, unveiling the fact that Mandel (above), running for the PCs in Edmonton-Whitemud, expenses $69,000 worth of Edmonton Oilers tickets to taxpayers when he was the mayor of Edmonton. Continue reading In Alberta, the opposition scores direct hits using Access to Information laws

Toronto Centre Irony Alert!

“It is increasingly the case that your job prospects are correlated not with how hard you work, not with how well you did at school, but with the job that your father had,” Toronto Centre Liberal candidate Chrystia Freeland tells Justin Trudeau. (at 3:05 here)

Ontario premier accused of "cheating" to win byelections

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will call five byelections Wednesday — the byelection are in ridings that had all been held by McGuinty cabinet members (including McGuinty himself) — sending voters to the ballot box on the Thursday before the August long weekend. Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod, on Battleground earlier tonight on Sun News Network, says the choice of that date — and a campaign thru the month of July amounts to “cheating”.