The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
More Federal issues - More candidates A couple of recent articles dealt with federal campaign issues for the next election, and some of the candidates. Many of the issues are pretty cut and dried, such as the Adscam scam, and the wild spending issue. For example, can the country afford the Liberal's NDP budget (Jack Layton and Bill Blaikie said this was the first ever NDP budget). Does the country want or need a national day-care programme which will be partly financed by Ottawa (for a few years). What will happen when the Feds cut out, or cut back, on the money, as they always do? How meaningful is it to promise dollars for everything on a 5-10 year plan? Will the Liberals continue to try to bribe the taxpayers with their own money? The Belinda Stronach deception and Paul Martin's buying her support with a cabinet post for which she is eminently unqualified is an issue that threatens to hang around for a while. Friend Mark, a Winnipeg sales manager and long time Tory from an Alberta Conservative family (his mother was president of the Alberta P.C. Women) told 'The Corner' that his sister, who had chaired Stronach's Alberta campaign for leader, is fighting mad. She appeared in Manitoba claiming the Liberals are dead in Alberta and will elect no MPs. Goodbye "Landslide Annie!" Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan who always just barely manages to win her Edmonton seat is in dire straits in her home province. Annie is faced with the same former jet pilot Conservative candidate she beat by 700 votes last time, and it is not possible for her government to bribe Albertans. By the way, Mark claims his wife, who has never before been involved in politics, is now determined to help defeat a Manitoba liberal. Chuck Cadman, the sick B.C. Independent, who voted with the Liberals, may not be a candidate next time. He says he wasn't paid off, but the former Alliance MP now has recent offers of support from the Justice Minister and McLellan for his favourite issue Ñ justice for the victims of crime and their families (his son was murdered). The Liberals, of course, claim they didn't offer him anything before the vote. The Conservatives had been wooing Cadman with an offer not to run a Tory against him, and he has sure received a lot of congratulations from Liberal MPs including the PM. Best bet is that Cadman has received his 15 minutes of fame and will disappear into obscurity. The Tories promise to "hold the Liberal's feet to the fire", so don't rule out a fall election. Among the seven sitting Tory MPs in Manitoba, none seem to be in danger of losing next time. Former Manitoba Justice Minister and now MP Vic Toews told 'The Corner' that it really doesn't matter in his riding when the vote is held, as his constituents are just as hostile to the Gay Marriage bill and gun control as they are to Liberal corruption. "Liberal candidates are not lining up to run this time," Vic noted. Inky Mark in Dauphin/Swan River/Marquette is a shoe-in particularly after his run-in with flippant Reg Alcock, as is Brian Pallister, health critic Steven Fletcher, and to a lesser extent Joy Smith. Bazan, the Tory MP in Selkirk-Interlake should have an easy time in cattle country due to the ineptness of the federal Liberals and the provincial NDP in dealing with the 'Mad Cow' issue. How about a look at seats held by Liberals and NDP? At first blush one would expect St. Boniface MP Simard to win in this traditional Liberal riding. But will he? St. Boniface is only a part of the seat which takes in a lot of South Winnipeg and a chunk of rural Manitoba. A strong Conservative push and a candidate could defeat him Ñ it's happened before. Anita Neville, who inherited Lloyd Axworthy's South Centre seat, had an easier time than predicted last time. Hardly a dominant figure in the House of Commons Neville could lose next time, depending on how well the NDP fares. Lawyer Michael Richard won the Tory nomination in a meeting of 500 members. Richards is a good candidate who could win, depending on the National and local campaigns. Manitoba Liberal minister Reg Alcock is by no means a cinch win in Winnipeg South. Alcock has spent a lot of time recently giving away tax money here and there in the province including $100 million or so the Liberal-friendly Aspers for their proposed Human Rights Museum. Alcock has a tendency to fly off the handle, such as when he made disparaging racist remarks about Inky Mark. He was recently attacked in the House for these remarks and lack of credibility, for which he invited a Saskatchewan Tory "to step outside the Commons and say that." A wag remarked that if Alcock is going to play Mike Tyson, he should lose 100 pounds or so fast! A large part of Winnipeg south is, or should be, solid Tory turf, such as Whyte Ridge, Linden Ridge, and Linden Woods, all heavily populated. Alcock will have a tougher time next election against Tory intellectual and long-time Conservative Hugh McFadyen who was Mayor Sam Katz's senior advisor. I had Hugh as a secondary school student. He was a top student and competitive athlete who became a corporate lawyer. Hugh comes with long-time Conservative "genes" as his grandmother was a long-time Tory worker, and his aunt is Linda McIntosh, former PC Minister of Education. Tall, good looking, eloquent and well-liked, Hugh is a good match for Reg Alcock. It should be a good race. The three Winnipeg NDP seats appear to be safe, especially with the Liberals in serious trouble. Outspoken Pat Martin in poor Winnipeg Centre is a heavy favourite, but recently nominated Helen Sterzer is a strong female Conservative candidate with a passion for politics and not afraid of anyone or any issue. Also favored are Judy Wasylecia-Leis in the Northend and "Big Bill" Blaikie in Transcona. However, as we all know from history, anything can happen in an election campaign.2/6/05
