There is a lot to say before any election, much by the candidates and some by others regarding the election.
You need to do some preparation for the election too. Here are some things to do:
Start preparing yourself for next summer’s provincial election by watching the ads which will soon begin. PC leader Brown has already launched his TV campaign with two ads, one touting how he overcame a speech impediment and the second showing his interaction with the community.
Brown has so far said nothing, or at best, very little, a subdued criticism of Wynne’s new minimum wage policy. Other than that, he has said nothing. Of course, this could very well be a wise campaign strategy. Revealing too much too soon would open him to criticism and policy rejections. Otherwise, saying nothing may be an excellent campaign strategy. We will see.
Secondly, it may easy to criticize incumbent Wynne. Her party has stumbled badly with some bad policies, demonstrated some very questionable ethical values and implemented some very costly policies. The big question one should ask themselves given that every government is guilty of faux pas, are you better or worse off after Wynne’s government? Next, do watch what comes out of Wynne in terms of campaign promises. Is she just pandering to the electorate or is she promising constructive positive policies?
Horwath is the dark horse, as has been said here before. She almost won the race a couple elections back and then she veered off the track in a big way in the last election, losing her shirt, her bridle and her saddle. If Horwath doesn’t change her campaign efforts in a very positive way, she is not only doomed to another loss but will be ousted as the leader of the NDP. Horwath is walking on eggshells in this election. She has to criticize Wynne and her policies and promises, but by the same token, she has to offer the electorate real alternatives to whatever Wynne promises, policies which demonstrate real potential as a government leader. She just might be worthy of serious consideration given her experience and time as leader of the NDP. She should not be too readily disregarded or rejected.
Recognize the fact that it is your responsibility to not just vote, but to become an informed voter. Thankfully the province has three candidates who are professional and high calibre politicians. Each has demonstrated ethical principles and high qualities as a candidate should. We are very fortunate that we do not have a clown running for office in our province.
Finally, the polls keep denigrating and denouncing Wynne as a likely loser in the next provincial election. Ignore the polls. Experts know less than you do. They don’t walk in your shoes and cannot empathize with your needs and wishes. More importantly, polls which have recently predicted other election outcomes have been amazingly wrong. British Columbia, Alberta, and the US are prime examples of polls erring badly. Depending on which poll you are seeing, Wynne is tagged as being as much as 14% behind Brown. That’s an amazing gap and likely not really accurate. Wynne has run the province with a very credible manner. Sure, she has erred in some areas; every government does. But at least she is willing to go out on a limb and declare positions and promises which other leaders avoid doing. The polls will be wrong again. You heard it here first.
Keep watching for more election commentary and we welcome your feedback.
