H/t Theo Moudakis
Meanwhile, Martin Regg Cohn reminds us why Doug Ford is not fit to lead the province:
Never mind, for now, the potential misdirection of law enforcement and miscarriage of justice as the premier’s office rammed the appointment through, potentially skewing or shielding him (if not others) from future police probes.
Forget, for a moment, that no one stood up to him in cabinet — not the chief law officer of the Crown, Attorney General Caroline Mulroney; nor the minister of community safety, Sylvia Jones, who supposedly oversees policing; never Greg Rickford, the minister ostensibly responsible for Indigenous affairs.
Spare a thought, instead, for those most affected by Ford’s manipulation of the OPP if his latest gambit works.
Think of our Indigenous peoples.
At the very time Ford tried to foist Taverner onto Ontario’s biggest police force — North America’s third-largest — Ontarians were learning about the recurring racism (politely and technically described as “systemic racism”) in the Thunder Bay police force in recent years. Why would Ford perpetuate that kind of disconnect by installing as commissioner a crony from Etobicoke with no feel or familiarity for the issue that overlays OPP challenges?And Star letter-writers weigh in on the fiasco that is the Ford government:
Doug Ford governance
Looks like this consists of making up two lists: one of all the people and institutions that he has a grudge against, so that he can pass legislation and take steps to get even with them; and another of all the people he considers as friends, so that he can offer them choice, unqualified appointments.
John Marsh, Scarborough
I wish to comment on the impending appointment of Ron Taverner as the commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, and to express my dismay at the way Premier Doug Ford and Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli and the government you lead continue to sacrifice integrity to ego and reason to expediency.
It is my perception that one of you is not smart enough to know the difference between self-gratification and the common good. That the one who knows better — Fedeli — continues to stand by and take no principled stance is breathtakingly shameful.
Please do something to stop the Ontario Provincial Police and every fine thing that they stand for in this province from being dragged to the sleazy level of political cronyism that you and your government inhabit.
Perhaps one of you even has the courage to pick up the telephone to speak with an actual average citizen in this province about this very compelling issue.
Frank Petruzella, North BayThe government of Ontario may be exceedingly weak, but the vox populi is still strong, the latter something to be very thankful for at this and any other time of the year.
.. I lost a fairly detailed comment, aimed for you quite recently (failed to 'copy' it in progress - for backup). It was primarily about strategies to ensure 'public servants' are responsive to their job description. There are so many examples of complete failure. Only in politics, organized religion or captured media could such failure be tolerated or acceptable. Immediately called on the carpet and/or dismissal should be the natural consequence.. just as in 'the real world'.
ReplyDeleteUsually my suggestion is to shame those three entities, even turn them against each other. Sow mistrust among them, go public, amplify, turn up the heat, go low tech and at grassroots and/or community levels. Always work within the law. Plan your play then play your plan.
I don't recall Charles McVety being seen as a 'public servant' - credible re education. Christian evangelistic torch bearer yes.. I hear Jenni Byrne is being jettisoned by Doug Ford, although she is or was a rabid inner sanctum Harper acolyte with full administration level access to the 'Nation Builder' voter database. Alykhan Velshi - fired after one day by Ford from Ontario Hydro. The fiefdom of Ford is rife with partisan thugs, frauds and losers. So churn them and turn them against each other. A multi front, emnity loaded factional battleground may be just what we need. Its just what Donald Trump is starting to flail against. I can't wait for Robert Mueller and crew to summon Sean Hannity to a Grand Jury. Getting Giuliani to walk out on Trump to save his last shreds of truly limp reputation would be wondrous. Always look for the weakest link, the best pressure point.. apply painful pressure
So muster our assets, evolve a strategy, divide the tasks.. get on with it. If we want to deflect Ford as he attacks our society, we have to raise all deflection shields and simultaneously come at him via multiple effective guerilla sorties. I think the hill he dies on is Education - trying to jam McVety's ideological nonsense in our faces is far beyond insulting, well into disgusting failure. So go after McVety, cut him out of the herd and run him off.. he's poison. Ford's chief of staff ? Vulnerable - finish him off. Lisa McLeod ? Same. And so on.. We only have Ford because McGuinty, then Wynne went toxic, The NDP are in suspended animation, and Ford skated in when Patrick Brown imploded.. It how Trump got in.. the competition was useless
"The fiefdom of Ford is rife with partisan thugs, frauds and losers."
DeleteIf we keep that all too accurate assessment uppermost in our minds, Sal, we may well find the motivation to hold them to account, as you suggest here.
BTW, regarding the good Rev McVety, I saw today in The Star that people flooded the government website soliciting curriculum opinions that the vast majority want the new sex-ed curriculum restored: https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2018/12/17/consultations-show-support-for-repealed-ontario-sex-ed-curriculum.html
.. Canadian Dimension, with an entry just above your essay, presents a fascinating perspective. Trump of course is cut from similar cloth to Doug Ford.. the question may be, can Doug Ford summon the sheer levels of demonic effrontery and enabling that Trump has achieved. We live in a different era than PT Barnum.. we have access to fact, source docs etc.. but did that inhibit Trump re birtherism ? Not in the slightest. So look now to Doug Ford, roll up our sleeves and pry him off our education systems, away from our educators, students, children and grandchildren.. snatch him away from our funding choices.. or else we'll find that just like Harper, he believes himself also like Trump - the smartest man in the room
ReplyDeletehttps://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/trump-the-quintessential-american
I'll check out the essay, Sal. BTW, being the man of limited education and intellect that he is, I'm sure Doug already believes he is the smartest man in the room.
DeleteI saw a poll recently in which more than half of the respondents said they would vote Liberal if an election was held today. It seems Ford has been the very elixir the Ontario Libs needed after Wynne. How long will DF be able to command the loyalty of his caucus if they see him as a millstone round their party's neck?
ReplyDeleteI have wondered the same thing, Mound. However, given that his cabinet has proven to be but a circus of sycophants, I wonder who could step forward to replace him with any semblance of credibility - certainly not, I hope, the ones who were the quickest to sell their souls, i.e., Caroline Mulroney and Christine Elliott.
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