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03/03/99 |
PF |
Email: pferreir@pathcom.com |
| Tony Clement is safe. He's a shrewd ideologue who has built bridges between himself and the federal Reform apparatus -- he co-chaired the United Alternative proceedings -- which makes his team all the more formidable. It would take a complete Tory collapse (a repeat of 1987) for him to lose this seat. While I've been a keen observer of the Brampton political scene for about a decade, I have never heard of the Liberal candidate; perhaps someone else can shed some light on his credentials. The NDP candidate, John Devries, is an experienced campaigner, having run in the old Brampton North riding in both 1990 and 1995. In 1990, he came within 90 votes of winning a seat at Queen's Park. Unfortunately, his experience won't help him against the high-powered Clement machine. |
| Too Close |
03/09/99 |
A.S. |
Email: adma@interlog.com |
| I hate to tentatively put all the Brampton ridings in the "too close" category, but strategically speaking, I wouldn't be so certain about Clement. The Asian electorate south of Steeles makes this the strongest Liberal sector of Clement's former riding, while the added expanse of north-central Mississauga--barely even developed 15 years ago--is also heavily ethnicized and Lib-friendly to boot. From my calculations, the PCs would have had about a 10% advantage in 1995--well within shooting distance. And a further warning to the Clement team--Colleen Beaumier earned more than double the vote of the "united right" in 1997. Who knows what effect the many even newer neighbourhoods will have; but certainly, BW-M ought to be even more ethnically, racially diverse today than in 1995, and given the political climate, the Liberals, if not their particular candidate, are best equipped to salivate at the giant-killer possibilities. And even if a split opposition sends Clement back in, it can reduce his advantage sufficiently to "send a message". |
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04/18/99 |
L.O. |
Email: petercashin@yahoo.com |
| Tony Clement seems to actually have fared well despite some of the govt's unpopular decsions. In any case his riding seems behind him if recent showings at party events reported from the riding are any indication. |
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05/17/99 |
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Email: |
| The Liberal in this riding seems to have captured the immagination of his voters. An unknown taking on a top gun has absolutely run away with the sign war and has been gathering steam each week. I've already rec'd three flyers from Dhillon plus have had two canvassers at my door. CLements has been invisable since the writ. For that matter, he hasn't been that visable in the riding over the past four years. This one isn't even close! Expect a major fall in this riding which will give Clements more time to focus on his Federal plitical full time hobby. Every day in the riding seem to produce yet another neighbourhood full of red signs which from top to bottom now looks very Liberal. |
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05/19/99 |
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Email: |
| I have voted PC in this riding since Bill Davis but heard Tony Clement speak at an event this week and came away upset and hurt by this man's arrogant attitude. He has helped his Reform friends destroy our federal party and has no interest in the riding, our people or long time PC voters. Good riddance. |
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05/22/99 |
Osman |
Email: |
I still have not decided whom to vote for. Tony Clement has been visible in the riding and has done a good job but donot Premier Harris back in again. As far as policies are concerned Liberals and Tories are the same the only difference is we know Tories how bad they became for " Commonsence " to " Non-Sence ". The NDP Candidate is not visbile otherwise Howard Hampton as a primier would have been a better choice. No never know NDP might come out with a surprise. Signs on the Lawn is not indicated as support in this election. The only thing we wish for is a minority government. That will put a lid on and the interest of the society as a whole is protected.
Many of the voters in this riding are new immigrants and I hope they will vote their conscience and not what others say. They are quite a few who are being influenced not by reason but what their community leaders say. The interest on the society as a whole must take precedence over their community leanings. |
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05/27/99 |
Just another voter |
Email: |
| I've voted Tory since we moved to Brampton over thirty years ago. I've backed the PC's both Federally and at the Provencial level with my vote and with my wallet. I've got to admit that most of the time I did it without a thought.
This time I've started to notice something different. When the first few red signs went up on my street I thought: that's peculiar. I've never seen anything but PC signs on our street before. More signs followed and I began asking some of my long time neighbors why. Kids, the aged, the sick and the poor. The problems have touched everyone.
The last straw was the Board of Trade all candidates meeting this week at Brampton's Heritage Theatre. Tony Clement and Joe Spina put on their usual slick performance but I was listening to what was being said and not the performance. I understand now why the signs are up and today I'm planning to call the Lib and tell him I want one too. |
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05/27/99 |
Long Time Tory |
Email: |
| I'm completely fed up with Clements. Since he came here ( Brampton) he has shunned many long (very long) time supporters of our party. He has been too busy throughout the campaign to return my calls, and he knows who I am very well. He has now ducked three all candidates meetings. He may be uninterested in us and our riding. I did hear the young man from the Liberals speak and he made sense and does appear to give a damn for us. This time, I'll vote Liberal. |
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05/28/99 |
From the left |
Email: |
| You've got to be kidding me about the Liberal candidate -- he is an embarrassment. At the same all-candidate's debate referred to by the two previous Liberal supporters, Mr. Dhillon responded to a question by saying: "It's not in the 20/20 plan." He was also skewered in an appearance at a local high school. I'm an unabashed NDP supporter, but even I admit that Clement is the superior candidate with the superior campaign here. He'll win easily, unless the central Tory campaign collapses over the next few days. The shame of it all is that Clement's only real opponent is the NDP candidate. Unfortunately, the NDP campaign is short on money and visibility. If that wasn't the case, the sorry Liberal candidate would find himself a distant third. |
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05/31/99 |
Not from the far left! |
Email: |
The dregs of a failed NDP campaign can't be blamed entirely on the local candidate or the lack of money. Most of the blame is owned by the central NDP gang and a lack of ethics. The Harris/Hampton brutalization of McGuinty has turned off many because of the complete lack of shame by Hampton and the utmost lack of purpose by Harris who will now do anything to cling to power: even if it now means partnering with the rotten NDP bunch who, he claims bankrupted Ontario. Shame shame shame to the previous NDP voter who wrote in complaining about Tony Clement going down to defeat. Bark at the moon my freind or go out and count the NDP signs (all 5!) in the riding. Is there no level that these people will not stoop to?
I've been working several key ridings over the past three weeks and can't understand the apparent oblivious comments fron several PC supporters who have visited this site. (1) signs: I drove through almost half the riding before I noticed anything more than scatered Snowball signs - the wind could have done as much. Delaney is way ahead in that area. (2) voter opinion. John Snobolen is not very well liked in his riding and is despised by many. (3) Sun polls: ha ha ha! Amazing results from a completely "unbiased" source. Lorrie Goldberg will be handing out a lot of bonus cheques this year for creative writing. The Sun always has been a joke and will always be a joke to anyone who wants to read beyond the Comic Book level. |
