Doug Ford and Billy Denault are on holidays, but they’re not really.
I mean, yes, the legislature isn’t sitting at the moment, nor will it until October 27, meaning that they, and all MPPs will be away from their day jobs of sitting through their version of Question Period in the legislative chamber. If it’s a holiday, it’s a fabulous one, running some 21 weeks from early June to late October. And it’s a paid holiday as well.
It’s good work if you can find it.
But politicians are politicians, and there really is no OFF switch, so these cats are always on the prowl one way or another. And right now all of them are involved with what has become known as the Barbecue Circuit where burgers are flipped, photos are taken, and money changes hands. It’s the whole kissing hands and shaking babies scene.
So if you were alarmed at the disappearance of our own dear Billy, I want to assure you that he is, indeed, alive and out there, just not where you might happen to be. So there’s no need for a wellness check or any measure like that. I’m confident he’s off somewhere grilling steaks and making a bunch of political junkies feel really excited about having what’s called “face time,” with him, not to be confused with that other FaceTime, the Apple one.
Another name for the Barbecue Circuit is the Fundraising Tour, or Donation Tour, where well-heeled folks with cash to burn go ahead and burn some of it by giving it to the local Progressive Conservative riding association. These are serious donations involving some serious money, at least by the standards of most of us. There are no jars situated around the patio or backyard to rake in all your loonies and toonies, because that’s parking money for Renfrew’s main drag to them, maybe Starbuck’s cash in a pinch.
I’m talking the kind of money that makes people think that they’re somehow closer to power, that maybe it might result in a favourable thing our two down the road, nudge-nudge, wink-wink, and all that. Now I do understand that attempting to buy influence from elected officials is both illegal and immoral, and not for a second am I suggesting such skullduggery would be happening at these types of events. But from my own experiences over the years, there’s an awful lot of that nudge-nudge wink-wink stuff going on. Whether it works or not isn’t for me to say, but people being people, you just have tp assume that somebody dropping several hundreds of dollars in donations might have the fantasy of getting something out of it at some point.
Anyways, my main point here is that Billy Denault lives, and he is out and about, and he even talks, just not to OPSEU 472 workers.
But he will talk to people generally. Just bring your wallet. And be a Conservative.
I believe he had a ticketed event just over a week ago at Wilderness Tours. You know when you have to purchase tickets for admission hat this isn’t going to be just any backslapping barbecue. Hell, a cabinet minister showed up, Steven Lecce, former Education minister and now Minister of Energy and Mines. That’s some serious heat, because Lecce is considered by many to be a legitimate successor to Doug Ford if he decides to go away or is shown the door. That kind of heat brings thicker wallets to the event and more of them. I’m sure it was a veritable who’s who of the local Star Chamber of Conservative supporters and loyalists in the County.
Denault won’t talk to OPSEU 472 because he’s simply not allowed to, forced (albeit more than willingly) to sing from the same song sheet as every other PC MPP, that silly schtick about it being a thing between employer and employee and the government ain’t involved.
And yet everyone knows the provincial government is absolutely involved, despite their efforts at sophistry and word play. So Billy is actually involved, but yet still won’t talk to the workers.
Then there’s another politician, this one definitely not involved in any aspect of the dispute. This politician also represents the riding, the very same people Billy says he does. And like Billy, also a Conservative.
Despite being a federal politician, an MP, and having nothing to do with anything, this person did make the time to meet up with OPSEU 472.
That politician is Cheryl Gallant.
Mrs. Gallant, even though everyone knows she would have an easy free-pass, and even though she could more logically use Denault’s boilerplate response and be excused for it, instead came out and met with the workers in front of her constituency office, I believe one she might actually share in some capacity with Mr. Denault. Whereas Billy can’t be bothered, even though it is his business, Cheryl comes out when it clearly isn’t hers
She spoke with workers, listened to workers, did the photography thing, and all the rest of it. But in contrast to Billy, the biggest difference was that Cheryl showed up for them, gave them her time and attention, commiserated with them. They are, after all, her people too.
And honestly, she didn’t even have to, whereas Billy does have to and ought to.
Two different politicians with similar political branding but very different styles.
Billy, the sycophant, the rookie member from that riding in Eastern Ontario that always votes PC, what’s its name again? A riding that barely comes to the attention of the Ford Tories, notwithstanding Minister Lecce’s visit. A riding held by a very young and experienced MPP who will not do or say anything to get the boss angry at him. I believe Billy wants to go places, and being an MPP at age 25 is truly impressive. But your career can kind of go sideways if you start mouthing off at cross-purposes to the premier.
The second one, Cheryl, also a Conservative, but a federal one. She has her own distinctive style if style is a word I can properly use. She says what she wants, does what she wants, angers many, and embarrasses her own party’s leadership. Yet she wins the riding with ever-increasing majorities.
All I know is that one of those politicians came out to talk to OPSEU 472 the other day and gave then something that they should be getting from her provincial counterpart.
Respect.
And not a dime changed hands.
NEWSMAGRENFREW 