renfrew-nipissing-pembroke

One is an angry Alberta populist, and the other is, well, just angry. The first was an old-school prairie radio talk show host in Alberta, the other was someone who attended two post-secondary education entities, but left both before graduation. The former is the former leader of the Wild Rose Party in Alberta, about as close as we can get, and it’s pretty damned close, to the red-hatted morons of MAGA. The latter served as a chief advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, but was chased out of the party after losing a Conservative Party power play with Eganville’s Ray Novak.

One is Alberta premier Danielle Smith. The other is Pierre Poilievre’s chief strategist and former romantic partner, Jenni Byrne.

Both have their political origins on the far right of the political spectrum, where dystopian anger is the watchword. Both are MAGA acolytes. One kisses Donald Trump’s fat ass, while the other has the red hat and wears it.

Both are dangerous to Canada.

Continue reading →

It’s been a long time since I’ve spoken to Mike.

In fact, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t even remember me, since for him, I’m one of those ephemeral faces that have cluttered up his life as he climbed his way to the very seat of power at Queen’s Park some thirty years ago.

We parted company, Mike and I, back in 1995 when he was elected Premier of Ontario and began his scorched-earth campaign to unravel all manner of supports for Ontario’s vulnerable populations. I should say that I parted company with him, and that he didn’t break a sweat, much less notice. So he won’t be troubled by today’s column, because he won’t read it, passing as it will well below his radar.

I knocked on doors for the guy, worked the phone banks, was a poll captain, speech-maker and speech-writer. But the last time I spoke to him was when I saw him get out of a car at the Renfrew County Plowing match back in the early 1990’s. We came abruptly face-to-face.

Continue reading →

As I, like everyone else, navigate my way through the month of October, I periodically gaze in wonder at the picturesque majesty of nature, especially as it presents itself right here in the Ottawa Valley. We are truly blessed with a landscape that is unsurpassed by any other place in the province. Other places have their beauty as well, to be sure, but I don’t need to go out anywhere seeking anything better than what I have right here at home.

What an introduction for a story about a politician.

I just stumbled across the realization that my local MPP, John Yakabuski, is celebrating, or ought to be celebrating, his twenty-first year in office as our riding representative at Queen’s Park. I shouldn’t have needed a reminder of that, and I regret that I did, but here I am now.

Continue reading →

Tag: renfrew-nipissing-pembroke

SMITH AND BYRNE

RETIRING MPP’S GET NO RESPECT THANKS TO MIKE HARRIS

ANNIVERSARY BEST WISHES TO MPP JOHN YAKABUSKI