Blue Like You

Please check out this link from CTV regarding Danny Williams’ alleged campaign of intimidation and threats against residents who wish to support the CPC. Kudos to Robert Fife for his excellent report.

There are stories of people’s family businesses being threatened if candidates run for the CPC, people being called up and discouraged from attending rallies or making a donation, and a general feeling of ‘heavy fear’ from a man who has "too much power".

More from Jim Morgan who backs up the story.

It’s positively frightening. Elections Canada might want to check it out.

Fife calls it a very serious campaign of intimidation.

H/T to Sammy and Fay in the previous post for this information. This really needs to get out on blogs and MSM.

Are Newfoundlanders going to take this?

And as Mary T. asks, is it legal?

Is Danny Williams having some kind of breakdown?

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Update: National Newswatch has now picked up the CTV link.

9:15 pm - CTV Newsnet had an updated report from Robert Fife, who said that Danny Williams’ press secretary was in touch with him and they are saying Williams denies any of these allegations.

So, somebody is lying about a very serious issue.

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Sunday Update: ASTTR - "If you run, we’ll ruin your father’s business…"

Via Jack’s Newswatch - Danny Boy has gone too far: Rex Murphy.

Right as Rain: "Danny the Dictator?"

Just Right - "Danny Williams unglued."

Daimnation! - "Some things never change (including Newfoundland politics)."

Sunday Evening Update : Stephen Taylor’s post on Danny Williams is picked up by the National Post’s Full Comment. Way to go, Stephen!

Hunter - Campaign of Intimidation and Campaign of Intimidation Part 2 .

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Big Monday Update: Check out National Newswatch! CTV’s Robert Fife Under Attack!

This story has also been picked up by Uncommon Truths. Also check out the first comment at Dante’s.

Tuesday Update: Thanks to Suzanne in comments for letting me know that this post has been picked up by CBC’s Susan Ormiston in "Blog Buzz".

Also from CBC - Williams registers anti-Harper ‘ABC’ campaign with Elections Canada. (Maybe the money would be better spent taking an anger management course?)

For democracy to survive in Ontario, we need strong opposition parties with strong leaders. Right now that is sadly lacking.

With Howard Hampton’s announcement that he is stepping down as leader of the Ontario NDP party, there is now some hope on the horizon. Today’s National Post suggests that there may be some interest among their federal counterparts - MPs likely to join race to lead NDP in Ontario.

My feeling is that the job description requires a voice from the GTA which automatically disqualifies Charlie Angus. Howard Hampton’s northern riding location was an albatross around his neck. Therefore, Angus is problematic for the same reason. On the other hand, he is passionate about aboriginal affairs and politics in general, so perhaps he could overcome the postal code handicap.

The two other MPs who are mentioned in the article are female and located in the GTA area. Both are advantageous to a party seeking more female representation. Also I would imagine that most of their base is located in Toronto in terms of numbers, so either Peggy Nash or Olivia Chow could be credible candidates.

I can’t get too excited about either of the two possible contenders from the provincial caucus - Cherie DiNovo or Peter Tabuns.

Ontario needs a very strong opposition leader. Someone needs to step up to the plate for the sake of the province. Someone with experience , charisma and a gift for eloquence . Who else could we possibly draft?

Hey, how about this guy?

Nah…

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Update: And what are the Dippers saying? Check out New Democrats Online and Ontario NDP Leadership 2009 Coverage for all the latest gossip and speculation.

Ezra Levant has highlighted Mark Steyn’s appearance on today’s MDL.

If you care at all about the future of free speech in Canada, this is a must-watch.

Saturday Update : SDA - Lucy, look what you started!

Good old Pogo. I used to love reading my youngest aunt’s stash of Walt Kelly’s comic books even though I was too young to really appreciate them at the time.

His wisdom still rings true today. In today’s Sun column (Tory would have been sitting prettier under MMP), Christina Blizzard points out a number of trends that threaten democracy - the biggest one of all being voter apathy. First she explores the very different results that MMP would have delivered to Ontario had it been in effect during the last election.

But the way that referendum was thrust on us in a similar manner that FB-funding was announced, left voters with little time to properly sort out the issues in a rational process.

Fear-mongering and paranoia overcame the debates. Personally, I ended up being against MMP and have no regrets on that score, but it was a difficult process trying to sort out the various ramifications of a very complex question. Little information was given to voters before the election. Similarly, John Tory’s fatal flaw was to spring FB-funding on us as a campaign platform that allowed the opposing side to run with the fear-ball all the way to the goal line.

Blizzard interviewed Peter MacLeod, of Queen’s University’s Centre for the Study of Democracy, and received this observation:

“The recent election wasn’t a contest of ideas, it was a monologue about one bad idea. Yet Ontarians had no way to tune into a different conversation,” he said.

“There was no space for a discussion about any number of issues — mainly because we’ve created a political culture where ideas and issues have themselves become dangerous,” he said.

“No wonder so many people simply change the channel or pull the plug.”