By Pepper Parr
February 28th, 2025
BURLINGTON. ON
Well, this is a sticky wicket.
The Elections Ontario people have said they are not in a position to issue a final count – no reason yet on why – seems to be a concern with two polling stations – that’s about all we can report at this stage.
We are being told from one of the campaigns that it may be Wednesday of next week before any next steps can be taken.
Andrea Grebenc wants to see the final Official vote count before making any comment.
If the Liberals feel that a recount is justified an application has to be made before a Superior Court Judge to order a recount. Andrea Grebenc has said through a spokes- person that she will have no comment until Elections Ontario issues a final vote count.
Then experts are brought in to do the things that need to be done to make a case for a different result.
Messy.
Natalie Pierre the night she won the election with a 40 vote lead.
Natalie Pierre has never talked to the Gazette so we have no idea what she thinks or feels. The Liberals are taking the position that they will not comment until Elections Ontario issues a final vote count – it looks like that will happen on Wednesday of next week.
The New Democrats have been difficult to communicate with during the campaign
Kyle Huttondthe Green Party candidate is always available for a comment.
Kyle Hutton believes a ranked ballot would have produced a much different result.
He is of the view that if Andrea Grebenc does lose when the Official count is in – she should consider running again.
Hutton has never talked to Natalie Pierre “she was never very outspoken. If she really doesn’t want to do the job – maybe she will resign and Ford will have to call a by-election.’”
Hutton is convinced that if ranked balloting had been used instead of first past the post this would have been a much different provincial election.
His comment that “we could take 12 seats this time around” made during an earlier interview with Hutton election is now a pipe dream. Rest assured – when the next writ is dropped Kyle Hutton will be involved “even if it is in a background role.”
Judidial reconts situations like this get pushed up the food chain to the provincial party level where the expertise and the legal talent needed to fight battles at this level exists.
The really slim difference between the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals doesn’t give Natalie Pierre much to boast about.
The grey bar – the number of people who did not vote is a disgraceful reflection on just what kind of city Burlington is.
The 48,926 people that did not vote is disappointing – especially for a city that is populated by well educated, high income earners who should know that every vote counts. Hopefully they are not sitting at home with a smug look on their faces. You know who you are – you should be ashamed.
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It’s a very sad situation that almost 50,000 people did not vote. Are these people just stupid? They really need to think twice the next time they have a bitch about the Province policy, spending, increasing taxes, ever rising deficits, and the Debt burden that has always been increasing, to go past $450 billion under Fords’ recent watch. No stopping him.
His bragging about his handling Trump and tariffs, will only add to this – it has already – in the near future. Everything has changed, but he still has the same economic agenda. Has he not paid attention to Trump, and how he operates – beware the alpha male in his arousal state.
As far as Natalie Pierre goes, she is pretty much invisible to me. Other than when she pulled out of running again, and was then talked backed into it, by the Ford Team, I never heard of her voicing any position on any issue or public concern. She doesn’t even talk to the Gazette, so that community voice she refuses to share.
Andrea Grebenc, as I recall,because I was involved in the school closing matter 10 or so years ago, did a good job as Board Chair at that time, and I do not recall any criticism she invoked in me. She deserved to win.
So for me and my wife, this election has been a not needed, waste of time and another $160,000,000 million. Natalie only came back to fill and empty seat for Ford, as the better chance incumbent. I have issues, but am not confident she would be of any use as my MPP. Sorry about that, but she created her own reality in this.
“[Hutton] is of the view that if Andrea Grebenc does lose when the Official count is in – she should consider running again.
Hutton has never talked to Natalie Pierre “she was never very outspoken. If she really doesn’t want to do the job – maybe she will resign and Ford will have to call a by-election.’”
Hutton is convinced that if ranked balloting had been used instead of first past the post this would have been a much different provincial election.”
We are in serious need of both electoral and party reform. But, given the existing electoral system and the fact that political parties of centre left split the vote, there is a need for a more strategic approach. Mr. Hutton, if you were serious about stopping a Tory majority, then you could have withdrawn from the election and thrown your support behind Ms. Grebenc. You had absolutely no chance of winning and the votes that you garnered could have secured a Liberal win.
“Maybe she [Pierre] will resign and Ford will have to call a by-election.’” – when pigs fly sir, when pigs fly!
Carol, I totally agree with you.
Women fought long and hard to be able to vote. It would be interesting if we could get the breakdown of men vs women who voted in this last election.
I always vote at the advanced polls because I don’t want to risk not being able to vote on the day of the election itself.
In the past I have voted by mail (was the only choice available to me). I didn’t feel good about this because I was depending on Canada Post to deliver it ( this week I received my visa statement on February 28th and the payment day was February 25).
Internet voting can be problematic. Hacking has become a real issue.
Supposedly there are 22 countries where voting is mandatory. Australia is one and failure to vote could result in a $20.00 fine”. Also some countries allow some citizens to ” age out of compulsory voting by as early as age 65″.
Is this something that Canada should consider doing?
We are out of country…not the US…and applied by email for a ballot which was not easy given that I had nothing with my address …then after several rejections, we were approved. The ballots arrived by snail mail and within 5 minutes we voted and then found a post office where we bought express stamps and mailed them back…email was not an option. It was frustrating and the results disappointing but not voting was never considered.