By Pepper Parr
October 6, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
We haven`t got the municipal election behind us – yet and it looks as if there is yet another one looming out there.
Burlington MP Mike Wallace appeared at the Bank of Montreal Flood relief cheque presentation last Friday – even though the federal government has done nothing so far for Burlington. So why was Wallace in the room? Photo – op for Mike and he now needs all the exposure he can get.
The next federal election is scheduled for October 2015 – but that is something the Prime Minister can change any time he wishes – and the signs suggest that he may be wishing for something sooner.
When Burlington goes to the polls for the next federal election there will be two ridings – Mike Wallace will stay in Burlington which has been re-shaped but not by all that much. A new riding Oakville – North Burlington has been created. That one is a bit of a mess organizationally. The two candidates seeking the nomination in that riding both withdrew – one quit before she was told to leave.
Quite when Wallace has to get out his campaign boots and start knocking on doors isn`t certain – but if his bringing the Minister of Defence into town for a fund raiser is any indication – things might be heating up in the Conservative election planning offices.
And, ever since Eleanor McMahon took Burlington for the Liberals provincially – the Conservatives realize they are going to have to invest more politically in Burlington.
Problem for Mike Wallace is that the fund raiser “was a bit of a flop”, which is how on long time Tory put it earlier this week.
How bad a flop? “Bad”, was as far as our source would go. And this is a guy who has been writing cheques for the Conservatives for many many years.
What else could move the Prime Minister to advance on the scheduled October 2015 date? We are going to be officially at war with ISIS by the end of the week. The Prime Minister is rattling his sabre and saying we are not side line players – but when the first Canadian CF -18 is shot down, the pilot captured and beheaded – watch for a change in what the public feels about being at war.
Mike Duffy in better days
The criminal trial of Senator Mike Duffy is scheduled for April 2015 – the Prime Minister does not want to 24 hour news cycle bleating that story 24/7. And should the courts find Senator Duffy guilty – is a trail for Pamela Wallin that far behind. And if Duffy is sent to jail – will that mean Wallin will go to jail as well? And how will that ride with the public who will realize that the Prime Minister appointed the two of them?
Smart minds would tell the Prime Minister – get the election behind you as soon as you can. And this Prime Minister is one smart cookie when it comes to political strategy. However – he may be about to over play his hand.
Best move would be for the Prime Minister to step aside – call a leadership race and then go to the polls with a new look.
None of these scenarios offer Burlington’s Mike Wallace much solace. He has his work cut out for him and the base he has relied on for so long might be getting a little soft in the middle.
Expect to see a lot more of this face once the municipal election is over. Karina Gould is the federal Liberal candidate for Burlington.
The Liberals have nominated Karina Gould, a smart young woman who will have a much better grip on the issues than Wallace – and she will have Eleanor McMahon in her corner as well. McMahon is one of the most natural election campaigners we have seen in some time.
Gould expects to begin pulling her campaign team together fairly early in the New Year.
Can you imagine – Liberal’s representing Burlington in the House of Commons and Queen’s Park?
Wow, a news story about a failed “fund raiser” quickly morphs into an anti-Tory screed and an endorsement for the federal Liberal candidate for the 2015 election. Nicely done. Not sure about Karina Gould though, doesn’t her resume seems a bit thin for the senior level of government?
Oh well, she’s a Liberal so she must be up to the job.
I was under the impression a professional journalist is meant to present facts and not use the paper for espousing political bias. Very quickly I’ve realized that the Burlington Gazette is not relevant in any discussion.
CF, not CH
Ok, Pepper enough already. We get it.
Conservative = bad
Liberal = good
NDP = ???
We get that you are a Liberal and support that party.
That Ms. McMahon is a Liberal and is great.
That Ms. Gould is a Liberal and is great.
That Jivan Sanghera is great (and also a staunch Liberal supporter).
Between yourself and Ray Rivers it is now unbearable to read your pro- Liberal, anti-Conservative rants.
Tell us specifically why Katrina Gould would have a better grip on the issues than Mike Wallace. You cannot leave a blanket statement out there like that without backing it up.
You believe that the public would change the way they feel about being at war. If you believe that then you must believe that the public is currently in favour of being at war against ISIS.
BTW, the RCAF proudly flies CF-18’s not CF-16’s.
Editor’s note: Well, given that you asked – Gould has an education. McGill, Oxford for starters. She can write a paragraph as well and has positions that she has thought out and can defend.
While I am a Liberal – there was a time when Ontario had great Conservative leadership. Bill Davis and John Robarts were pretty close to as good as it gets.
Thank you for pointing out that the planes are CH 18’s
CF-18’s Pepper, not CH-18’s. Mr. Trudeau says they are big.
I think we all long for the good old days of great provincial leadership. Whether it be Conservative, Liberal or NDP we haven’t had even good leadership never mind great leadership in a long time.
Mike Wallace also has an education – University of Guelph – Economics and Political Science.
During those four years he must have written more than a few essays and exams and therefore I am sure he can develop a position and defend it through written paragraphs just as well as Ms. Gould can.
In what other capacities does Mike Wallace show he has a grip the issues?
Mike has a lot of political experience.
He was a Burlington city councilor 1994-2005.
Mike has been a Member of Parliament since 2006.
Mike belongs to the following Caucuses:
Marine Industry Caucus, Chairman
Parliamentary Steel Caucus
Auto Caucus
GTA and Central Ontario Caucus
National Caucus
Mike is Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights
Mike is an associate member of several committees including:
Canadian Heritage
Environment and Sustainable Development
Finance
International Trade
Industry
Mike belongs to the following Parliamentary Friendship Groups:
Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group – Co-Chair
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Friendship Association
Canada-Netherlands Parliamentary Friendship Association
Canada Ukrainian Parliamentary Friendship Association, Executive Board
Canada-United States Parliamentary Friendship Association
Ms. Gould has a degree in International Relations – McGill/Oxford. I am not sure if it is a graduate or post-graduate degree.
Her political experience appears to include almost becoming a House of Commons Page and having Paddy Torsney come to her grade 10 class to speak.
Something I picked up from your previous article on her.
Her work experience is with the Mexican Trade Commission as a Trade and Investment Specialist. A worthy job I am sure.
Final note, I think you meant CF-18 rather than CH-18? The CH designation is reserved for the helicopters – Jet Ranger, Cyclone, Sea King, Griffon, Chinook and Cormorant.
The public already knows that Duffy and Wallin were appointed by the PM. The CBC spent half of their $1.2B budget telling us that last year (the other half went to talking about Rob Ford). Guaranteed they will continue to “bleat the story 24/7” while they campaign.
Not sure why raising in excess of $8000 for a local campaign is considered a flop.Maybe your source isn’t as credible as you thought.