While I’m sure that the provincial election is the second-most important thing this Thursday for most Ontarians, it’s worth noting that we’re not the only ones going to the polls this week.
- Last nite, in the wee hours of the morning, the Progressive Conservative party of Alberta named its new leader, an event more important than any provincial election in my home province, as Alison Redford will govern God’s country until she decides to step down–with nothing short of a new, further-right political party able to wrest power from her hands. That said, Alberta could soon become the first province with both a female premier and a female opposition leader once this election formality does occur, likely sometime next year.
- PEIslanders went to the polls today, and with pretty much all polls reporting (thanks, Globe and Mail!), their ProgCons are poised to see their seats more than double–from two to five!–as the Robert Ghiz Liberals maintain an overwhelming majority that would make McGuinty jealous–and not a single NDPer in sight!
- Tomorrow is Election Day in Manitoba, where a nasty campaign could see its NDP lose power after their three-term premier Gary Doer left provincial politics to become Canada’s ambassador to the USA. (Let’s just say that Stephen Harper might soon be making more visits to Winnipeg.) Meanwhile, the provincial Liberals are poised to go the way of their federal cousins, with leader Jon Gerrard possibly pulling a Michael Ignatieff in the process.
- Like I said before, if you don’t vote on Thursday, you forfeit your right to complain about the state of the province, as far as I’m concerned. I may or may not divulge more info as to which way I’m leaning in the next couple days…
- The last province to head to the polls this month, Newfoundlanders (insert your own Newfie punchline here) will be voting next Tuesday, the 11th. Apparently moose control is a big issue on the Rock, which sees the PCs hold 43 of 48 seats in the province. Although their popular premier Danny Williams recently retired from politics, naming Kathy Dunderdale as his replacement, the ProgCons seem poised for another election victory, with the NDP looking to increase its seat count from one to “more than the Liberals”.
Notice a common theme here? With the exception of the country’s smallest province (no jokes about PEI–I’ve got family out there), the Liberals are looking at a cross-country déconfiture. That said, I am going to make a bold prediction that we’ll see a decreased Liberal minority government come October 6th. Hudak would have to practically double his seats to form government, and I don’t think he’s impressed enough voters to do so, especially in a political climate where most of Toronto’s bloggers hate Rob Ford. On the other hand, while the NDP might see some gains in the city, they’ve climbed a mountain that was much too high, and when they found out they couldn’t fly, mama it was too laaaaate!
(Perhaps I should’ve saved that one for the Manitoba election. It’s seems that Andrea Horwath’s more into the Human League–and shame on Star reporter Linda Diebel for not being able to name that tune!)
In any case, while Sarah Thomson‘s pretty and all, she won’t be getting my vote. But hey, if the Liberals do form the next government, at least I can say that I tried to stop them. We’ll see how it all shakes down on Thursday! Oh and by the way, my other prediction is Habs 3, Leafs 1. ;)
