Parliamentary majority by other means
Do we think McGuinty can pick up his majority with this?
Long-time Progressive Conservative and former Ontario cabinet minister Elizabeth Witmer is leaving politics after being re-elected just six months ago, opening the door to a potentially game-changing by-election.
Ms. Witmer is resigning as the member for Kitchener-Waterloo after 22 years in the legislature to take on the government-appointed post of chairwoman of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
The move could give the minority Liberals a shot at tipping the scales in their favour.
The Liberals were re-elected last October just one seat short of a majority government. The election of Liberal Dave Levac as Speaker means they currently have 52 votes in the 107-seat legislature.
But if the Liberals manage to snag Ms. Witmer’s riding from the Tories, that would put them on equal footing with both opposition parties, who collectively hold more seats. And the Speaker, who can only vote if there’s a tie, traditionally sides with the government.
The Liberals, if they win that by-election, would have a majority government — they’d be safe till 2015.
So, do you think it’ll happen?
Up until very recently, that region was a stronghold for the federal party. Add t that the fact that Hudak’s personal numbers are in free-fall and that Witmer’s to the left of Timmy, and I’d say that the Grits have a better than even shot. I’d be very surprised if ol’ Dalt gave away a plum piece of patronage like WSIB without solid polling showing that the riding is his for the taking. He’s evil, but he isn’t stupid.
Actually, maybe he is stupid. If he had done this right after the election, he wouldn’t have had to give his government to Andrea Horwath.
For all we know, maybe he did offer it then…
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I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. But if Cathy’s taking it now – for unspecified reasons – that doesn’t bode well for Timmy. After all, his caucus has taken to shit-talking him to the Star.
If Hudak manages to lose this seat, we might be seeing the beginnings of an open revolt against him.
Maybe Hudak should run the by-election as a rejection of the Federal Tories. Likely the only chance he has given the mood.
I don’t think he’s smart enough to think of it or has the personal integrity to pull it off if he tried.
You know, there’s a scenario we’re not considering here. What if the NDP pulls off a huge upset and takes the seat?
Embarrassing for Hudak, but strategically it’d be status quo ante.
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