By Judi McLeod ——Bio and Archives--June 2, 2021
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“In Canada, there is a bill claiming it is unreasonable to ask people to put their lives in danger to vote during a pandemic. (See Image Below) “Thus, all elections should be suspended during a pandemic that never ends.”Wasn’t the concept that voters’ lives would be endangered during a pandemic what got the mail-in vote started in the country next door? Back to Armstrong Economics:
” in the opinion of the House, holding an election during a pandemic would be irresponsible, and that it is the responsibility of the government to make every effort to ensure that voters are not called to the polls as long as this pandemic continues.”
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“On June 2, 2022, Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservatives will be vying for re-election, a prospect that has been cast into serious doubt by their handling of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the chaotic vaccine rollout. “Ford's approval ratings have seen a sharp drop in recent months and his chances to hold on as premier will hinge on his ability to bring the province out of the pandemic and change the channel to issues more suited to his party's strengths, the experts say. "This election is going to be crazy hard to predict," Western University political science professor Cristine de Clercy said, adding that voters' natural inclination to re-elect a first-term government may not apply in this case. "The stress and challenge of COVID has aged this government more prematurely than normal, so it could be that people are unusually ready to debate the merits of the incumbent.” “Initial praise for Ford's tough measures and simple messaging during the first wave of the pandemic all but disappeared when the second wave hit the province, and by the third wave it had turned into public outrage. “…The prolonged lockdowns have devastated non-essential businesses, with many restaurants and retail stores, especially in Toronto, closing their doors for good. “The vaccine rollout plan, which has lacked cohesion and clear messaging from the get-go, has added to the people's frustration with the Ford government. "More recently, a series of decisions that experts called "misguided" - such as closing playgrounds and expanding police powers, both of which Ford was forced to reverse after public outcry - led to a nine point drop in his approval ratings, according to an April 21 poll.”
“The Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News suggests that while 53 per cent of voters feel it's necessary to hold an election this year — mainly to have a say on how the Liberal government has managed the pandemic — 54 per cent are concerned about the safety of holding a vote, while 57 per cent it would not be fair. “That sentiment is highest among Liberals who responded to the poll, with nearly two-thirds on average expressing doubts about a pandemic election. "If the prime minister is of the feeling that there's a wide view among Liberal supporters that there's a real necessity to have an election at the moment, that's not supported by the polling data," said Darrell Bricker, CEO of public affairs at Ipsos. “In fact, the polling found Conservatives are the most eager to hold the government to account at the ballot box, with 70 per cent of Tory voters supporting the idea. The same number of respondents also said they're "completely comfortable" with voting in person. “Overall, 54 per cent of Canadians said they would be comfortable with in-person voting, while 37 per cent disagreed and 10 per cent were on the fence.”Yesterday’s open letter to Ford by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) tells the sad story:
“…No jurisdiction in North America – and very few in the world – have locked down businesses for the length of time businesses have been closed in Ontario. From decisions like closing ski hills and golf courses, to completely shutting down non-essential retailers and hair salons, the phrase “only in Ontario” has been far too common throughout the pandemic.”
“You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille, With four hungry children and a crop in the field, I’ve had some bad times, But this time your hurting won’t heal…”The song should be dedicated to ‘Prime Minister For Life’ Justin Trudeau and to Ontario Premier Doug (‘Lucille’) Ford.
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