Mayor - of some of the people

Given I slammed Mayor Miller and used him as a scapegoat for my humiliating defeat on January 23rd.

And given I'm essentially unemployed (if not retired yet?!).

I think maybe I'll consider running for Mayor - of some of the people!

I'm only interested in being Mayor of the angry, middle to older age, male, heterosexuals with perma-chips on their shoulders and a neverending supply of indignant self-importance.

I still have my very own 'bully pulpit' that I set up and became Chair of - UTAG - I'm looking forward to continuing on what some have called my unethical use of this non-partisan position to foster division, fear and anger in our community.

Watch out Mayor Miller...I'm coming after you like I came after Carolyn Bennett. I'll be the 'star' candidate with supporters like Mike Harris, Steve Possum (who?), the irrepressible (and insignificant) Bab's etc. etc.

I'll just have to spend some time thinking about who I can accuse of bias this time - a new campaign...new biases! Lord knows I need an excuse at the outset for why, yet again, I will suffer a staggering, humiliating defeat!

What happened?!

Where am I?

What just happened??

I thought I was the star???

Ouch! Losing sucks! Actually, it hurts? Now it's just me...all alone...in my big blue tent! Where's Babs? Harpie? Stevie Posum? Where are they all?? My friends?!

Well, "I'm mad as hell and I ain't gonna take it anymore!" It couldn't possibly be because of me, my team, or the fact Harper and his policies are detested in Toronto.

I know, it was the Mayor!! His fault! That's it...I'll do a rapid fire blame game...finger pointing at it's best. It was the Mayor! All his fault for embracing a balanced progressive agenda for Torontonians.

I'll need to ponder all of this. Thank goodness I'm now in my twilight years (unemployed/retired as I now seem to be) and time on my hands to lay blanket blame, be angry and contemplate how to get even with eveyone that didn't understand that I'm the star!

Trouble in paradise

What's happening to my big happy tent?!

My own supporters and campaign workers fighting with other and calling each other names - at a subway stop! in public! I hear it was pathetic!

First there was the minor skirmish of my campaign workers trying (unsuccessfully) to intimidate the Carolyn Bennett campaign workers - and before you ask, no, my Kent campaign workers were not abusing the Bennett campaign worker just because she was a lesbian! That was just purely coincidental!! Seriously!!! No really!!!!

Anyway, what troubles me most is having to hear that my very own campaign workers were verbally insulting one another: when one of my more burly male workers turned to one of my 'girls' and said "you're not too bright are you?"

Wow, that's terrible!

But it reminds me of my own experience months ago at the Davisville subway when one of my workers summoned a girl using 'hey babe' -- and then I was totally condescending to her when I assumed she was a student and insultingly said: "you better run along to your lessons now". Well, you know what they say about assuming things! Besides, how was I to know she would immediately email Carolyn Bennett and tattle on me.

Not sure why all the poor treatment of women by my campaign?!

Behold...the Apologist!

There I was on Canada AM this morning (sputtering and fumbling for my words - I hate not having a teleprompter) proudly declaring I would never be Ottawa's apologist, but then I got to thinking...I've technically already turned into an apologist for Harper and the Conservative party's right-wing social conservatism.

Why can't I just speak up and take a stand?! Why can't I just stand up for Canada?

• I've been an apologist for defending Stephen Harper's plan to re-open the marriage debate - that Canadians do not want re-opened.
• I've been an apologist for by not denouncing Stephen Harper's public musing about taking away a woman's right to choose and have power over her own body.
• I've been an apologist for defending Stephen Harper's decision to cancel the National Childcare Program recently negotiated between the Liberal government and all of the provinces.
• I've been an apologist for defending Stephen Harper's attack on our internationally respected and impartial judiciary.

Stop...please...my head is spinning! Oh well, on second thought, I seem to be making a great apologist - Stand up for Stephen Harper!

Harper the seperatist

It's true, I have to admit it because Harpie's own words speak for themselves:

"After sober reflection, Albertans should decide that it is time to seek a new relationship with Canada. ... ...Having hit a wall, the next logical step is not to bang our heads against it. It is to take the bricks and begin building another home - a stronger and much more autonomous Alberta. It is time to look at Quebec and to learn. What Albertans should take from this example is tobecome "maitres chez nous". (Stephen Harper, National Post, December 8, 2000)

"We have to build a stronger Alberta...to become 'masters in our own house, like Quebeckers." (Stephen Harper, Report Newsmagazine, December 18, 2000)

"Westerners, but especially Albertans, founded the Reform/Alliance to get "in" to Canada. The rest of the country has responded by telling us in no uncertain terms that we do not share their "Canadian values." Fine. Let us build a society on Alberta values." (Stephen Harper, National Post, December 8, 2000)

"It is imperative to take the initiative, to build firewalls around Alberta, to limit the extent to which an aggressive and hostile federal government canencroach upon legitimate provincial jurisdiction." (Stephen Harper, January 24,2001, "Open Letter to Ralph Klein")

Holy War on Homos

Harper's Holy War on Homos, as it's being called in the most recent issue of the Gay and Lesbian magazine Xtra, is very troubling.

I'm still not sure why I decided to 'jump into bed' (so to speak) with these right-wing, radical christian, social conservatives?!

Oh well, as they say - you made the bed...now lay in it!

This issue's just a constant thorn in my side - from Carolyn Bennett calling me cowardly (true!) for my non-defence of same-sex marriage and my refusal to stand up to Harper on the issue - to the perpetual 'F' rating that Stephen Harper and my party get from the Gay and Lesbian equality group EGALE.

Ouch! That hurt!

Ouch!, I've never been bitch slapped on national television before.

But that is exactly what John Godfrey did to me on CBC yesterday when I denounced the Mayor of Toronto as - not the Mayor of all of Toronto - and I had to admit the Liberal and NDP programs were better for the Torontonians than the Conservative non-plan.

Anyway, as they say, turn the other cheek.

Well cripes, that'll teach me, bitch slapped again! This time by Paul Summerville and Carolyn Bennett on Goldhawk Live after I carelessly and arrogantly dissed the Toronto Mayor again! Will I never learn?!

Who's really going to believe that the Harper Conservatives are going to be friends of Toronto and Ontario - after all, the Conservatives have spent the better part of a decade spiteful towards Toronto and Ontario for supporting the Liberals.

Don't worry, they'll get theirs!!

"Mike Harris certainly wasn't always wrong"

I like Mike - take 2.

It's true! I said it - "Mike Harris certainly wasn't always wrong". Live on Goldhawk Live!

Stephen Harper will do to Canada what Mike Harris did to Ontario!

Bravo, more! More!

What's in a nickname?

So they say a good nickname always helps soften the rough edges.

So Harpie it is!

I love it! I hope my fearless leader will too?!

I know, I didn't give him any advance warning, it just struck me while on Goldhawk Live (and given I didn't have a teleprompter - it just popped right out).

Anyway, I'm sure he'll love it!

Are you talking to me?

So, it was great to be standing 2 steps behing the fearless leader this morning (in a sea of middle-age to older angry white guys).

But I have to admit I have no idea who Harper was talking to - it certainly wasn't the residents of St. Paul's - he only mentioned my name once!

I thought I was the star candidate?!

But, I digress.

I wasn't quite understanding why Harper was talking about bridges - I don't think we have any in the riding - he must have been thinking of the Kay Gardener Beltway overpass?!

In any event, he only mentioned me once?! I thought I was the star candidate?! [quivering lip and tears welling up]

I do have to say I was releived that when Harper raised my involvement in UTAG that no media questioned me on getting caught using UTAG in an unethical and unaccountable way - phew!!

Me & Steve, together at last

Well it's about time!

Finally Stephen Harper's coming to pay me a visit - although I have to admit I'm not too sure he's going to be any help in St. Paul's - Conservative positions on same-sex marriage, gun control, abortion - not to mention childcare, the environment, and healthcare seem to cause some difficulties.

Oh well, we'll see?!

Did someone say ethics and accountability?

Ok, I have to admit, as Peter's Conscience (PC) I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable with a number of things.

There's the fake claims of support.

The exagerated claim that a 40 year career on reporting, commenting and telling stories is actaully equivalent to involvement in public policy formation.

But I'm most recently discomforted in getting caught politicizing my role as Co-chair of UTAG (although tough to say if I'm more upset about doing it, or about getting caught). One resignation so far, and the very real possibility of more to come.

Ethics?

Accountability?

Honesty?

Integrity?

Let's try the spelling bee approach:

Can I have the definitions please?

Can I have the word origins?

Ok, let's try alternate definitions?

Hmmm, new words???

Come on Dorothy - click!

I am not a homo-sex-o-phobe [click]

I am not a homo-sex-o-phobe [click]

I am not a homo-sex-o-phobe [click]

Helllloooo...it's still not working! I keep trying to chant and click my heels but it's just not working?!

I've promised to support same-sex marriage but still, I can only get a 'C' (barely a pass) and the Conservatives an 'F' from the gay and lesbian community organization EGALE.

Note to self: why don't they like us? How come Carolyn Bennett got an A+ - AGAIN!! Don't they realize I'm the star candidate?!

Editorial note: They don't like you because Peter Kent and the right-wing Conservatives lack integrity - if Peter Kent truly believed in same-sex marriage then he would denounce Harper's plan to re-open the marriage debate and not pay lip service (in his mealy-mouthed way) to supporting a free vote. A free vote on minority rights (using the justification that it's a persoanl/moral decision - when it's not!) is nothing more than tyranny of the majority - in this case, the right-wing, christian, moral authority Conservative caucus. But I digress!

An interesting quote from one of Peter Kent's own supporters and campaign workers:

"When you believe in something, stand up for it in front of those that matter. Don't hide behind closed doors."