Politics: Canada: 3 empty seats in Ontario Legislature up for special election, what if the Libs lose them all?

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Ontario political observer, Toronto Star's Rob Ferguson details the prospects and issues in "3 GTA by-elections on Feb. 8" (Jan 11,2k7).

NDP vows to turn votes into referendum on MPPs' pay raise

New Democrats are hoping to turn three GTA by-elections Feb. 8 into a referendum on the controversial 25-per-cent pay hike for MPPs that Premier Dalton McGuinty pushed through the Legislature just before Christmas.

McGuinty set the date for votes in Burlington, Markham and York South-Weston hours before heading off on a two-week trade mission to India and Pakistan yesterday.

New Democrat Peter Kormos (Niagara Centre) said many people remain angry about the pay raise, which was supported by the Conservatives and which boosts the base salary for MPPs to almost $111,000 annually. He contrasted it to the government's 25-cent increase in the minimum wage, to $8 hourly, starting Feb. 1.

"I think it's going to be a significant factor," Kormos said at Queen's Park.

All three parties have been lining up candidates in anticipation of the by-elections that Kormos said will be a "test run" for the Oct. 4 provincial vote.

"This is an opportunity for people in these communities ... to tell the Liberals that what they did was unfair, unreasonable and certainly inappropriate in a context when low-income families are struggling harder than ever," Kormos added.

The ridings have been vacant since last fall but McGuinty was reluctant to call the votes to avoid conflicting with November's municipal elections and the holiday season.

While the Liberals are touting a record of education improvements, including higher test scores and smaller class sizes, as well as an improvement in medical waiting times, a senior party insider acknowledged the pay raise could make things tougher on the campaign trail.

"That will be part of the challenge," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "By-elections are always a challenge for governments."

Ontario > Greater Toronto Area

The Liberals were stung in their last by-election race, losing former education minister Gerard Kennedy's riding of Parkdale-High Park to New Democrat Cheri DiNovo, who has introduced a private member's bill to push the minimum wage to $10 an hour.

The Liberals have held two of the ridings, with York South-Weston long considered a stronghold. It was represented until last September by former economic development minister Joe Cordiano, who left politics to spend more time with his family. Markham was held by Liberal Tony Wong, who left for a seat on Markham council.

The Conservatives would like to win back Markham, held until 2003 by former cabinet minister David Tsubouchi.

"We've got some ground to make up," said Conservative Leader John Tory, who also wants to keep the riding of Burlington in the party fold. Former cabinet minister Cam Jackson, elected Burlington's mayor two months ago, won it by fewer than 2,000 votes in 2003.

Tory, who campaigned with two of his candidates yesterday, said voters have not been raising the pay-hike issue.

"They're talking about broken Liberal promises, taxes, crime and gridlock."

In York South-Weston OMNI television news anchor Laura Albanese is running for the Liberals. She was handed the nomination after the riding association ruled against letting another candidate to run against her. Real estate lawyer Pina Martino is running for the Tories.

In Markham, business Alex Yuan is running for the Conservatives and businessman Michael Chan for the Liberals.

In Burlington, former Halton Region chair Joyce Savoline is running for the Conservatives, and veteran city councillor Joan Lougheed for the Liberals.

The NDP has not yet picked candidates for the ridings but will hold nomination meetings tomorrow in Burlington and Saturday in York South-Weston.

Current standings in the Legislature are 68 Liberals, 23 Conservatives and 9 New Democrats, with three [GTA] seats vacant.

I think John Tory's provincial Conservatives promise to be a vast improvement over both the oversize-majority of the provincial Libs, and the conceptual smog of the NDP, to say nothing of its devotion to spending without means.--Politicarp

More Info:

Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

Ontario New Democratic Party

Ontario Liberal Party