Random Access

Why is this man smiling?

Received my first piece of campaign literature yesterday. No, not for the provincial election being held Oct. 10 but for the federal election, official date TBA.
Bob Dechert was nominated as the Conservative candidate in the riding of Misisssauga-Erindale March 9 for his third try at the seat. He has gotten the jump not only on his federal opponents but on most of the candidates in the provincial election with his first drop, a postcard with a brief biography and some quick policy hits.
Interestingly enough, it looks like a Liberal piece at first because Dechert is posed in front of a big Canadian flag and red is the predominant colour. The blue, or Conservative side, is on the back.
Stephen Harper’s little glitches with Afghan detainees and climate change (it’s always tough being the new kid on the block) mean a federal election this spring seems unlikely. That raises the disconcerting possibility of having overlapping federal and provincial elections in Ontario this fall, giving even more people the excuse to tune out because the whole process is too confusing.
Mississauga-Brampton South MP Navdeep Bains considers the possibility “highly unlikely” since Ontario will be a ket battleground in the federal campaign.
Most of us are still recovering from the municipal donnybrook in November and certainly don’t want to watch duelling banshees in September or October.
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Here’s the latest in Tim (Peterson) bits from Mississauga South. Peterson held a get-acquainted gathering at his house last Sunday afternoon where he tried to calm the waters and introduced himself to his former opponents. About 50 people attended on a beautiful afternoon. Peterson gave a short speech. Several supporters of the candidate-the-party-wishes-would-quit Effie Triantafilopoulos were there. One long-time Tory who wants an open nomination asked the rent-an-independent if he would have stayed a Liberal and not crossed the floor were he not guaranteed the Tory nomination. He gave an honest answer, saying that he would not have crossed in those circumstances. The angry woman stormed out of the gathering.
By the way, there are rumblings that if John Tory and the Tories do an end-run around the riding executive, which has already voted for an open nomination, the lawyers may get into the act. Witness the federal Conservative nomination in Calgary West where a court ruled that Rob Anders’ nomination was not legal because the party did not follow its own rules. That decision is under appeal.
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Congratulations to Pud originator Steve Nease (in photo above) and his cast of characters (the ones with whom he shares his Oakville home) on having the strip picked up in the revamped Saturday Globe and Mail. The strip that started in 1984 has allowed Mississauga News readers to get to know the gentle edge of Nease’s humour, as opposed to the rapier he often employs in his political cartoons. The strip explores the rites of passage of Pud (Ben) and Nease’s other sons Robert, Max and Sam.
Like so much “family” humour, it leaves you wondering who is teaching the life lessons and who is learning them.
Nease’s editorial cartoons are syndicated in newspapers across the country but this is the first national stage for Pud.
You can see his work, and the work of Lynn Johnston (For Better or for Worse), Patrick Corrigan of The Toronto Star, and Disney book illustrator, Sheridan College teacher and Mississaugan Peter Emslie at a current exhibition called Laughlines which is at Shoppers’ World Plaza in Brampton.
Nease will be appearing at 7 p.m. Wed. May 23 to talk about his work across the road from Shoppers’ World at the Visual Arts Brampton Creative Studio, in the Bartley Bull Plaza at the northeast corner of Hurontario St. and Steeles Ave.
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Heading for the cottage Friday to rake leaves, unearth the garden and watch warblers. See you Monday.