X Marks the Spot

PHOTO: Mississauga South MPP welcomes PC Leader John Tory to his Lakeshore Rd. W. office

Day 1 was yesterday, but I spent the night following around John Tory and then had an article to write once home, so I didn't get around to posting a blog entry about the big day.

Tory visited Mississauga-Streetsville candidate Nina Tangri, at her small no frills office beside, of all things, a No Frills. After that, he went down to Mississauga South Liberal-cum-Progressive Conservative MPP Tim Peterson's office, which had several frills, and a rather tempting wine shop two doors down.

For the first stop, the Tory media bus was a regular Greyhound bus. The original bus, with PC graphics, was hit before it even left Queen's Park yesterday. Fortunately, only the side mirror was knocked off the bus. The touring journalists were moved to another bus, and between Tangri's office and Peterson's office, they were moved back onto the repaired bus with the graphics.

After all the speeches and thunderstick clapping, and after Tory shook hands with nearly everyone in Mississauga South, his communications manager hooked me up with a one-on-one interview with the big man.

I was hustled onto the campaign bus to await my audience with Tory. The bus was dark, and a bit like a long cave, but with comfortable seats and keyboard-tapping aides, and a chafing dish on a portable stove, the contents of which made the entire bus smell like a tomato-based pasta sauce.

Tory climbed the steps onto the bus, walked down the thin aisle to the small table I was sitting at roughly halfway down the bus. We shook hands, and he jokingly offered me veal from his chafing dish. Knowing how easily my vote and allegiance can be bought, I declined his offer.

Then, knowing I had very little time to interview JT, I quickly asked my three questions. Then, it was off the bus and back into the glare of the wine shop signage.

As for what Tory actually said at the campaign office openings, it amounts to, and I'm paraphrasing, "Liar, liar, Dalton's pants are on fire."