A Mighty Wind

Tim Hudak's Bill 42, The Affordable Energy and Restoration of Local Decision Making Act, would eliminate the phantom-job subsidizing FIT and microFIT programs, give communities a say on whether they want turbines on not, and make it so the Minister of Energy to consult with local communities before they proceed with energy projects.

Now, we already know what the Liberals are going to say about this. That we don't respect council. But you see, we're trying to respect people. Whether people return the favour is another matter altogether.

I've talked before about how people are looking for excuses not to vote against Dalton. Why are they doing that? I think it's because they have accepted that nobody is listening to them.

Tim Hudak admitted a month ago that not enough people were listened to last time around. That's why, on this issue and on the subway issue, Hudak is trying to do what the people want.

Dalton, by contrast, doesn't listen to horse farmers, doctors, pharmacists, unions, Don Drummond, miners, warnings from people about ORNGE, and dissatisfied MPP's in his own caucus like Kim Craitor. Only the chessmasters running the show get the ear of the king. If you're not one of Dalton's inner circle, you're not getting heard. George Smitherman's sad story- being made into the whipping boy for ORNGE- is a prime example of what happens when you step outside the safe zone of the Premier's office. The fact that he was once Deputy Premier means nothing. You cross the boss and you suffer.

So as far as giving people outside the king's court a chance to speak their minds? The PC Party comes out ahead.

I think people are so used to seeing Liberals ignore their complaints that they half expect to be ignored before they make them. The media plays along because they want to stay in Dalton's good graces and they don't want to be targeted by Dwight Duncan as being part of a conspiracy to depose the monarch.

Ontarians seem to have just accepted at the moment that Dalton is the boss and that he can't be beaten. But we in the PC Party aren't going to accept that. We're going to cause all kinds of trouble for Dalton and make his life as difficult as possible.

So we are going to take positions against wind turbines and in favour of subways. And after that, Tim Hudak needs to find more people who've been screwed over by this government and rally them into a cohesive force that will boot Dalton out in the next election. My guess is, with this budget, he won't have to look too far.