October 6, 2008
Lest there be any doubt that Diane Finley is a desperate woman whose campaign has gone up in flames, we have confirmation today that she is skipping yet another debate (this time shunning the Rotory club in Simcoe) to spend the day travelling around Caledonia with the minister of finance Jim Flaherty.
Hopefully someone will think to ask him about the $0 he has given to the businesses and residents of Caledonia and the millions given to the OPP to nap in their cars for the past 2 ½ years.
Just in case sauntering around with Flaherty isn’t enough to blind voters to the fact that she abandoned them as soon as the going got tough, a plane carrying Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to land at Mount Hope airport tomorrow.
Perhaps while Harper is trying to schmooze with the little people in this riding, someone can ask him where he’s been while the residents of Caledonia have been under attack.
If in fact Mr. Harper is coming to the Simcoe fair which appears likely, one must wonder what his strategy is for regaining votes lost by Finley. Is he prepared to sit in a dunk tank while angry voters hurl balls at a picture of Diane Finley where the bulls eye would usually be?
I would love to ponder this at length but have to head out because unlike Diane Finley, Gary McHale does not travel with cabinet ministers and the PM.
He travels the counties with actual residents (but not more than 15 in Caledonia as per his bail restriction) and today I’m on the road with Gary as he meets and greets residents on his way to the debate in Caledonia tonight. Will Finley show up? Will she trot Flaherty into the Lions hall tonight like a trophy?
Without question it will be a memorable evening as McHale goes one on one with Dr. Hoskins in territory that Finley has been avoiding for more than 2 years.
Jeff Parkinson
Gary hears the concerns of Delhi residents after a lively debate
JeffParkinson.ca 