The clash

No one can be prepared to campaign for an election called 15 months in advance.  It came as no surprise that the Ontario Conservatives once again blew past its few competitors to take a third straight majority, a feat not seen since the fifties.  It was pretty easy, Doug Ford called it perfectly.  At the moment, he seems to be the only politician with any kind of mojo, emboldened by the clown who reigns to the South.  As far as Luso-Canadians who were running for a seat, only one managed to reach the finish line first, Teresa Armstrong managed to get reelected in her enclave of London-Fanshawe. 

Having Canada’s largest concentration of Portuguese residents didn’t play much of a role this time around for Paulo Pereira who didn’t manage to get much more that 20% of the vote.  NDP leader Marit Stiles easily won with over 57% of the vote.  Liberal Elizabeth Mendes in Mississauga-Lakeshore and Liberal Martin Medeiros in Brampton-Centre both fell short.  Why the shortfall?  Honestly, I don’t think it’s much to do with their ethnic background.  I’m pretty sure the Portuguese voting in Ontario are savvy enough to be siding with a candidate for more than just their ethnicity.  Also, like I’ve said before, Luso-Canadians don’t have enough numbers to influence the vote count with any great significance.  

Numbers matter and Luso-Canadians just don’t have them, besides, voting for the best overall candidate carries much more weight, although it is good to see a fellow Luso-Canadian rise up the ranks in this system of ours, for whatever its worth.But right now, there is bigger prey in the crosshairs.  Ford has to show that he means what he says, when referring to Trump and his proverbial shows of strength, (which are nothing of the sort, he’s just throwing the spaghetti at the wall to see if it sticks).  I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes, but our man Ford better keep his chest out if he’s going to dance the dance.  Everyone knows we don’t have the money to fight him, but we do know his subjects have just as much to lose as Canadians do.  Everyone will feel the pain, if this goes on too long, (or at all), but Canadians have to grin and bear it, if they are going to hold their breath against Trump.  He’s appeasing all the would-be dictators of the world in an effort to do something, I don’t know what it may be, exactly, but I’m leaning toward something ridiculous like dividing up the planet between them like Spain and Portugal did back in 1494, with the treaty of Tordesillas.  Maybe he’s convinced nothing has changed since then.  I don’t know, he is intelligent enough to actually think that.  He’s convinced that there is no one around that’s smarter than he is, which really gives the rest of us a huge advantage.  The key is how we’re going to put that advantage into practice.  I’m hoping Doug Ford is up to the challenge.  He isn’t to be totally trusted either, but who else are Canadians going to count on?  Just as in the states, the opposition has lost its spine.  Everyone’s afraid of the orange guy.  Go Doug.

Fiquem bem,

Raul Freitas/MS