In Halton, the election is shaping up as a two-horse race between Garth Turner and Lisa Raitt
The 2008 Federal Election in the Halton riding is pretty much a two-horse race between Liberal Garth Turner and Conservative Lisa Raitt. It’s a little frustrating for Halton voters this time around given the circumstances: the high-profile, controversial, incumbent Turner, representing a different party this time around, up against the controversially-appointed Raitt whose campaign mailer consisted of a goofy photoshop composite of Stephane Dion rather than any actual information. Nice.
As usual, this one’s clear as mud.
MiltonSearch.com’s early prediction is that Raitt will take the seat for the Conservatives thanks to a backlash against Turner’s antics and lack of confidence in Dion more than anything to do with her or the Conservative party.
As always, we encourage everyone to educate themselves as much as possible on the candidates/parties and their platforms (that is, if they actually release a platform – hello Prime Minister Harper?) and to make sure to get out and vote.
Here’s how the Toronto Sun and Toronto Star see the race shaping up in Halton.
From the Toronto Sun:
Maverick MP Garth Turner is trying to hang on to his seat after crossing the floor. Turfed by the Conservatives for his outspoken views, he joined the Liberals. His old party hopes to reclaim the seat with Lisa Raitt, who has taken leave from her job as CEO of the Toronto Port Authority.
The Key Issue
Lisa Raitt: “The key issues for Halton voters are the economy and leadership. People here trust Stephen Harper’s steady certain management of Canada’s economy during the U.S. economic crisis. They also want a competent, professional, responsible MP – my promise to Halton voters.”
Garth Turner: “The economy is issue one, as house values and jobs falter but income taxes don’t. As a financial guy, I offer some hope, as well as an independent voice. Harper kicked me out and has hand-picked a candidate to oppose me.”
From the Toronto Star:
Halton voters worry about jobs, cutbacks
With so many closures of plants, region has seen much better times, but the riding keeps growing
n a sunny Monday afternoon in downtown Milton, Halton Conservative candidate Lisa Raitt walks down Main St. introducing herself to passers-by. Despite a gloomy economic forecast, she’s decidedly optimistic.
“People recognize that because it’s the U.S. melting down and the decisions that have been made in the U.S., there’s not a lot we can do. So it’s about are we protected and who is the best leader to get us through the stuff that’s going to come at us,” she says, referring to Conservative leader Stephen Harper.
Halton has seen better times.
This western-GTA riding was once home to several of the province’s most important manufacturing plants, including auto parts companies Affinia and Polywheels, and Canada’s leading plastic bag manufacturer, PCL Packaging. But no more. Ford Motor Company recently announced it would be cutting 500 jobs from its Oakville plant that sits just south of the riding across Highway 403.
Business bankruptcies are on the rise. Home prices are down. A bleak outlook by any standard. Now try running an election campaign in this environment.
Inside the Main St. Shoppers Drug Mart, Raitt draws up a conversation with floor manager Roger Meheshem, an immigrant from Israel.
“Are you following the election?” Raitt asks.
“I’m more worried about what’s going on in the States,” replies Meheshem, 41. “I’ve been here four years and I feel like the government is always trying to share in your paycheque at the end of the month. And I’m not even a Canadian citizen.”
Raitt remains engaged in the conversation, even though she knows Meheshem can’t vote for her.
“This is the reality of the new Milton,” Raitt explains after Meheshem goes back to work. “In one family you may only have one Canadian citizen. Although they can’t vote, they’re still engaged in the process and we encourage them to tell us what their opinions are.”
The encounter with Meheshem is illustrative of a massive transformation Halton is experiencing. People are flooding the riding. Halton’s population is expected to double to more than 780,000 during the next 25 years, putting tremendous pressure on the region’s infrastructure and healthcare needs.
Liberal incumbent Garth Turner, Raitt’s main competition this federal election, warns such quick development may not be healthy. He says the Conservatives failed to warn Canadians about the risks associated with the 40-year mortgage – an enticing vehicle for young couples with little money.
“A lot of people in Halton have bought homes with very little down because we’ve had zero-down mortgages for the past couple of years with 40-year amortizations,” Turner said. “If the real estate market continues to go down, that means those with no equity are now under water. They probably owe more than they own.”
In addition to an economic downturn and a dipping housing market, voters in Halton are faced with an all the more peculiar element in this election campaign – a nasty battle between the two main contenders unfolding on the Internet.
On his daily blog, Turner accuses Raitt supporters of “sexual slander” and “intimidation” over postings by anonymous bloggers attacking Turner, his wife and his female campaign manager. Turner is demanding Raitt apologize.
But Raitt argues the comments were posted in May, months before she even became the Conservative candidate and that she had nothing to do with them. Raitt’s office has responded by sending out a press release in which she calls Turner an “embarrassment to Halton,” referring to his popular website as a “rated-X website that our children can visit and read.”
Anyways, this one should be interesting… stay tuned!
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