Why I Won't Vote For Sandra Pupatello

Lets get real. It won't really matter whether I vote for Sandra or not. Unless the sky falls (and it might over the WUC matter which I am told is the #1 Provincial election issue in Windsor believe it or not), Sandra is a shoo-in to be re-elected. By saying that, I mean no disrespect to those who are working so hard by running against her. It's a reality that they too have to live with.

She has probably done a decent job as an MPP for our area. She has failed totally on the border issue, but then again so has every other politician. But she has brought us some call-centre jobs (the Star and the CAW have ruined that now haven't they). We'll get our medical school and a new engineering complex that will help the future of the City. Heck, she helped get a few million dollars for the Henderson seal of approval East End arena project.

Of course, if the Liberals win she'll probably remain as a cabinet minister. If the Liberals lose, she may even have a chance to become Leader of the party assuming that Dwight does not beat her. If one therefore is practical, one should be voting for Sandra. Fortunately, I'm not practical when casting my vote.

I won't vote for Sandra because, to be direct, she is not deserving of my support. And she is not deserving of yours either.

I want a politician in power that has resolve and is not afraid. I want a politician who will fight for us and not back off or knuckle under for her own selfish interests. I want a politician who will do the right thing for us and not the politically expedient thing. I want a politician with guts and nerve who is not afraid to spit in the eye of someone who will dare try to harm her constituents.

Sandra fails miserably in not bringing high-paying jobs here because she, along with Dwight and Eddie, have wasted the $300 million BIF money which would have created over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. They also have prevented the Bridge Company from creating thousands of additional jobs with their Enhancement Project. Please tell me that she can do anything significant for us now when an out of town investor or industrialist looks at what is happening in Windsor and she is our MPP! Who would chance putting money into this City?

To be blunt, which business person is not looking to leave Windsor now. For heaven's sake, we cannot even get a garage built in Sandwich.

Even though it is obvious, and has always been so, that no one could beat Sandra, she was afraid. She was brutalized by the attacks by Henderson over her stand on the arena issue. After a Henderson column, there was the NDP asking questions at Queen's Park based on the Henderson column of the day. Remember what I wrote:

• "Have you ever seen our famous Star columnist stay on a topic for so long and go after a politician so hard the way that Gord is after Sandra Pupatello these days? Not even Mike Hurst received the wrath of Gord this long and hard continuously that I can remember. I am surprised that the feminist movement has not yet condemned Gord since hardly a word has been mentioned about her male cabinet colleague, Dwight Duncan. After all, Sandra is also Minister responsible for women's issues."

She was identified, and rightly so, as the weak link in Windsor for the Liberals and the one at risk. She got scared and the Liberals got scared as well that she might lose her seat. Sandra was the target. She knew it and Dalton knew it and they both caved in. After all, a seat is a seat is a seat when the alternative is losing power or a minority Government.

The deal was sealed when Eddie supported Sandra by letter at her nomination meeting. He did not have the guts to be there in person so the deal could be sealed publicly. Instead, a stealth way to do so. Eddie probably hoped that no one would pick up on the fact that he sent a letter of support but he misjudged on that. The only question remaining was what the terms of the deal were.

We're starting to learn what some of the terms are now. Take today's Star:

• "Provincial study urged of twin span
  Dave Battagello, Windsor Star
  
  Mayor Eddie Francis says he is concerned the provincial government has not responded to a city request to conduct an environmental assessment of the proposed twinning of the Ambassador Bridge...
  
  "Despite the city's repeated requests there will be no requirement under the federal process for an examination of the impact on access roads to the new bridge," Francis said in a Sept. 4 letter to MPP and cabinet minister Sandra Pupatello (L -- Windsor West)...
  
  "Minister, your government can do something extremely important about this project to protect the citizens of Windsor -- ensure the Ambassador Bridge Enhancement Project is subject to a full and proper environmental assessment," said Francis in the letter...
  
  Pupatello said Wednesday she agrees the province should conduct an environmental assessment.
  
  "It strikes me we do have a provincial responsibility here. Clearly, it would be one of the first priorities when we hopefully get back after Oct. 10," the provincial election.
  
  "It would be hard to argue not doing it because a bridge does end up on our roads. We already see the impact of that. It stands to reason it's something serious enough we need to be looking at."
  
  Pupatello said she spoke to the environment minister about the need for a provincial assessment at a cabinet meeting about three weeks ago."

Did you notice, a letter was NOT sent to Dwight. Why embarrass him or put him on the spot!Eddie made the same request to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Environment Minister Laurel Broten. What is Eddie's deal with Dwight? We ought to be told.

It is not as if Sandra really cares about the border. Go to her election website and I defy you to find an "issue" dealing with it. Use her "search" too and insert the word "border." http://www.votepupatello.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=14&Itemid=40

What a stupid move on Pupatello's part. Vote for me and maybe we'll do something after I am re-elected. How can anyone even take her comment seriously? It was just like Dwight's $500m gong show comment which he was forced to retract after he was made to look like a fool and which has not been brought back for this election campaign. If the DRIC road is built to the Ambassador Bridge, as it will be, then there is no need for a study of trucks on Huron Church Road. Sandra knows that.

A fundamental flaw in all of this, as again repeated by the Mayor, is that traffic will increase because the enhanced bridge will be built. It will "double the capacity of their bridge." Not even DRIC beleives that traffic will double any more with traffic tanking everywhere. Eddie need only look to his Tunnel for proof. But he prefers to ignore reality.

The Mayor conveniently overlooks the fact that the purpose of the project is to replace an old bridge. Even the world's expert traffic guru, his expert Gridlock Sam, says an old bridge could be a problem!

It is the new DRIC bridge that is supposed to be built for increased capacity, which everyone by now recognizes is not here, and not the enhanced bridge. If the Feds won't do an environmental assessment, then what gives the right to the Province to do so? After all, the matter constitutionally is a federal one since it deals with a bridge.

But we all know that Eddie's purpose is threefold: stall, stall, stall! And Sandra is right there with the Star story to help as his accomplice.

Sandra buckling under is depriving the community of thousands of jobs just so that she can be reelected. What a disgrace for a politician who should never have been worried about her reelection in the first place. And she expects me and others to vote for her. Not a chance!

I'm also very concerned about the WUC matter. We know that Sandra and Dwight talked to the Minister of Municipal Affairs but we don't know what they talked about. Should we be suspicious about what was said. I am now and especially after Dwight's smear job on Chris Schnurr.

Didn't Dwight say:

• "Unlike Mr. Schnurr and his Conservative friends, we don’t believe the provincial government should just go in for the purposes of beating up municipalities. They’re elected officials at the municipal level, ah, by unanimous resolution, they have as I understand it, they’ve asked us and we’ve complied with their request."

In other words, Dwight prefers to protect the municipality and its elected officials rather than the taxpayers. He would prefer to ignore the complaints that the City Motion may not be proper. He would prefer to ignore that the Ministry investigation may also be improper. He would prefer, it seems, to have a limited audit rather than a full financial, business and operational audit as the people want.

Is this Sandra's position as well? She has been conspicuous by her silence although her Conservative opponent has just issued a press release attacking her position on this matter.

It turns my stomach, but maybe this is how politics is played in Windsor. I can hardly wait to see what the remaining terms of the Eddie/Sandra deal are. And the Dwight/Eddie one too! It should be quite enlightening. And I do not mean with the energy-efficient bulbs being handed out with Eddie's involvement. What an election goodie that is. Where's the Opposition?

So Sandra will win and she will win big time again. She'll be happy, Dalton will be happy and Eddie will be happy. As for her vote totals, they will be one less than they might have been. If you think that makes me happy, it doesn't.

Because I cry for Windsor!