Diane Finley’s Biggest fear — Gary McHale
September 24th, 2008 by Roby received 10 Comments »New here? You may want to subscribe to my RSS feed, or even better, you can keep track of the site AND listen to the station with the Genzel Toolbar. Become part of the Community!
For the first time in 3 elections, Diane Finley has something to worry about. And it comes in the form of independent candidate Gary McHale. Originally seen as a protest candidate running on a single issue, McHale has quickly picked up on the issues affecting the Norfolk side of Haldimand-Norfolk as well.
I will be the first to tell you I dismissed McHale’s candidacy initially. My first reaction was “What? Is this just a stunt?” and I laughed at the prospect of an indie candidate getting much over 12 votes. I remember political neophytes of the past, and remember their candidacies swelling up in a big fireball come election day.
However, after talking to Gary this past weekend (I spent the better part of an hour with him this weekend at the Delhi Harvest Fest) not only did I believe in his vision for the riding, I believe he is going to send a message to not just the OPP, not just Dalton McGuinty, not just Julian Fantino, but also to Diane Finley and Stephen Harper as well.
Gary McHale is what I would call a “Classic Conservative” or a libertarian. He’s interested in law and order, he’s a social conservative, but not invasively so, and he’s a fiscal hawk. All of those appeal to Finley’s base. I should know. I am Finley’s base. I’ve voted Reform and Conservative my entire life. I’m a social conservative — at one point I was going thorough to be a Baptist minister. I abhor taxes, and I believe we need to have a strong, competitive, vibrant Canada and the key to this is low taxes, strong employment, and responsible, accountable government. All of these things are in both Diane Finley’s and Gary McHale’s platforms.
But there’s one strong standout in my opinion. I believe Gary McHale when he says “I’m going to bring up Haldimand-Norfolk’s interests first.” Diane Finley, in her years with the government, has served in the cabinet, yet I can’t recall anything that she has delivered to our riding. I can’t recall a time when she stood up for farmers. I can’t recall a time when she lobbied for our share of the government tax dollars that are out there. Until this summer, there wasn’t even mention of the tobacco bailout! Finley, where have you been? I even know your husband, Doug Finley, is Harper’s right hand man; why couldn’t you get something done for us?
That is where McHale comes in. Think about it this way – Diane Finley can ignore her riding because she can largely get elected in Haldimand-Norfolk by carrying the Conservative banner. Sufficient to say, she doesn’t have to really be accountable to her electorate. She can show up each election, bring the blue C, and bring the votes home. I mean, anyone, even I can do that. What takes guts and gumption is to be elected independently and actually have to work for your food for next election. Show your riding that “This is what I did for you, Caledonia, Delhi, Haldimand, Norfolk, Port Dover, Simcoe, Waterford. Will you let me do it again?”
So for the first time in my voting career, I will not be voting Conservative. I am not putting a Conservative sign on my lawn. I am supporting a candidate who will stand for me, stand for my community, and stand for Haldimand-Norfolk. I am supporting a candidate who will put our issues ahead of the party, because he has no party to be accountable for. Just the electorate. I am supporting Gary McHale.
Richard Robillard (Roby)
Generation Zel! Radio
Tags: Caledonia, Conservative, Dalton McGuinty, Delhi, Diane Finley, Election 2008, Gary McHale, Haldimand, Haldimand-Norfolk, Julian Fantino, Norfolk, Port Dover, Simcoe, Stephen Harper, Waterford
Posted under: Election, Indecision 2008, personal
well, good luck
I hope Gary works for the cause of freedom and law and order as hard as he has worked on the Caledonia mess.
It is a true disgrace what has happened. Democracy must rule, or we might as well go back to the days of the feudal lords. At least you would know wwhere you stand.
What is particularly interesting, is that very few conservative or liberal signs are displayed in comparison to past years. They won’t dare put up McHale signs for fear of retribution (he has been portrayed as public enemy #1 by OPP Finlay and local councellors), but when those people go behind the box and mark the spot, who do they think will actually speak up relentlessly?
In spite of my logical beliefs, it staggers me that a few residents, 2, on Thistlemoor drive (backs on to DCE) actually have Finley signs up. Mankind is doomed if this is the type of synaptic connections made by the masses.
WAY TO GO GARY; who would have thought in the summer of 2006 with six months of the Caledonia mayhem and havoc, already established; who would have thought that the violence would still be going on, and with Provincial, Federal and OPP help for the terrorists along the way.
Gary saw what was happening and with the flames of disorder being fanned by political stooges and the OPP subservient political followers, who are supposed to be ‘non political’ and need to follow ‘The Law’ for all.
Gary stepped in when no one else did/would and has had the foresight to see what is really happening, now he’s going to offer his time and help where Diane Finley would do nothing but tend to herself, not the constituents.
Gary shows his real self, he steps up to the plate regardless and gets the job done, sometimes to his own suffering; he;ll get the job done for the bigger issues as well.
Murray Hilton
I like the conservative party , but can`t stand Finley !! I will be voting for McHale.
Richard I totally agree with you in your wise decision not to support the main line political parties this election, especially the Conservatives and Diane no show Finley.
I can’t imagine anything more poetically correct than sending a person with the integrity and dedication to a cause as Gary has displayed to sit in the house of Commons to represent our needs and desires as voting constituents.
With Gary our voices will be heard and our county will be represented better than it has ever been in the past.
Just visualize each morning starting out with Gary McHale asking the government speaker for the next five years to have the Government explain what it is doing for the victims in Haldimand County. This will include all of the victims of Government policies such as Tobacco Farmers, Victims of illegal native protests, Business closures due to government inaction to stop Native terrorism, Land Title issues and policies of the Government that impact all of us negetively such as the clean water act and lack of owners land rights under the present constitution. It is time for the Government to stop eroding our rights as democratic Canadians. Gary will be a strong advocate for the little guy and our rights as tax payers and citizens especially our rights under the law so that we all can hope to be treated equally and fairly.
We need more Gary McHales in Ottawa and in the provincial Governments as well. He wont be swayed from the necessary course of action and the Government won’t be able to buy him off.
Gary may eventually earn the title as the politician most ejected from the House for his dedication to his constituents and his moral convictions but that would be a positive thing because from his position outside the chambers when asked by the media why he was ejected from the chambers he could merely state I don’t know! All I asked was can the Government tell the Victims of Caledonia what it is doing for them to ensure their property ownership, security of person and rights under the constitution to fair enjoyment of property and security of their businesses and livelyhood.
After all even though it ia important waht happens in the house of Commons it is even more important to have someone represent us that can capture the media’s attention and bring the plight of us all to the attention of the Government in power. Gary’s track record has already proven his ability to do this in a strong and effective way.
I am a Conservative, but I have backed Gary from day One and will vote for him in the election. He dedication is the best thing that has happened for Caledonia and Haldimand-Norfolk.
Thanks for the endorsement, Roby! Very much appreciated for a candidate that truly deserves it. It was good to meet you at the Delhi Fair.
Mark Vandermaas
Gary McHale campaign
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[...] After the parade was over, a number of people came over to our booth to talk, and to take lawn signs home. One was Generation Zel! radio host – and long time Conservative supporter – Richard Robillard who spent about an hour with Gary before taking a McHale sign home and telling his listeners that for the first time in his life, he wasn’t going to vote Conservative. [...]
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