Adam Radwanski has a column (subscriber only) in the National Post today outlining the Conservative transit policy. This passage jumped out at me and I just couldn't let it go.
...To date, the Tories seem to have been operating under the premise that the "905 belt" is a separate entity from the city it surrounds, hoping policies that play well with their base in rural ridings - opposition to same-sex marriage, for instance - will resonate there as well. In so doing, they've overestimated the gap between urbanites and suburbanites. True, smaller government and lower taxes may sell a little better in Brampton or Markham - but voters there, many of whom work in the city and used to live there, still tend to share the same basic values, concerns and outlooks as Torontians.
In making this argument Mr. Radwanski has underestimated the gap between his opinions and the facts. If is where so obvious that certain policies resonate poorly in the "905 belt" - opposition to same-sex marriage, for instance - then why were so many 905 Liberals opposed. Here is a list of such Liberals MP from How'd They Vote. You will notice that they are precisely the ridings in which Mr. Radwanski is speaking of. It took me 5 minutes to check. But why let the facts get in the way of a good argument.
John Cannis, Scarborough Centre
Gary Carr, Halton
Jim Karygiannis, Scarborough-Agincourt
Wajid Khan, Mississauga-Streetsville
Derek Lee, Scarborough-Rouge River
Judi Longfield, Whitby-Oshawa
Gurbax Malhi, Bramalea-Gore-Maltom
John McKay, Scarborough-Guildwood
Dan McTeague, Pickering-Scarborough East
Paul Szabo, Mississauga South
Alan Tonks, York South-Weston
Tom Wappel, Scarborough Southwest
Bryon Wilfert, Richmond Hill
Cross-posted to The Shotgun.
Update: Mr Radwanski was kind enough to email and inform me that the Scarborough ridings and York South-Weston are not 905 ridings and as such should not be included in the above list. Technically he is correct but I think it adds to my point that being in favour of traditional marriage is what is wrong with the Conservatives in urban centres. For this to be true then the Liberal would be polling behind the NDP in these ridings. I guess the other alternative is there is a double standard when it comes to
comparing Conservatives and Liberals on this issue. Nah, it couldn't possibly be that.
