CONSERVATIVE PARTY IN VERY BAD HANDS

O.K. first off I have never in my life voted Conservative. Anywhere, anytime for any candidate. That said I do have a couple of friends and a couple of acquaintances who do believe in the principles of Conservatism. Unfortunately what we are seeing from those in charge of the Conservative Party of Ontario has absolutely nothing to do with the Conservative Party platform. It has everything to do with self interest and a lack of morals and ethics.

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following Opinion Piece by Luisa D'Amato titled "Smeared by his own party, MPP Michael Harris is too good to lose". Other political commentators have expressed similar views regarding the expulsion of Michael Harris from the Conservative caucus as well as parachuting in to his riding (Kitchener-Conestoga) Michael Harris Jr., the son of former Premier Mike Harris, to run as the Conservative candidate in next month's election. How bizarre or opportunistic is it to nastily and indecently remove Mike Harris from the riding he's held for many years and parachute in a candidate with the same name? Are the party brain trusts hoping that the electorate are so stupid that they will be re-electing the same person they've voted for in the past?

Luisa D'Amato raises the following points: The female intern never worked for Michael Harris. The woman involved was the more flirtatious or "sexually aggressive" in the texts they sent. Michael Harris was single at the time. They never spoke again. She never complained about his texts. Party officials reviewed the texts in 2013 in the context of a totally separate and unrelated complaint by the woman against the Party and found them to be a non-issue.

Michael Harris Jr. was unsuccessful in his bid to be nominated to represent the Conservatives in Waterloo. Apparently his father, the former Premier, is a top fundraiser for the Conservatives and he wanted a seat for his son in the Ontario legislature. How convenient this whole affair has been to some and how devastating to the Conservatives' own, well respected member of the provincial parliament (mpp). Shame on each and every guilty participant in this smearing of a good man. This includes Michael Harris Jr. in that he would be willing to have any part whatsoever in the backstabbing and removal from caucus of a good, sitting m.p.p. for his own personal benefit. This folks is not democracy. Please do not vote for the new parachuted in Conservative candidate, Michael Harris Jr..