The following is a response to a news article comment on lake88.ca.
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Firstly, Patrick Brown is not the Premier, and so the Province
of Ontario is not "under Patrick Brown", nor is it a "dictatorship". (By
definition, the Leader of the Opposition doesn't have the authority nor
ability to make the Province a dictatorship. All he can do is heckle
the Premier and hope for the best.)
Secondly, the "PEOPLE" of Carleton-Mississippi Mills chose Jack
MacLaren as their MPP, and in that particular job he remains until the
next election. Mr. Brown has simply revoked Mr. MacLaren's party
affiliation - otherwise, the same person continues to represent the
"PEOPLE" in question
Although we have a party system in Ontario, you vote for the person,
not the party, even if your candidate's party affiliation factors into
your choice at the ballot box. (Furthermore, becoming a given party's
candidate is a matter of selling more party memberships than one's
competitors, which isn't quite the same thing as the "PEOPLE" speaking
their mind.)
On the other hand, any party has its own disciplinary process, and
any party has the right to strip any of its MPPs of their party
affiliation, particularly if that MPP is conducting themselves in a way
that is detrimental to the party's political viability. While some of
Mr. MacLaren's comments (regarding French rights, women or sexual abuse)
may be met with rounds of applause from the more redneck corners of his
riding, they nevertheless hurt the party's brand overall. If Mr.
MacLaren's statements are not in line with the party's own philosophy
and world view, then they are right to give him the boot.
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Firstly, Patrick Brown is not the Premier, and so the Province of Ontario is not "under Patrick Brown", nor is it a "dictatorship". (By definition, the Leader of the Opposition doesn't have the authority nor ability to make the Province a dictatorship. All he can do is heckle the Premier and hope for the best.)
Secondly, the "PEOPLE" of Carleton-Mississippi Mills chose Jack MacLaren as their MPP, and in that particular job he remains until the next election. Mr. Brown has simply revoked Mr. MacLaren's party affiliation - otherwise, the same person continues to represent the "PEOPLE" in question
Although we have a party system in Ontario, you vote for the person, not the party, even if your candidate's party affiliation factors into your choice at the ballot box. (Furthermore, becoming a given party's candidate is a matter of selling more party memberships than one's competitors, which isn't quite the same thing as the "PEOPLE" speaking their mind.)
On the other hand, any party has its own disciplinary process, and any party has the right to strip any of its MPPs of their party affiliation, particularly if that MPP is conducting themselves in a way that is detrimental to the party's political viability. While some of Mr. MacLaren's comments (regarding French rights, women or sexual abuse) may be met with rounds of applause from the more redneck corners of his riding, they nevertheless hurt the party's brand overall. If Mr. MacLaren's statements are not in line with the party's own philosophy and world view, then they are right to give him the boot.
Party affiliation is a two-way street.