Lazy Tony - Canada's Laziest MP

Election 2006

Well, with an election underway I guess it's time for an update to the Lazy Tony blog. What is "Tony who?" up to these days?

Over at blogto.com, they are hosting a mini-survey asking who will win Trinity-Spadina. Olivia Chow is leading 27-17 at the time of this posting. Commenting on the poll, Michael writes:

What is it about Tony that gets him votes? I've met the guy, can it be his personality? If so, I must be missing something. Is it his big shindig he throws at the CN Tower restaurant every year? Party affiliation and strategic voting should only go so far. It is time for someone new.

On December 3rd, the Globe and Mail listed Trinity-Spadina as one of 10 "ridings to watch" in an article called "Election Dogfights 2006".

Trinity-Spadina
Main card: Tony Ianno (Liberal) vs. Olivia Chow (NDP).
Last round: 23,202 (Liberal), 22,397 (NDP).
The third round of a heavyweight battle. In 2004, Mr. Ianno succeeded in pulling more votes from lakeshore condo residents, while Ms. Chow saw the Green Party siphon almost 2,300 votes. Mr. Ianno, a tough-talking Martin loyalist, was able to tout his advocacy of seniors' issues and has since served as minister of state for families -- a position that allows him to dole out grants to community groups. But the riding's big issue remains the status of the island airport. The Toronto Port Authority continues to press ahead with plans to build a modern ferry to the moribund facility as a means of kick-starting air service. Anti-airport activists have targeted Mr. Ianno for failing to rein in the federally regulated agency.

The non-confidence motion that triggered the election was tabled on November 24. During the speeches, Tony Ianno was one of a handful of Liberals who had to be told to shut up, as they were heckling like schoolchildren:

Acadie-Bathurst NDP MP Yvon Godin said he wasn't surprised by Bradshaw's persistent heckling which continued into NDP Leader Jack Layton's speech. Midway through his speech Layton asked Ontario Liberal MP Tony Ianno and Bradshaw to stop the chatter.

Here's exactly what Layton said about the heckling (from Hansard):

Hon. Jack Layton: The member for Trinity—Spadina is once again making his customary contribution in the House, which is to heckle meaningless remarks. I will say no more about that at this time.

Over at rabble.ca, a 'babbler' asked about Tony's latest mailing:

I got a flyer from Tony Ianno in my mailbox Friday. It was his constituent newsletter, but longer than the usual, full of pictures and government propaganda. Is it legal for a sitting MP to use his constituency budget to send out mass mailings to the riding during an election campaign?

The answer: it's legal as long as it was mailed before the writ was dropped. Ianno is not the only MP to pull this trick. I don't know why he bothered, though; the newsletter is terrible. He does so little for the constituency, even his own staff can't figure out how to make him look like he's doing a good job.

Well, I'm out of time, this about wraps it up for now. I'll try to update more often as the campaign unfolds.

posted by Paul @ 8:58 AM