One Big Campaign: What we’re doing; and how you can help

Saturday, May 31, 2014

What we’re doing; and how you can help

One Big Campaign (OBC) is carrying out a major campaign across Ontario to help people decide who to vote for in their riding to prevent the election of the right-wing Tim Hudak and the Progressive Conservatives.

We know that many, many people across the province want to see Hudak defeated, but they aren’t sure which alternative party they should vote for. So we are making hundreds-of-thousands of phone calls to voters to determine which opposition party – Liberal, New Democrat, or Green – has the best chance of defeating the Conservative candidate in each riding.

This is a hugely important – but costly project – so we are asking you to please make a PayPal donation (Click here, or the button to the left) to support our work. Any amount will be appreciated. Only Ontario residents are permitted to contribute.

Ontario is in a dangerous situation where, with our first-past-the-post system, Hudak could form a majority

From top:
Andrea Horwath (NDP),
Mike Schreiner, (GP),
Kathleen Wynne, (LP)

government with less than 38 per cent of the popular vote – much like Stephen Harper won on only 39 per cent of the popular vote in 2011.

Public confusion over which party to vote for is clearly shown in the fact that, mid-way in the campaign, some 35 per cent of voters had not decided who they would support.

“We feel it’s just too risky to sit by and take a chance that Hudak might sneak in with a minority government,” says Nick Fillmore, retired Toronto journalist and one of the organizers of the campaign.

One way that the PCs could slip into power would be to “split the vote.” This happens when, in a riding, let’s say the PCs get 2,122 votes, the Liberals 1,903, and the New Democrats 723. The total of the Liberals and New Democrats is higher than the PCs, yet they both lose. If this were a real riding, and our research shows the Liberals with quite a large lead over the NDP, we would recommend that people vote Liberal. Conversely, the same will happen to benefit the New Democrats in other ridings.

When we get closer to election day – June 12 – we will distribute a list that includes every riding in the province, suggesting who people can vote for if they want to try to make sure Hudak is defeated. We will need help distributing this list. If you would like to help, email us at onebigcampaign@gmail.com

One Big Campaign is a small politically-independent citizens group created two years ago to work on important social and political issues. We operate the Facebook page, Campaign to build 'One Big Campaign'. The group is registered as a Third Party with Elections Ontario, which allows us to raise and spend funds on our campaign. Our financial records are audited by the firm Kriens-LaRose of Toronto.

Think of the damage created by Mike Harris – and then think of Tim Hudak and perhaps triple it!
Please make a donation to our campaign. Thanks.

Why the People of Ontario must stop Tim Hudak!

Tim Hudak is an outrageously dangerous right-wing politician who would set the Ontario economy on its ear, destroying the lives of tens-of-thousands of people, if he were elected Premier on June 12.

A travelling salesman for notorious Walmart before entering politics, Hudak has created a platform out of thin air that has been knocked down time and time again by economists. The biggest lie in his platform is the promise to create one-million private sector jobs after wiping out 100,000 important government service positions and an estimated 67,000 service sector jobs in the private sector.

Married to a former advisor to Mike Harris, Hudak – as critics like to say – is Mike Harris on steroids. His extremist platform is based solely on right-wing ideological myth – many of the policies have failed in both the U.S. and Canada in the past.

Hudak is appealing to the false belief among many people that government is too big. He appeals to the greed and meanness that has existed in many circles since the 1980s.

Under Hudak, the Conservatives would reduce government spending, destroy organized labour as much as possible, cut so-called 'red tape' to create free-wheeling conditions for business, and lower taxes on corporations so they would be the lowest in the country. and freeze salaries for public servants still on the job.

Ontario teachers’ unions have declared war on the PCs after Hudak said he would increase class sizes, decrease staffing -- especially in full-day kindergarten — and bring in a pay freeze.

Hudak shows compassion for no one. He would cancel Liberal budget wage hikes for the working poor, roll back a 30 per cent tuition rebate for eligible students, and cancel a home renovation tax credit for senior citizens. He would also cancel a Liberal promise to raise wages for child care and health workers.

Let's not damage our province with American-like 'solutions' that are not solutions at all. Please click on the Donate button on this page and support this effort to stop Tim Hudak.