Mediaboss Marketing

Kathleen Wynne helmed a tractor and Tim Hudak tightened the bolts on a manure spreader on Tuesday, as the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives strengthened their bid to sway rural voters in the June 12 provincial election.

The top parties entered the final stretch of the campaign battling over the rural vote and preparing to release a barrage of election advertising.

Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne visited a beef farm in Paris, Ont., where she highlighted a plan from the partys proposed budget for a 10-year, $40-million-a-year fund to support farmers and the food-processing industry. She also highlighted the Farms Forever program, designed to protect farmland in the province.

It is absolutely important to the future of this province that we have a strong agriculture and food industry, she told reporters after driving a tractor down the farm lane. Yes, this is about campaigning, but it is more importantly about the future of the province.

PC Leader Tim Hudak countered by accusing the Liberals of creating a rural-urban divide and not paying enough attention to the agricultural industry.

During a visit to Veldale Farms in Woodstock, Ont., Mr. Hudak re-emphasized his plan to reduce government regulations in the province a focus of his campaign on Monday as well asserting that this would help farmers to run their businesses.

He also said that rural municipalities should get a higher share of gas-tax revenues to go toward infrastructure investment.

Every community will get its fair share of gas-tax revenue, Mr. Hudak said.

He repeated a pledge to scale back wind and solar power projects as well, redirecting those investments to lowering hydro bills. The PC camp says its plan will save the average family $384 per year in hydro expenses and that cheaper energy will attract more business and jobs to the province.

To drive the point home, Mr. Hudak also visited Nuhn Industries in Sebringville, Ont., whose founder Dennis Nuhn supports the PC platform.

Original post:
Ontario Liberals, PCs make plays for rural voters

Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak speaks at a campaign event in Toronto on May 16. (Frank Gunn/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

ric Grenier

Special to The Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, May. 21, 2014 12:24PM EDT

Last updated Wednesday, May. 21, 2014 12:27PM EDT

Neither the Liberals nor the Progressive Conservatives have so far definitively put their stamp on the ongoing Ontario election campaign, as the two parties remain in a muddled close race in the polls.

The latest vote projection from ThreeHundredEight.com gives the Progressive Conservatives 36 per cent support, a drop of one point since last week. The Liberals have slipped two points to 34 per cent, while the New Democrats increased their support by one point to reach 23 per cent. An average of 5 per cent of Ontarians have said they would vote for the Green Party.

See the article here:
Polls point to slim Tory advantage over Liberals in close Ontario race

ABC Labor and the Greens have both gained in the latest poll.

Support for the Liberal Party in Tasmania has fallen to its lowest level since May 2011.

The latest opinion poll from EMRS found voter support for the Liberals has fallen 2 per cent since February, to 48 per cent.

Labor picked up some of the vote increasing 2 points to 25 per cent, while the Greens experienced a 4 point jump to 21 per cent.

Will Hodgman remains preferred Premier with 54 per cent support ahead of Labor leader Bryan Green with 22 per cent.

EMRS spokesman Samuel Paske says the results reflect minor changes and should be treated with caution.

"While I'm sure both Labor and the Greens will be encouraged that this is the lowest level of support recorded by the Liberal Party since May 2011...they will no doubt look forward to August to determine whether or not the course of these changes is likely to be borne out in the future," he said.

Mr Hodgman insists he is more focussed on governing the state than analysing polling data.

He says the Government has a tough task ahead preparing its first budget and he is focussing on that.

"I'm focussed on delivering our agenda, there's a new Government with to grow our economy and to create jobs," he said.

Read more:
Slight dip for Tasmanian Liberals in latest opinion poll

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks to the media while House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill, May 20, 2014 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson, Getty Images

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Tuesday that Republicans will block an immigration-related amendment offered by one of its own members because it would be attached to a much larger defense authorization bill.

The ENLIST Act, offered by Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., would allow immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children before 2011 to earn legal status by serving in the military. Arguing that the bill changes military code, not immigration law, Denham intends to offer the bill as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act during a meeting of the House Rules Committee Tuesday afternoon.

"The ENLIST Act provides an avenue for those who want to perform the ultimate act of patriotism - serving their county - to earn legal status. As a veteran, I can think of no better way to demonstrate your commitment to our nation," Denham said in a statement. The bill has the support of 26 Democrats and 24 Republicans.

But Boehner told reporters Tuesday morning the National Defense Authorization Act, which sets budget levels for the Defense Department, isn't the right place to attach the amendment.

"We have supported it in the past but trying to do this on the National Defense Authorization bill seems just to be an inappropriate place to do it," Boehner said. Asked whether Denham's bill would be considered on its own, Boehner said there had been "discussions about that but no decisions."

Denham argued that the defense bill contains other immigration-related provisions, so his proposal should be considered as well.

Critics, including the conservative Heritage Foundation, argue that allowing non-citizens into the military is a threat to national security.

"Although there have been non-citizens who have served honorably in the U.S. armed forces in the past, the nation is engaged in a unique type of war today against a non-state actor that cannot be easily identified," two Heritage experts wrote. "Additionally, since very little may be known about these individuals, the risk of recruiting dangerous individuals increases. This risk is amplified by the fact that the promise of backdoor instant citizenship may draw individuals who do not actually believe in the mission of the U.S. military."

Denham argues that the 2011 cutoff means the bill would not be a magnet, and also said he served with many immigrants during his 16 years in the Air Force who were "wholly dedicated to our country and to its best interests."

Read more from the original source:
John Boehner defends shutting down immigration idea

California Fires - V.A., IRS Scandals - Immigration Reform - Special Report st Segment
California Fires - V.A., IRS Scandals - Immigration Reform - Special Report st Segment More Veteran Administration Whistle blower Friday News Dump ==========...

By: Mass Tea Party

View original post here:
California Fires - V.A., IRS Scandals - Immigration Reform - Special Report st Segment - Video