Get over it Toronto (en francais)

I hope Michael Taube keeps a bag packed and a plane ticket handy. Writing like this in Toronto will have people warming up the tar and collecting feathers. It's ok Mike, you'd be welcome in Windsor any day. Our own version of the Pravda Red Windsor Star and local radio and TV could use a hurricane breath of fresh air.

'Hidden' agenda fears hurt Toronto
Until Toronto gets over its hang-ups about the Conservatives, this city will continue to play a small-to-non-existent role in future Conservative governments.

That's right, hang-ups. Such as the Conservatives having a "hidden agenda" when it comes to social issues. Such as Harper being "scary" and an "extremist." Such as Harper and the Conservatives supposedly not representing all races, religions and gender groups.

Many Torontonians still incorrectly look at the Conservatives as a western-based party, even though 50 of their 125 MPs are from Ontario and Quebec. Some perceive Harper is in the U.S.'s back pocket, even though he has repeatedly shown this isn't the case. Some believe the Conservatives only have rural-based support and don't understand urban areas, even though they won in cities like Edmonton and Calgary.

Enough, already. The Conservatives are a moderate, fiscally conservative party. Their MPs represent most of the country and the concerns of the vast majority of Canadians. And the reason that private health care, an abortion ban, capital punishment, or eradicating women's rights hasn't been discussed by Conservatives is simple: The party either doesn't support, or doesn't have an official position on any of these issues.

No one is forcing Torontonians to vote Conservative.

But we'll obviously pay the political consequences if we continue to vote against and publicly bad-mouth Conservatives. To me, that is just and fair.