Despite earlier reports that John Tory has the full support of caucus, it is being suggested that there is a movement behind the scenes to replace him as Ontario Conservative leader. The Toronto Star reports that meeting of high-level Conservatives will be held tonight to launch a campaign to dump John Tory as leader.
They indicate that a dinner will be held tonight at the Toronto home of Ron McLaughlin, former chief of staff to one-time premier Mike Harris, for about a dozen top Conservatives. Sources say disaffected backers of Tory's 2004 leadership, who worked on the recent campaign, are also planning to go tonight and that the people attending represent a broad coalition.
A new website, www.draftaleader.com, was launched by Windsor party activist Nick Kouvalis designed to help concerned party members join forces and elect delegates who will vote Yes at the Feb. 24 leadership review in London. John Tory needs at least half the vote to prevent a leadership review. To date, Tory supporters have not organized and delegate selection takes place in January. With a little over 2 months to go, he may be in trouble.
I think the anti-Tory campaign is being either too hasty or short-sighted. It takes time to turn around a political party. Dalton McGuinty failed to meet expectations in his first election but has since won two majorities. It takes time to establish name recognition with the public when they pay so little attention to politics between elections. It didn't help that he jumped on an issue (religious school funding) that polarized voters and ensured his defeat. But the next time he will be that much wiser.
The issue to be considered should be whether he is a strong leader and can continue to direct the party to an election victory. If the feeling is he can't then he should be replaced. But making him a scapegoat does not serve the party well at all.
1 comment:
So some group of recycled Harrisites want to dump John Tory? Isn’t that ironic because it
was their left-over anti-public school policies that were hung around Tory’s neck as he dangled
in public.
If Ontario Conservatives think they can find a way to power by retaining or advancing
discredited policies, and if the PC membership lets them do it, their rejection by the voters of
Ontario is guaranteed in 2011.
Face up to it. Bill Davis handed Frank Miller a red hot poker with the deal to extend
funding to Catholic high schools, and everyone got burned. Then, when Ernie Eves struggled on
valiantly for tax credits to private schools, he got whumped by a guy no one thought could win.
So why was anyone really surprised when Ontario voters rejected the Tory proposition to offer
funding to religious schools?
If PCs want to represent the people of Ontario they are going to have to represent the
people of Ontario. Self-evident? Apparently not, as the party has impaled itself three times on the
same plank.
The way to get elected is to get on the other side of the Liberals on the issue of public
schools. McGuinty is stuck supporting Catholic schools and is open to criticism of favouritism.
Public opinion is running between 70 and 75% for a one school system. That support is from
non-Catholics, some immigrant groups, academia, and people for whom religion is a spent force.
It will take courage but either the PC party aligns with a winning combination or it
continues to flounder.
Replacing John Tory isn’t the answer. It requires getting the school issue right.
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