Ontario’s leadership hopefuls in the Premier Stakes are telling us more than they realize in their campaign promises. These policy bits they feed us are nurtured in the minds of the candidates’ policy gurus, based on more or less scientific research with party people, massaged by professional writers and glanced at by the candidate and the campaign manager. It mostly tells us how quickly that stuff will be dumped if we choose that particular candidate.
On one side of the scale, we have MPP Kathleen Wynne who might or might not have read what was presented to her. On the other end of the scale is MPP Harinder Takhar who was not only involved in the writing but he believes it. It would be foolhardy to select either as Ontario Liberal leader. Both would take us quickly to the oblivion of the Opposition benches at Queen’s Park.
Wynne’s people have figured out that one of the appeals Gerard Kennedy offers delegates is that he really does believe in democracy for members of the Liberal Party. There are just too many liberals in Ontario who do not like the way the party is run from the top. Wynne’s campaign informs us that she must work to improve “the relationship between our party and its grassroots membership.” It further states that Kathleen will build a consensus to make this relationship more open and fair. How do you like that for commitment?
Mind you, Harinder Takhar is so busy promoting his 100-day plan to cut the deficit, he has no time to worry about how badly the Ontario Liberal Party is organized and run.
Nobody seems to have told MPP Erik Hoskins, with his artfully crafted hair style, that there is any problem with how the party is organized and functions for the leader’s office. He is busy promoting his endorsement by everyone’s favourite Tory Roy McMurtry. Why he would want to be the choice of a Tory is a good question. When he adds a few labour leaders to his list, we might pay attention. If he can add them from any of the teachers’ unions, we will be even more impressed.
Why former Prime Minister (briefly) John Turner would also endorse anyone in this race was a bit of a puzzle until we remembered that John lives in Hoskins’ electoral district.
We are not sure where Sandra Pupatello stands on anything. We got an e-mail from her saying answer this five-minute quiz about yourself. We set it aside until sometime when we have a spare five minutes. Maybe we should have answered it to find out where she stands.
Anyway, we have already had e-mails from Hoskins, Kennedy, Pupatello, Takhar and Wynne. We assumed Murray and Sousa are taking the highroad and using snail mail. They had better get those snails moving!
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Copyright 2012 © Peter Lowry
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