It is one thing to argue with your party leader but it is entirely different to have a profanity-laden screaming match with her in the Ontario Legislature. That was what happened between Hamilton New Democrat Paul Miller and his fellow Hamilton MPP and party leader last Thursday. While New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath brushed it off as Miller taking her off her game for a bit, it indicates far more serious problems.
Andrea Horwath could be on her way out. It is not that one of her MPP’s disrespected her but she failed to kick him out of caucus. It is like the gang leader who fails to immediately shoot a gang member who disrespects him. As any gang member can tell you, it is all about respect. Without respect, you cannot lead.
When one of the gang gets away with dissing the leader, others will not be far behind.
The situation with the Ontario Conservative caucus is similar and still simmering. The fact that Timmy Hudak put down the recent attack on his leadership was more because of the lack of leadership among those attacking than any desire to support him. There are simply too many Bill Davis-type Conservatives in Ontario who have absolutely no desire to support a Mike Harris stand-in such as Timmy. Those people desperately need a decent Tory leader.
At least Andrea is not leading her party in the wrong direction. Her problem is that she is not leading them anywhere.
The good news is that Andrea has passed the point where she can keep the Wynne Liberals in power. Timmy tried a procedural trick to force a confidence vote recently and you could see the relief on her face when Horwath told people that there was no point in supporting it because it would not be accepted as a confidence vote.
It could be as early as April next year when Ontario voters will have to sort out the mess at Queen’s Park. The likelihood of any change coming out of the vote seems remote at this time but lots can happen over the intervening months. Who knows, Premier Kathleen Wynne can have a revelation and become a real Liberal. Andrea Horwath can still put on the gloves and beat the snot out of Paul Miller or any other caucus member who disrespects her. And Timmy Hudak can renounce Mike Harris’ brand of economics.
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Copyright 2013 © Peter Lowry
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