When Premier Wynne knows what it is she wants, she wants it, she gets it and you best get out of her way. It is just regrettable that she has never learned anything about democracy. For an autocrat such as her to be running the Province of Ontario seems to be a poor solution to the voters’ needs. Maybe it reminds us too much of former Premier Mike Harris’ terrorizing the province over the turn of the century.
But more seriously Wynne seems busy destroying the foundations of the provincial Liberal Party. She appears to see the party as more of a hindrance than a help. She thinks it is just a grab bag of little gremlins to help out and provide backdrops in an election event. That seems to be her only experience with the party.
Wynne certainly does not expect the party to interfere in her decisions on what is good for the province. When she recently asked the voters what they would like to see in the upcoming provincial budget, she must have been horrified to hear that a majority of the respondents were in favour of having beer and wine in convenience stores. All it means is that the topic is top of mind at this time.
But Wynne had already announced that beer and wine in convenience stores is not on her agenda. She does not want to appear weak and give in to those trying to get the province to grow up. She sees the question as a contest of wills and she thinks she should win. We already know there will be some sop to the serious complaints about the foreign-owned Beer Store operations but it will be too little, too late and too inadequate.
The Premier fails to understand that the party would be very pleased to advise her on issues such as this. When the party sees itself actually helping the elected wing of the party address societal issues, it is even more willing to work harder at election time.
It all comes down to involvement. Policy discussions and regional conferences can make excellent platforms for ideas from back benchers and potential candidates. Just the appearance of working together can strengthen the bonds between party and workers.
To come into town to simply announce who will be the by-election candidate is not the kind of motivational speech you give to local Liberals. The party leader might win once or twice but in the long run, you just destroy the base of the party.
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Copyright 2015 © Peter Lowry
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