There is lots of laughter at the current argument among Ontario Conservatives about whether their leader Patrick Brown has policies. Some Conservatives think it would be nice if they knew where their party is headed. Others think policies should be kept secret so that the opposition does not belittle them.
They would if they could but Patrick Brown would not know a good policy talking point if it bit him on the bum. In more than 13 years in politics, this guy has never had a hint of an idea. Watching him over the years, you get the impression that the last person he talked to had the best ideas.
It was amazing in the last provincial election at a meeting at the Barrie Country Club in Brown’s riding, to see him strongly applaud a speech by then leader Tim Hudak. He jumped up after the speech to be the first to congratulate the then provincial leader for his brilliant new policy. It was the promise by Hudak to fire 100,000 Ontario civil servants. It was also the promise that cost Hudak the election and the leadership.
It reminds us of Michael Harris’ style when he was Premier of Ontario. The province endured a litany of bad policy and ill thought-out ideas under Harris. He was like an earlier less-urbane version of President Donald Trump in the United States—incompetent, erratic and dangerous. Harris might have been a golf professional but we always had the impression he might have done his best work on the 19th hole.
Patrick Brown trained as a lawyer. He even managed to pass the bar in Ontario. He is not the type of lawyer you would want representing you in court. He is a backroom schemer. He made his mark in political organization. He is no leader. It is unlikely that he even likes people.
It was amusing recently to read that Deb Hutton has defended Brown’s lack of policies. As former chief of staff for Premier Harris and the wife of former Conservative leader Tim Hudak, she must know a lot about ignoring common sense. She thinks Brown should also ignore policy.
And come to think of it, he has survived this long with never having an idea. If Kathleen Wynne and her Liberals keep screwing up, maybe he will not need any policies.
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Copyright 2017 © Peter Lowry
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