Blue Like You

Archive for October 28th, 2007

Well, I guess it’s safe to say that the Liberals will be abandoning any line of questioning in Q.P. that relates to the Election Act - You are not fit for public office. (H/T National Newswatch)

Heh.

Steve Janke has more. And more.

Jarrett cautions us about the source. - Kerplonka!

“I should start off by cautioning skepticism at the reportings of a BC tabloid, but the internal evidence and the fact that they’re running with it two days in a row really suggests they’ve got all their ducks in a row.”

Brandon does a great analysis - From bad to worse.

John Snobelen lays it all out for John Tory in this morning’s Sun - Conservatives need a leadership contest.

One of his main points is that the so-called ‘unanimous’ caucus endorsement of Tory as leader is hardly a cause for celebration:

Provincial politics is a team effort so it is neither surprising nor meaningful that caucus would endorse the current leader.

All we have to do is look at Stephane Dion and the Federal Liberals’ attempt to give the appearance of solidarity to see how flimsy the reality is. In both cases, the knives can barely be contained.

Snobelen’s also points out that Tory was supposed to be assuming responsibility for all his decisions in this disastrous campaign, but his response was to fire his polling firm; not himself.

Sun columnist and defeated Liberal candidate Marianne Meed Ward also expresses some candid thoughts about John Tory’s leadership abilities this morning (Tory has an uphill climb in the 905 area). Ward suggests that one of his biggest problems is his corporate background which does not translate well to politics:

In politics, you use polling data to craft your policies, not defend them. In corporate circles, it’s the other way around. The joke about corporate consultants (of which pollsters are but one variety) is this: You hire consultants, give them a watch, and ask them to tell you the time. The more sophisticated consultants will first ask what time you want it to be.

Tory wanted faith-based schools to fly, and somebody told him it would.

Snobelen is asking John Tory to show some real leadership:

Leadership is about taking responsibility for your team and taking the blame when things go wrong. Tory’s current strategy has his team taking responsibility for his loss.

So here is my advice to John, again: Resign and ask the party to hold a leadership contest as soon as possible. Let’s get the leadership issue resolved once and for all and get on with the business of being a great opposition party and a creditable alternative in the next election.

I agree. Let’s put it to the party in a free and democratic process. If John Tory emerges the undisputed leader, fine. He then deserves unanimous support.

A fractured party won’t be able to hold the McGuinty regime to account. The PC party needs strong leadership, with its leader actually able to sit in the Legislature - not observe from the gallery. It also needs to develop clear, practical policies.

Otherwise, we’ll be picking up the pieces of this province four years from now.