Kely Never Again Be Assigned a Similar Job.
Kelly McParland: Christine Elliott in danger of easy victory as new Ontario Tory leader
The departure of two challengers appears to open the way for Christine Elliott equally the side by side leader of Ontario's Progressive Conservatives. Just a coronation is the final thing the party needs.
The one thing candidates to replace Tim Hudak as leader of Ontario'southward Progressive Conservative party appeared to concord on was the need for a thorough reworking of a once-mighty party that has fallen on difficult times.
"Help Lisa rebuild our party," urged lisa4leader.ca, the campaign web site for Lisa MacLeod, elected four times to the Ontario legislature for Nepean-Carleton.
"Together we can restore pride in our party and make Ontario kickoff," pledged Vic Fedeli in launching his bid for the height job.
After visiting all 107 Ontario ridings, candidate Monte McNaughton wrote: "The one powerful bulletin that I received is that conservative voters in Ontario do non want our political party to echo the mistakes of the by."
That the Ontario Tories have troubles is not in dispute. That the party desperately needs an in-depth examination of its aims and ambitions, its practices and procedures, is a given. It is downwardly to 10,000 members and has been defeated in 4 consecutive elections by an eminently beatable Liberal party that inspires footling real amore among Ontario voters. Former premier Dalton McGuinty was all only chased from office after a decade of scandal and economic decline. Canada's once-formidable economic engine is now some other have-not province, always-bleating for bigger transfers from the federal treasury. Even so, given a seemingly unloseable election opportunity in June, the party managed to fumble its way to ignominious defeat, and by a majority, too.
At present it has all but eliminated the opportunity for a skilful soul-searching also. On Midweek Mr. Fedeli quit the race, declaring "Christine Elliott should atomic number 82 this squad." On Friday Ms. MacLeod close down her bid too, and said she'd support Ms. Elliott. "I believe with the team Christine has congenital and the positive message she is running on, our corking party will once again atomic number 82 this province," she said.
So much for the rebirth of a bully political party.
A coronation is the last thing the Ontario Tories demand. While Ms. Elliott may be a worthy choice for leader, parties are more than their leadership. The federal Liberals learned that as they stumbled from Paul Martin to Stephane Dion to Michael Ignatieff to Bob Rae. If Mr. Ignatieff had been subjected to a more than rigorous debate when he was anointed without challenge in 2008, he might not take stumbled so badly against the Conservatives and New Democrats.
Ms. Elliott has more political experience than Mr. Ignatieff could boast, simply her platform, like any platform, could simply benefit by beingness subject to rigorous examination and challenge from within before beingness put before the voters. That is far more likely to happen during a spirited competition than on a pre-ordained march to victory. Parties don't mind challenging candidates, but leaders speedily become wrapped in a cocoon that expects and demands loyalty.
Ms. MacLeod dropped out rather than put up $50,000 needed to continue, and to mull requests to run in the federal riding being vacated past former foreign minister John Baird. Mr. Fedeli said he ended he couldn't win after examining two crucial numbers: memberships and money. Ms. Elliott has far outdistanced her challengers in both endorsements and fundraising, attracting $515,000 in donations compared to $156,000 for Mr. Fedeli in second spot. Though Mr. McNaughton and Barrie MP Patrick Brown remain in the race, both would accept to be considered long shots.
Should Ms. Elliott go on to victory, Ontario could boast of having all three parties headed by female leaders. While noteworthy, that'due south no alternative to a legislature that contains three strong parties. Ms. Elliott, should she win, must brand information technology a priority to broaden the reach of the political party also as increasing its membership. The Conservatives in one case ran Ontario nearly as a birthright, only have fallen out of touch with the electorate and badly need to reconnect. The party needs new ideas, new blood and a leader who not only listens, but learns. The less time the new leader spends in the legislature in the months after taking office, the better.
Many Ontarians yearn for an alternative to the tired and untrustworthy Liberals. The Progressive Conservatives demand only offer a valid alternative. It has been defeating itself for long enough.
National Mail
KellyMcParland<
Source: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/kelly-mcparland-christine-elliott-in-danger-of-easy-victory-as-new-ontario-tory-leader
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