Christina Blizzard's tells us that a recent poll shows only tepid support for Tory - Are knives being sharpened for John Tory?
However, the National Post's article shows that there is a lot of organization behind the Save Tory movement - Ontario's Top Tory battles for his job.
Initially I was ambivalent about whether Tory should stay or not. However, lately I've come to the conclusion that there should be a leadership race, even though according to Blizzard's column "in the last 23 years, the party has never won an election after a leadership campaign."
I think we're just delaying the inevitable. Better to get it done now.
Do you honestly believe in your heart of hearts that the Prince of Darkness would let Ontario voters forget about Faith-based funding during the next provincial election?
Because you see, in order to get rid of Ontario's biggest problem we first have to get rid of John Tory.
Just being a nice guy doesn't cut it as leader.
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Update: Please!! Do not miss Kirk's post: Tory gets called to the Boardroom. This is an absolute MUST-READ!!!
24 comments:
I disagree and think we should not have a leadership race when we might be having a Federal election at the same time.
As far as WK goes, why let him ruin anything. He's supposed to be this smart lawyer, yet he sure spends a lot of time reading the blogs.
get a grip ruth.
There's not going to be a federal election any time soon, and there's a reason that WK's on the same side as the Keep Tory campaign....and it's not because he wants to see a nice guy given a second chance.
Without reconciling with the Harrisites...which I don't believe Tory has done, he can't win the province.
Very simply put voters need to be offered a distinct choice, and a fresh rebuilding. We need to lose the old guard.
wouldn't surprise me in the least if WK showed up at the convention in support of Tory and fed back some pics. on his blog...wait for it..it's not a matter of "if".....just "when".
Remember me on Monday as a student who's read Kinsella's great books and has actually learned from them.
He's good at his job. If that means being a side-winder then so be it. He's getting his job done.
Don't underestimate Warren Kinsella's ability to manipulate the media.
Ben Chin is another one to watch out for.
I say we start a blog roll with dump john tory!
Why do you want to see him go, Sara?
I will be providing the the whet stone.
My initial reaction, which started at the conference last June when the FBF plank was revealed, was "uh-oh". It got worse when I turned around and Smitherman was standing behind me.
Things went downhill from there.
Tory met with about 7 of us for well over an hour two weeks ago and he really listened and took notes.
My biggest problem is that Dalton is the premier - devastating and unbelievable. Our base stayed home because of FBF - it wasn't explained properly.
I agree that he should also have run where he was, that was a critical error, especially with FBF and Wynne as his opponent. My Wiener Dog could win that riding for the PCs. One less thing to worry about.
The media held on to FBF like a dog with a bone. Game over.
I think having a review is a mistake and not only for financial reasons. I don't know who is better than JT. I think changing horses smacks of desperation, for one thing.
If the changes he's made (and plans to make) take effect, it will be like night and day.
I think we should stick with JT and concentrate on attacking the Liberals - it's not as though there isn't lots of material available.
I was going this weekend but changed my mind.
Number one:
It is reported in the London Free Press that John Tory has the support of 56% of Conservatives.
Number two:
Will all Conservatives get behind whoever ends up being the leader at the convention?
-Lee-
It got worse when I turned around and Smitherman was standing behind me.
Really? Please tell me more.
Will all Conservatives get behind whoever ends up being the leader at the convention?
I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not a member, but still a Conservative voter. (Well, I'm an Anyone-But-McGuinty voter).
I promise once this is decided one way or the other, that I will accept the outcome and not slag whoever ends up being PC party leader in the next election.
Anyway, the real question should be, "Will Ontario voters be able to ignore all the propaganda emanating from the Liberal War Room and be able to think for themselves next time?
You folks in Ontario dont realize how lucky you are.
Out here in B.C. we have only Liberal and NDP parties.
Our insane Government just instituted a carbon tax.
I am furious with the Government and when the election comes my only choices are Liberal or NDP.
Count your blessings, people, dont put yourselves in the position we in B.C. presently have.
-Lee-
John Tory's last campaign was unfocused, uninspiring and without clearly articulated policies that differentiated his top-down platform from that of the Liberals.
It seemed that his platform was written by liberals for liberals, with the additional promise to be kinder, gentler, and without the corruption.
His speeches are boring as hell, more suited for nap time in a daycare facility than for motivating voters to rally behind him.
His FBS policy showed poor political judgment, as did his decision to abandon his safe seat in Dufferin—Caledon for a suicidal run in Don Valley West.
He is responsible for nearly an unbroken record of political losses: Kim Campbell's disastrous federal election campaign, his failed bid for Mayor of Toronto, his party's collapse during the last election, and his failure to even win his own seat. See any pattern here??
Tory might be a good business executive and fundraiser, but his political judgment, leadership and motivational skills are sorely lacking for the position he is desperate to cling to in order to salvage his legacy of political losses.
In terms of similarity with federal leaders, I think that John Tory closest resembles Stephane Dion.
I think the PCs should become a conservative party again, not a more boring version of the Liberals.
The Ontario PC Party needs a leader exactly opposite of John Tory to win the next election.
Tory is a very skilled politician toward the right-middle of the spectrum.
Now that the FBS issue is off the table due to a shameful and hypocritical performance by McGuinty and co, there is no reason why Tory cannot carry the day.
It's not like there is some attractive alternative candidate waiting in the wings.
If a leadership call smacks of desperation that's because if you ask me the Ont. PC's are in a very desperate place.
We need to rebuild.
We're back to where we started before Harris. It makes the hard work of those who fought, and supported Harris and the CSR in a nomansland at the moment.
Why? Because Tory made them feel unwanted in his distancing of all things Harris. Wrong in so many ways.
I also think that not only did the Tory campaign advisers kill fb funding, they pretty much killed the whole school choice issue for the conservatives and the individuals and organizations who supported and continue to support more recognized choice for parents in choosing their schools.
Does that leave the best chance at choice for those parents, individuals and organizations with Dalton and the teacher unions?
If Tory stays on he'll do ok if McGuinty and Kinsella make a break for federal pastures. My bet..fall of 2008.
Our insane Government just instituted a carbon tax.
Lee, you have my sympathies. Are people revolting in the streets yet?
I have great confidence that McGuinty record in 2011 will be so bad that a third term will be impossible. Those that want an NDP government should vote NO.
"It got worse when I turned around and Smitherman was standing behind me.
Really? Please tell me more."
Nothing too sinister, Joanne, just that they let other people attend these conferences, such as Liberals. They pay more to attend as observers but if it were up to me, if you aren't a party member, forget it.
You may recall the media whining about how the PCs hadn't released their platform a couple of months out. The reason they don't do that is that Liberals just steal their ideas, making it look as though the PCs are just also-rans.
It happened in this election with a couple of things, to be honest I don't remember exactly what they were right now. Now, maybe they should release a fake platform when the Liberals are there, release the real one to members via email...heh.
So there's Furious George, watching the presentation of the platform which includes the ill-advised FBF plank.
Of interest is the fact that not only people who support one, secular system were opposed. So were the FB school people, since they wanted the money with no strings.
It deserves a place as one of the worst campaign issues in modern history.
And I agree with Anon, the one who pointed out that the message was murky. This will be addressed. We definitely need simple, sparse messaging that can be understood - not a 50+ page policy book that only the political junkies will read.
I personally like JT's speeches because he is articulate and doesn't fear-monger. Maybe a little more fear-mongering would be a good idea. Fight fire with fire and all that.
Caveat - Very interesting. Definitely some lessons to be learned.
Our base stayed home because of FBF - it wasn't explained properly.
No, no, no. It had nothing to do with explaining it properly or not properly. It was simply a stupid idea to campaign on.
This was confirmed by real, live, conservatives on plenty of blogs, including this one, prior to the official dropping of the writ. It could have been withdrawn, with minimal damage being done, prior to the official election campaign.
My problem with Tory is that, knowing this, he persisted with it into the campaign proper, and gave away an election most were predicting he would win, with at least a minority, but likely a majority. Let's see......surprise health tax.....cricket clubs for Lib supporters....Caledonia....
Did we hear any of that during the campaign?
Let's see......surprise health tax.....cricket clubs for Lib supporters....Caledonia....
Did we hear any of that during the campaign?
Möbius, John Tory spoke about that as well, but all the media heard was FB-funding, which is all the electorate heard.
Here's the thing. No matter what happens now, we need a Conservative war room that plays by the same rules as Kinsella. No more; no less.
Here's the thing. No matter what happens now, we need a Conservative war room that plays by the same rules as Kinsella.
The federal Conservatives do just that. They attack constantly, control the message, and inflame the lefties horribly. I think they've finally learned from the Libs that this is not a game for the timid.
Why do we continue to listen to, and take advice from people who will not vote conservative, no matter what? That's how we ended up with (soft centre-right) Tory.
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