Saturday, November 12, 2011

Smoke And Mirrors

Three months remain until the PCPO AGM in Niagara Falls. Interesting developments are taking shape in the form of races for party exec, constitutional amendments, and realignment of strategy in preparation for the next go-round. All of which will be discussed in depth on this here blog in the weeks to come.

First and foremost, though, is the question of the leadership review.

For a month now, the media has been falling all over themselves to try and play up the narrative that Tim Hudak has to start working like he's never worked before to prove he should remain leader. This despite no evidence that any organized group of people are working against him. But hey, never let the truth get in the way of a good story, right? (Side note: Hey, Liberals? When the press tries to create rumours like this out of thin air about Bob Rae, then I'll believe you've hit rock bottom.)

Now. I understand there is anger at Hudak. But it is free-flowing anger, not channeled into anything. Like the HST, eHealth, the power plant in Mississauga, the cafeteria in Toronto where menstruating girls were separated from everyone else, and the rest of the 99 problems that have arisen during Dalton's reign that nobody seems to be able to find an acceptable solution to, there is a surplus of talking and a deficit of doing.

And this is why I cannot take so-called Principled Conservatives seriously. Real Principled Conservatives act.

If opposition to Hudak was based on Real Conservative Principles, then the people who have a problem with Tim would have identified themselves already, gotten together, and begun work to get their objective accomplished.

I know, because four years ago, I had a problem with John Tory's performance and I let people know it immediately afterwards, and I donated money to Draft A Leader. Fast forward to four years later and there is nothing for people who have a problem with Tim Hudak that I am aware of (and I am most certainly not one of those people who have a problem with Tim Hudak).

So who are these people?

Is it the Sun News crowd? Nope. They're lining up behind John Snobelen, who is behind Hudak.

Is it the architects of Ford's victory? Uh-uh. One of those architects is Richard Ciano, who is behind Hudak.

Is it the deficit hawks? Kevin Gaudet is setting himself up as their champion. And he's behind Hudak.

Who are these people? Who is leading them? What are their objectives and preferred choice post-leadership review?

I doubt we're ever going to get an answer.

So, people out there who want Hudak gone and read this blog, you don't have to answer. Instead, think. Think about what they keep saying about our party. That we complain about problems but offer no solutions. And ask yourself whether you are part of that problem.

1 comment:

  1. Agree that Hudak is conservative enough, smart enough and energized enough to lead conservatives in Ontario.

    The challenge is twofold: a) for Hudak to decide what he thinks his passions and competences can get done and b) for “we the conservative people” to compromise and drop some of our favourite hot buttons and instead help the Party leader focus and sell some conservative actionable goals.

    What didn’t work for Hudak was whining about HST for 2 years only to have no intention of taking substantive action on it.

    So yes action is the key: “Real Principled Conservatives act.” That particularly goes for the leader. While Hudak can’t be expected to lead solutions to “the 99 problems that have arisen during Dalton's reign”; however, he needs to focus on a few priorities that he can reshape and hammer home. These priorities do not even necessarily have to become passed legislation in this term, perhaps only achieving voter momentum over the next 4 years on these priorities should be deemed a success and then point to those as actionable items in the next election campaign. Conservative ideas need to be sold and that takes time and effort and leadership.

    nomdeblog

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