John Ivison: Here's what Caroline Mulroney brings to the party, if she runs for Ontario PC leader
Polls suggest many Ontarians have concluded the Liberals are too old, too tired and too expensive. Mulroney would present a modern, moderate alternative
Maybe they should offer free steak knives with the job.
Why does no-one, with the exception of Doug Ford, want to be leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives?
Interim leader Vic Fedeli and new finance critic Lisa MacLeod were the latest potential candidates to rule themselves out Tuesday.
It’s true the party has done a fair imitation of the crack suicide squad from Monty Python’s Life of Brian in recent days.
But, remarkably, it is still well-placed to win the Ontario general election in June. The only poll conducted since Patrick Brown was ousted last week suggests PC support is steady, despite the allegations against its former leader and president. The Forum poll, which gives the PCs a 15 point lead over Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals, even suggests one in five voters may be more inclined to back the PCs in June.
But the reluctance to commit by those most familiar with the party speaks volumes about the mess it is in.
The logistical challenge of holding a leadership contest before the end of March and then, almost immediately, launching an election campaign for a June 7 vote are immense.
For example, the Tories can’t create an ad campaign until they know who the new leader is. But if they wait until the end of March to book media space, there will no inventory and the cost will be extortionate.
None of this is likely to matter to Ford, who may be using the provincial leadership race as a dry run for another Toronto mayoral tilt against John Tory.
But it should weigh heavily on other potential candidates like rookies Caroline Mulroney and Rod Phillips.
Given the precariousness of the PC position, the party’s membership would be smart to take a long, hard look at Mulroney, if she runs.
It’s true that there are more than two families in this country capable of providing political leadership. And she probably doesn’t even know herself if she has the skills and knowledge, nerves and brains to be a good leader.
But the early signs are good. At 43, with four young children and a successful career as a lawyer, she has life experience. She garnered good reviews when she hosted the federal Conservative leadership convention last spring, even downplaying the prospect of a career in politics. “Who would want to run for their dad’s old job?” she quipped.
Most important from the party’s point of view, she looks like the candidate best placed to beat Wynne.
To do that the provincial Tories must stay united, they need to have moderate policies that appeal beyond their core voting group and they need to be inclusive, appealing to visible minorities and women.
A Progressive Conservative majority will require married women with children to vote for them in their droves.
A glance at the already released platform suggests everything the party has done thus far has been tailored to appealing to this demographic. It contains a child care refund, new childcare spaces, a caregiver tax credit, reduced hydro bills and a middle class tax cut – all paid for with the proceeds of a carbon tax.
Polls suggest women voters were already warming to the idea of a PC government – typically one in three women said they intended to vote Conservative, versus one in five for the Liberals.
But Mulroney would broaden that appeal further still.
Ford has already indicated that party unity is not his top priority. “I can’t watch the party I love fall into the hands of the elites,” he said. “The elites have shut the door on the grassroots, the foundation of our party.”
It would be no surprise if he campaigns on ditching the carbon tax commitment – which would probably be popular with much of the PC base. But if he did, the whole platform would be unfunded and collapse in on itself.
Ford did remarkably well in 2014, winning 20 of the city’s 44 wards. His folksy style appeals to the kind of folks who think the swamp should be drained. Launching his campaign from his mom’s basement was genius.
But he’s a bull who travels with his own china shop and the PCs don’t have time to pick up the pieces.
They spent six months customizing a platform to appeal to the median voter. Many conservatives, including Ford, will think it’s a sell-out.
In truth, much of it reads like a blatant electoral bribe – hello, $500 winter tire tax credit.
But the polls suggest many Ontarians have reached the conclusion that the Liberals are too old, too tired and too expensive.
Mulroney would present a modern, moderate alternative.
I hope that she could contribute to the development of Canada's economy in the same way as her father did. I noticed that recently, her father, the former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney has been working hard to save North American free trade agreement that was established under his effort with the U.S. in 1989 and later helped create NAFTA.
Ontario is Canada's manufacturing hub and has been declining for years. In this regard, people look for uncontrollable objective reasons,and ignore the controllable subjective reasons, which was that can be improveed productivity, can be reduced manufacturing costs.
Also, the health care system needs for a much improved,and I hope she can make some contribution.
Follow are some of my thoughts on this regards.
How to save Canada’s manufacturing from disappearing http://www.kwcg.ca/bbs/home.php?mod=space&uid=61910... https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100015909153472
The feasible steps for improving Canada's health care system radically http://www.kwcg.ca/bbs/home.php?od=space&uid=61910... https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100015909153472
I will never vote for a woman just because she is a woman. That will never be a criteria for me. I would like the most competent , a great communicator , with loads of experience and real people smarts .
Kit Moore Isn't Harvard where Ignatieff and McGuinty went after they were shown to be, in McGuinty's case a thief and liar and in Ignatieff's case an incompetent. Harvard and NYU are nothing more than leftist brain washing institutions for socialists.
Allan Hay, if you stay home and don't vote you have no reason to complain. I will be out to vote. I am still watching all the people running. I do know there is something fishy going on in the PC party.
I do like Mulroney because she is a educated working person. I will not vote for her just because she is a woman though. I haven't heard anything from her.
Ford is right about the political elites. He is able to swing some of the Toronto votes. But he is very stubborn and forceful. Someone said "A bull in a china shop ". He will definitely get things done.
I need to hear more from both but I am still voting Conservative.
I want a leader not a puppet but I also want a leader who listens to the people.
Kit Moore Who cares about degrees. smh. Lots of intelligent people out there with a solid credentials but that doesn't make them political leadership material.
I guess it also doesn't concern you that she's really a carpetbagger who has spent most of her adult life in the U.S.? Just another O'Leary and Ignatieff disaster waiting to happen.
Sherry McKeon I heard her speak recently at a fund raiser and she has many good points and speaks well. She is up to speed on the current issues and has some real ideas that could answer some difficult questions going forward. BUT, she is NOT an MPP therefore as far as I know cannot run for the leadership without a seat in a riding.
The federal givernment has decreed that every provinvce has to have a carbon tax or they will impose one; the Conservatives can at least design one as revenue neutral if they want.
Matt Atkinson -- You are right, Matt, but I have never understood the value of a neutral tax. The carbon tax is meant to discourage a behaviour that progs deem unacceptable, namely the burning of fossil fuels. As a general rule, governments tax what they want to discourage and subsidize what they want to encourage. If a tax is made neutral (to taxpayers), what value does it serve? Why bother taxing at all? The only people who will benefit will be the government hirelings who take a cut to process the tax.
Because they are reporters and have to write what someone tells them to write. Most reporters are clueless and quote Keynes wealth distribution theories. Most reporters believe that money grows on some tree in the back yard and very very few understand that wealth and prosperity are generated through hard work and dedication.
Matt Atkinson The province of Saskatchewan has flat out told Trudeau and his Federal government to go 'F' themselves in regards to a federaly imposed carbon tax. We need someone in Ontario to do the same.
I don't have anything particularly against Caroline Mulroney, but:
1) Let's be serious -- she's only being promoted as a lead candidate based on her parentage. Is that really a sensible way to identify contenders? That same intellectually stunted approach is what saddled Canada with Trudeau.
2) The 'qualifications' that Ivison promotes basically amount to demographic check-boxes. Really? Why don't we just hold a random draw of the hundreds of thousands of people with similar characteristics?
3) Can she campaign? Does she know public policy? Can she hold her own in a debate? We simply don't know
4) Let's not kid ourselves. The MSM professes love now, but the day after she won the leadership the character assassination would begin
Adam Rizzotto yes you obviously are a superior political mind. I cannot possibly express my sincere gratitude enough that have deemed to enlighten us with your great wisdom. However your obnoxious superiority complex should probably best be addressed by a accredited therapist.
Mulroney was quite a good PM considering the mess he inherited from the first Trudeau whereas Justin is an idiot. Caroline is a very successful lawyer and not a drama teacher; she also has business sense so she would do quite well. Anything or anybody would be a better Premier than the fool we currently have.
I could see voting for her down the road , just not now. She has to earn her spurs. Secondly, I look for gravitas , not unlike Baroness Margaret Thatcher , and I do not see it yet.
After the mess with Trudeau 2.0 , once burned , twice shy.
A huge mistake many who voted Liberal federally made was voting for name recognition and ' good hair' and they have been burned too. They will be thinking twice about doing it again, especially with someone with no experience in the rough and tumble of politics at it's core.
Joe Fedup spot on. PM Selfie Socks will win a second mandate because Canadians are stupid beyond repair. It's why we are a second rate forever underachieving nation never bound for greatness.
Randy Moyan "underachieving nation "
Canada has added an impressive 423,000 net new jobs in 2017, an increase of 2.3 per cent in a year. Of those, 394,000 were full-time.
January 5, 2018
Employment in Ontario increased by 176,300 from December 2016 to December 2017. The increase represents a 2.5 per cent growth in jobs in 2017, just over double the growth rate recorded in each of the previous two years.
The Ontario unemployment has been below the national average for 33 consecutive months and below six per cent for the past five months -- a first since 2000.
~*LOL*~ Peter, I take it you're unaware the US Fed's fiscal year ended in mid October? All that stuff happened because of the policy & direction of the former government's budget.
The American economy is robust and, moving along quite nicely. Here in Ontario the economy is frozen in place like a tongue to a sled in the centre of a blizzard.
Mike Cameron -- Hey, Mike, we have a growing and robust unionized public sector here in Ontario. Too bad the actual wealth creators are shutting down in droves.
Bill Ferguson - Well, they are still there. They haven't left the continent yet. I wonder how many business's have left the US, and come to Canada recently? You may not realize this, but almost 25% of Canadian Business's are toying with the idea of moving to the US. Seem's the business man down south knows how to attract, well, business. Our 'sunny ways' guy up here, also knows how to make business more attractive in the US as well. So don't fret, the US will be there for little while longer.
At least Trudeau was in politics, earned his way up the ladder by fighting to be elected. We need a second Mulroney like a hole in our heads. Another NAFTA deal, another Mulroney. Ya. No thanks
Theodore Stig lol...Not really. Trudeau spent a few years as an MP before contesting the leadership so he had a modicum of political experience something Mulroney has none of. Has anyone ever heard the woman give a speech here? And yet they boast of her candidacy? Puleeze!
First off, she is NOT an MPP, yet, so she cannot run to lead a party she has no seat in. She is only a candidate for the riding. As far as I know a candidate cannot be leader.
Not true. Anyone can contest the leadership as long as they are a member in good standing and get enough signatures to support their candidacy (although I'm foggy about that part)
Ford hasn't got a seat either and isn't a candidate and yet he's running so it would help to check your facts.
That includes Dougie? Here's the bad news, the party has no choice regardless of what you think about the criteria. Thank your stars that Caroline Mulroney is considering lending her skill, talent and knowledge for the swamp. No man can take on the job because two weeks before the election someone will say he did..... and he'll have quite.
Maybe she could bring something new. In spite of the fact that she is rightist, maybe she believes in science. Maybe she is not an Evangelist and she accepts a Palestinian state. Maybe she is a strong Canadian and rejects the rightist double foreign identity (American Republican with a UK monarchy).
As long as "Caroline Mulroney" (this gender [me too] crap will be dealt with later) can destroy the Liberal witch and, her band of economical cockroaches, it’s a win, win, against Wynne outcome.
I hope the CIA has checked her background, we can't afford another bombshell. The serious work has yet to be done, get rid of Wynne, and her gaggle of incompetents. Hopefully Caroline is the one to do it!
Trudeaus, Mulroneys, Fords. What's next, Stockwell Day's kids? Surely voters can see beyond a familiar last name when picking political leaders. If not, we are a couple steps away from North Korea style dynasties. Donald Trump Jr. anyone?
Why, the NDP didn't see beyiod skin colour and elected a terrorist sympathizer and the LIberals couldn't see the idiocy behind a name. Is your complaint that the Cons might act as superficial as the left?
Bruce Stanley - Bruce, you idiot, I listed political dynasties from the left and right because this isn't an ideological issue, it's deeper than that. I realize you are incapable of separating political ideology from any single thought, but most people don't choose their breakfast cereal based on whether it is sufficiently right wing.
Roberto Duhamel I'm simply pointing how stupidly the two left wing parties acted,Relax Conservatives won't stoop that low.TRumps speech was great, eh, and the accomplishments were impressive. Good policies will do that.
The Liberals are trying to salvage NAFTA, an extension of the Canada-US free trade agreement championed by Brian Mulroney in the 80's. At the time, they were vehemently opposed to the idea turning that election into a referendum on the pact. Let's also not forget that it was Mulroney who led the push from the Anglosphere to support Mandela and the ANC in the fight against apartheid in South Africa. Thatcher and Reagan eventually followed in his footsteps but it was our PM at the time who took a stand first.
What has this got to do with anything? I for one feel that Brian Mulroney's record as PM in the longer run will be vindicated and he will be judged much more kindly by historians than his contemporaries but none of that means his daughter is qualified to be PC leader.
Why does no one with the exception of Doug Ford want to be leader of the PC's?
Who in their right fk'n mind would want the job of shifting through 14 years of piled up shite?
Doug Ford, by declaring his candidacy, might just as well have declared himself a candidate for the nut house.
You make a good point. The party really is nothing more than a raging dumpster fire right now. Questions about their membership, IT systems, dispersal of party funds make them ill equipped to put together a credible leadership race so close to an election. It also calls into question their ability to even wage a credible election campaign in a mere four months
Are you for real? Mulroney has never been tested in an election, not even having won a seat in the Legislature and you honestly believe the content of your post? Not to mention the fact she has spent most of her adult life in the U.S. so I see another Ignatieff moment here. Someone with very little skin in the game looking for something to do in Canada because maybe she's just bored pushing papers as a lawyer.
Wynne and Howarth would easily wax the floor with this neophyte. She is the last thing this party needs right now.
Number of times the author mentioned her experience running anything = ZERO. Number of times the author mentioned her experience in politics = ZERO. Number of times the author mentioned her experience at anything at all to do with the job of leading the province = ZERO. We already have a loser running the country who is only there because of his last name. Let's not make that mistake provincially, too.
I'll vote for anyone over Kathleen Wynne and Mulroney isn't a career politician. However this PC strategy of being "moderate" didn't work for over 14 years. No reason it should now either.
Ben d'Avernas Far too much debt ,far too many taxes and far too high energy costs. Couple that with Trumps tax cuts means we need massive deep cuts to survive.
Ben d'Avernas -- Mike Harris received back-to-back majority govenments. Ernie Eves was beaten when he lost his nerve and became Liberal lite. Why vote for Liberal lite when you can vote for the real thing, which at that time was McGuinty?
John Dowell You forget Harris lost 40 seats in the 1999 election which is hardly an endorsement of all he did in his first term. By contrast Ralph Klein won 51 seats in the 1993 Alberta election and actually increased his majority to 63 in the 1997 campaign.
Don't believe for a minute that Harris-style policies or government is going to sell well here. It barely sold convincingly in the 1990's and even then in response to the unpopularity of Bob Rae. The demographics today just don't back up your argument and Eves lost because he cut a boring figure in this game and people were generally fed up with Conservative policies after 8 years.
Last but not least Harris jumped ship in 2002 because he saw the writing on the wall and left others to clean up his mess.
Mike Anderson Perhaps today they are but really I think at the time they were just pragmatic. Fundamentally Conservative governments that preach austerity and are skinflints with the public purse pushing privatization agendas and tax cutting don't last too long in office. Klein did because the electorate out there demanded more public spending when the books were finally balanced and the debt well on the way to being paid down. He had a hard time as premier pushing the same agenda in 1997 and the early 2000's that he pushed in 1993.
Harris on the other hand was a contentious, non-compromising EFF you kinda of politician that ultimately alienated more people than necessary and he bailed out because he saw his own personal popularity in the sewer and the party on the way out of office considering the losses suffered in 1999. Dogma will only get you so far in this business and that's been shown time and again.
Gary Larivee Give your head a shake pal. Davis was education minister from 1962 to 1971 therefore his policies during that time had nothing to do with his premiership. Also, I don't find anything remotely disaparaging about a man who increased education spending by over 450% in that time or who created the public college system we have today. Seems that some of you die-hard conservative dinosaurs would prefer people to remain the dark ages. After all as Thomas Jefferson once said a society that expects to be ignorant and free expects what never was and never will be.
Michael MacLeod -- Best way we can help the young is to stop piling up debt for them to pay. That means cutting borrowing and spending, not just shifting the spending.
“She looks like the candidate Best placed to Best Kathleen Wynne.”
What?? All the conservatives had to do was shut up and smile politely, and they would have won. Instead they caved to a political correctness trap, abandoned their leader, who’s past attempts with women is embarrassing, not predatory and now they have no choice but to go into an election with an interim leader.
The whole party has no backbone and now they are grasping at straws because she has a popular last name. Why not do something substantial and make a name for yourselves instead of being spineless politicians afraid of losing your taxpayer paid job? Do something that shows your constituents you act in their best interests, not your reputation’s best interests.
another lying Brian are ur f**king kidding look at JR Trudeau is doing he's trying to destroy Canada well lets get a Mulroney to finish it talk about corruption
Its almost like their is a script that these news reports are written from. Destroy the PC Leadership with some unsubstantiated allegations. Enter a character that appears worse than those purged (Ford) then the white knight rides in sidesadlle to save the day. Then the good people have a choice between woman A B or C. As they say everyone rises to their own level of incompetence.
The strength of a leader isn't just of the person; it also arises from the quality of the people a leader surrond themself with. She may not the most experience, but she can draw upon people with more experience in cabinet posts. Wynne's Cabinet has been a disaster, as has Trudeau's been. Chretien had good people in the right places, as did Harper.
★★★
★★★Begin now making simple money online from home. Begin making additional $500 consistently by working on the web from home. I have gotten $18528 a month ago from this simple locally established occupation. This activity is realy astounding and gives me awesome low maintenance salary consistently. Each individual would now be able to makes more salary online effectively by simply take after directions on this blog.......
HERE?™. :)
??????www.Careers50.com??????
Doug Ford is a bull who brings his own china shop... nearly blew my coffee when I read that. Don't know if that was Ivison being original or repeating something but it was funny as hell.
Here is what she brings: handed the most staunchly Tory riding in the Province being handed to her. Her father's last name (and all his political connections) and a coterie of Mulroney supporters' children who are - coincidentally enough - around her age and looking for a cushy politics/power jobs.
I'm no fan of the Liberals, and they must go, but neither am I fan of political dynasties in Canada. There really should be a law against running for the office your father held.
She may be a wonderful person but if I lived in Ontario I would constantly be reminded of lyin Brian and the brown envelopes of cash, and I'm a hard core conservative no less! We saw an enamoured liberal party with trudeau the younger and look at the self obsessed narcissistic justin obfuscating mess we have as PM. I wish Ontarians the best and a return to being a "have" province because they couldn't do any worse than Wynne no matter who you elect.
Given that my cat could have run this province as well as Wynnebag - it's ripe for the plucking. And on that line, at this point ? My cat could probably beat wynnebag - so any of the above should suffice other than the baggage laden Ford - another circus we could live without....
I'm sick and tired of celebrity politicians who have learned how to fool us all by acting out a part. We need leaders who govern for the people. We are not just your audience applauding your performance. This is real life!!!
“We need leaders who govern for the people.” Poor thing doesn’t understand Canadian politics. In democracies that don’t have a monarch like a king or queen you are citizens. Here in Canada you are subjects, which mean you abdicate your rights to allow those in power to make all the hard decisions for you. The politicians answer to their party not the people -- except at election time.
I’m a small ‘c’ conservative. NO MORE NEPOTISM!! We’re dealing with one in the PM’s position and look how that’s working out for Canada! The only tho
In going for her is her daddy’s name. Can we not find someone else or is the Conservative party bereft of good candidates? I’m anyone but a Mulroon
Actually, her dad's name is holding her back. Without it, people would look at her education and business experience and not question her abilities just because of her father.
Alla Linetsky If she was considering a leadership run as Caroline Lapham, her married name, any idea of her candidacy would be dismissed as a joke outright.
Is her dad not working for Trudeau !!! Don't tell me the conservatives are getting like the liberals just putting women in office because Trudeau says so not because they deserve it !!! I will vote for the most competant candidate not just any woman .. we need to hear all the agendas both male and female!!!
The fix is in - Mulroony Sr. has given the Brown and Dykstra information to his leftist friends at CTV, has told Fideli and McLeod to get lost and wait for it - told his daughter to ramp up her efforts. The only sticking point is Ford, whom I doubt is the type to be told to get out of the way. He has principles, the Mulroney clan has not.
Ms. Mulroney has name recognition & that is an asset for most voters & because of the short timeline to the election, she might be the only one that can give the party a fighting chance.
There are 13.6 million people in Ontario. Is there no one of integrity and competence to run for leader other than another child of a previous leader? Say no to political dynasties!
WHY DO PEOPLE THINK THE RELATIVE OF A FORMER PRESIDENT OR PM IS A GOOD IDEA?!?!??!!! It is nepotism. Get it? Here is a short list....George W, Jeb, Hillary, Michelle O, Of and can we forget........
Justin
Snap out of it. If we wanted kings and queens we would have set it up that way.
We need a Mike Harris version of cutting costs and taxes while creating real Jobs. Realistically, Ontario can't be saved so it's all completely irrelevant. Our taxes can't be dropped because of Wynne's debt, energy costs can't be reduced because of the long term deals Wynne locked us into and Trump's tax cuts ensure Ontario's role will be little more than hewers of water, paper shufflers and hamburg flippers. Thanks Liberals thanks Toronto.
You're welcome, drone. But don't worry. We can save a fortune cutting benefits to you and your creaky old cohorts. We should really be running the province like a business, and business eliminates the dead weight. That would be.... you, and most of your cohort.
I look forward to not paying for your next hip replacement.
Why not ... Quebec runs the show anyway so we might as well have a Quebecor at the helm in Ontario. Somehow I doubt the average voter will even care ... or know.
Maybe her Father can finance her campaign? All he has to do is visit one of his old friends in a NYC Hotel and come back with bags of money. You are who you hang with.
Well there is nothing inherently wrong with people running whose family has been prominent in politics before but if the ONLY qualification is a surname then the answer is no.
I mean fat little Mikey Ford has no business at City Hall and is only there having ridden the corpse of his dead uncle in office. Otherwise what's his life experience? Nothing.
Trudeau was a drama teacher and ski instructor before and we are seeing the depths of that incompetence.
Mulroney may have been a successful boardroom lawyer but she is out of her depth in the combative gladiatorial arena that this election will be. People pushing her candidacy need to give their heads a shake. Even Trudeau had a few years of experience as an MP before he sought the Liberal leadership.
As for Doug Ford he is also trying to ride his brother's corpse into whatever elected office will have him. He's about as interesting as watching paint dry with the personality of an iguana.
Arguably, the IKEA Monkey would make a more competent Ontario Tory leader than Ford OR Mulroney. He'll be best dressed candidate too, Bring on the furry one in the fur coat!
Unlike Ms. M., who has never held any elected political office, Trudeau was a Liberal MP for years before becoming party leader and then PM. Who's the inexperienced one again? And since Trudeau and his gov't remain much more popular than the Tories, the party did not err by making him leader, and voters do not have "voter remorse" for having elected him. What 's on Mulroney's resume? She's a lawyer, a Mom, and made a good MC at some Party event. It's laughable that should be adequate to qualify her to lead a provincial political party.
At the end of the day what is Mulroney's political experience? She has absolutely none and is untested in political debate when up against the likes of Wynne and Howarth who could very easily wax the floor with her. I really don't understand what the big appeal here is beyond the fact she's a fresh face. She has never given an interview since being nominated a candidate and in fact her public appearances are pretty much nil. With such a dearth of information to go on beyond a mere resume anyone crazy enough to suggest she is leadership material right now needs to give their head a shake.
By all means if she wishes to contest the race to replace Brown she should do it for the experience alone but let's not delude ourselves into thinking she is some panacea because she isnt
Anyone but Wynne and no one is stupid enough to vote NDP. She brings a great deal when you compare her, or anyone , to Wynne's record. It really isn't that tough.
Bruce Stanley You know Bruce sometimes I have to wonder what planet you're on. All the talk I read here of electing a three legged dog as PC leader being preferable to Wynne or Howarth is downright silly and stupid.
The notion that some inexperienced individual who has never served a day of their life in government somehow will result in a great success compared to the alternative is absurd. I want to see the Liberals gone as much as you do but not at the cost of just anybody leading this wreckage who would bring more problems (Ford) than its worth and wouldn't have the first clue (Mulroney) on what they would if elected and is only gliding along on her old man's surname.
It's time for serious people in this game and not just anyone who fancies themselves as leader for self-aggrandizing purposes.
Kris Kennedy Good God pay attention and untouched 15 point lead with no leader after a sex assault mess. I agree about Ford or Mulroney but any half assed Conservatuve SHOULD win. I believe the Provincial Cons are following the US Republican party as the "stupid" party, they constantly grab failure out of the jaws of success. In this case I think Wynne has gotten so rotten it matters little "who" as much as "how soon."
Bruce Stanley BFD. This party has blown 15-20 point leads in the past. That plus 15 can easily go negative 15 if you choose a blowhard like Ford or some clueless carpetbagger like Mulroney.
Caroline Mulroney is the daughter of a lying, cheating thief. Do we need another Mulroney in any type of power in Canada??! Like father like daughter scenario!!
Yes! please! Seriously PC's, just give me a candidate worth voting for. (ie not Doug Ford) I really really want to vote for you but not if you give me a terrible option.
Boys and girls of OnCon land, don’t forget there’s Dougie Ford who’s eager to lead you out of the wilderness. How could you go wrong with this guy? Even those who don’t appear to be thrilled with political dynasties, could go for him.
Funny how Ford supporters are either such massive idiots or huge liars that they don't mention how Doug Ford is part of a dynasty. His father was a member of Harris' government.
Mimsey Daemon I think when the term dynasty is mentioned it is because Mulroney and Trudeau were both Prime Ministers. Being an MPP is not really the same.. But nice try
Ivan Paul Dobren i can't see the Liberals winning. Unless somebofdy messes up in a true moment of brilliance like the one Trudeau showed with the Rosmarie Barton question over his ethical violations. Nothing worse than to see a person focused on ceremonial dutiescompletely lose his script and reveal a lack of intelligence
Someone who thinks a young woman is just going to let her dad pull the strings must not have a daughter. My 24 year old and I talk but she definitely makes her own decisions.
No thanks. I reject legacy placeholders who run on their daddy's name.
Come to think of it, I voted Liberal because of HIM...of course, it was the last time I voted Liberal after that. Chretien made a lot of promises and NEVER kept them. Much like Junior Trudashian, lots of great promises, reneged.
Just as the Cons had a golden opportunity the first time, they chose to shoot themselves in the foot by selecting Mr. Brown. Appears now that they're reloading.
.
“Here's what Caroline Mulroney brings to the party, if she runs for Ontario PC leader”
"She did not come back for you”……that’s what Caroline Mulroney brings to the party. That’s what Harper did to Mr Ignatieff and that is exactly what Ms Wynne will do to Ms Mulroney. Over and over and over......and over
Ms Mulroney is “not ready”…….did you hear that one? You WILL hear it again. You can bet on it. Courtesy of Ms Wynne and the Ontario Liberals
We know that the Conservatives were wrong in the past federal election in saying that Trudeau was not ready. The problem is that Trudeau is just not competent--not then, not now, not ever. Style over substance.
Is Caroline Mulroney not ready? She certainly lacks political experience but given how the school trustee and the Dauphin are screwing up, is that a bad thing? A fresh face with some intellectual and leadership gravitas--I'd vote for her.
The birth of another political dynasty. What the hell goes on? What has happened to democracy. Neither she, or Justin are their parents and neither have any experience.
Whom ever is going to be the next Premier of this bankrupt basket case-without the basket is going to be very unpopular when they begin to fix the mess left by years of Liberal rule. Hydro rates have driven away businesses and government cannot continue to offer subsidies, maiking Ontari-owe the most expensive jurisdiction for hydro in North America. The mooches and dead beats will revolt when governemnt cuts benefits they can no longer afford and the tax rates will begin to rival Newfoundland's.
A good solution here is to identify who voted liberal, and you all know who had liberal signs fe...See More
Uh... hate to tell you hillbilly but Ontario is doing WAY better then your dump of a province. Business is pouring into Ontario, particularly the cities. Toronto has more construction happening then any other city in the Western hemisphere.
Manitoba is a shithole and your Pallister spends more time in Costa Rica than he does in his own backyard. Goes to show how little concern he has for Manitoba's well-being which speaks quite negatively to conservatism actually.
Let’s choose an inexperienced leader based on name recognition and celebrity. Offspring of a former PM from Quebec. I mean what could possibly go wrong???
OR someone who has spent most of their adult life in a foreign country with very little awareness of the public issues here only to come back with the expectation they should be able to roll into political leadership positions without question. Arrogance at its finest.
I agree - she's got my hypothetical vote. She's smart and has real world political experience. Why they didn't choose her in the first place is a mystery to me.
He actually is. Ford is the only one that can syphon votes off of the liberals in Toronto.. He won 20 of 44 ridings in the last Mayoral election. If those votes transfer to him in the provincial election this would be a huge blow to Wynne.
Mike McBurney You think the people who voted for Ford in the mayoral race also voted for Wynne in the last election?
That's hilarious.
Druggie one exactly one thing, and that's his brother's old seat. I do kind of want to see him win the leadership, it'll destroy the Tories for another election cycle.
Brown actually put together a balanced platform, and was considered reasonably costed by former Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page. Someone like Mulroney or Elliott could pick up this platform, make a few tweaks and promote it. Fedeli would be a fine deputy leader / adviser to compensate for Mulroney's lack of political experience or to bring Elliot back up to speed. Need an alternative to Ford, who will likely propose cuts that are too drastic (look how well that worked for Hudak).
If you want a serious contender for leader who would actually know what they're doing then Elliot is the only choice here. The way you describe it with Mulroney is just someone who would have their strings pulled by Fedeli and others because she doesn't have the first clue about government. Sorry, but we don't need a puppet/muppet running the show.
Brian Boru She was smart enough to leave the party when she did perhaps seeing that Brown was a disaster in the making but probably not for the reasons that have unfolded.
Doug Pringle
The fix is in. Alot here that doesn't pass the smell test. The Conservative Party has been infiltrated and become corrupt like the other parties. Mark my words they will put the globalist mulroney in the leadership position. How many brown envelopes did this involve?
Bruce Stanley Stop calling Wynne a criminal. Do you even have the first clue what you're talking about you meathead? The woman has never been accused of a crime directly let alone convicted. Just because you don't like her policies doesn't mean you can label people in this fashion you fascist swine.
Well, if Ms Elliott doesn’t enter the race, I kinda think Ms Mulroney has the best chance of taking it if she declares her intention. The PC want a woman . That’s pretty apparent today by Vics actions???