LONDON -- John Tory says the buck stops at the top, and he will take full responsibility if his party goes down to defeat Oct. 10 over his policy on funding for religious schools.
"I have had lots of leadership positions and you know that that's where the buck stops and you have to accept accountability," Tory said at a campaign stop at London's Covent Garden Market, when asked if he'd personally be accountable for the policy.
Tory has all the makings of a "one election and gone" party leader, which is too bad. In another four years I might be able to forgive the Ontario Conservatives for Mike Harris, and give a moderate Bill Davis type (which is what I think Mr. Tory has the potential to become) another chance. But when you embrace a hugely controversial social policy (public funding for religious schools), do it in opposition to many in your own party, and then make the election all about your leadership, I guess you're looking to either score big or flame out.
And the pity is, it usually takes an election and some time afterwards for a party leader to grow into their role. Look how lousy Dalton McGuinty's first Provincial campaign was.
But John Tory is on a whole different level of disastrous. I can't think of anything along these lines beyond B.C. NDP Leader Bob Skelly, who basically started crying on the first day of his only provincial campaign.
8 comments:
In another four years I might be able to forgive the Ontario Conservatives for Mike Harris
You're far more generous than I.
well I can't forgive Dulton for lying last time so screw him & all his liberals, or at least the ones left that havn't bailed on his failed tenure.
Kick the lying tax thieving little shit out . . .
Ugh, i still have nightmares about poor ol' Skelly. That, 'Can we start this press conference over?' essentially halted an election and led right into a sad, hope-barren wake for the NdP leader -- and led to another fun-filled, crazy Socred term with Bill vanderzalm at the helm.
While Bob Skelly is all but forgotten, Vanderzalm has rehabilitated his reputation somewhat in recent years, opposing gov't dismantling and sell-offs of public corps. Now we're stuck with that drunk-driving Campbell...
I'm too old to forgive Conservatives anymore. It's like battered-wife syndrome...they always swear they've changed, but they always slip back into bad habits first chance they get.
I hope Tory keeps opening his mouth. He shoves his foot in it so often, he keeps dropping in the polls. I’m glad. His recent comments on native land claims and no moratorium on mining cemented it for me. Shows how inflexible he is, how out-of-touch with a changing world.
I must say that the title of your post made me laugh... it's totally innaccurate, but it made me laugh anyway. ;-)
"In another four years I might be able to forgive the Ontario Conservatives for Mike Harris, and give a moderate Bill Davis type (which is what I think Mr. Tory has the potential to become) another chance."
You mean you like to vote for the moderate Bill Davis-type who brought in full-funding for Catholic schools? What do you have against John Tory again?
It ain't over til it's over.
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