Saturday 13 October 2007

Ontario Votes ...

With the Liberals earning an even larger majority government, the New Democrats increasing their seat count, and the Green Party quadrupling their popular vote to a record 8% - it seems as if every political party except for the PC's has reason to celebrate the results of this past Wednesday. For the Conservatives, however, they got their butts kicked, and John Tory is taking a serious beating in the press for leading them to a distant second.

As his resignation seems all the more imminent - when thinking about his tenure I get reminded of an episode from The West Wing, where a political strategist tells Republican candidate for President (played by Alan Alda) that he is the best thing to have ever happened to the Democratic Party because his presence brought his party closer to the political center. With respect to Ontario politics I see Tory as having played a similar role these past three years in leading the PCs toward the center on many issues - with the Liberals, NDPs, and the province in general greatly benefiting from this during debate. But alas, like all political trends - this one will surely end before long.

What happens next with the PCs is anyone's guess. But they have broad support, a large donor base, and will no doubt return as a political force in 2011 - probably with a leader emerging once again from the far right. So for the rest of us - now is the time to go back to work and get something done so that they won't have a chance when that happens!

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