Premier Ford: More Political Follies?

Doug Ford: Har! Har! Har! As Ontario PC leader I can take over the world!!! [Not!]

So there are calls for Doug Ford to run in the Ontario Progressive Conservative [PC] party leadership race?!? This story is just too mind boggling to ignore. We do so at our own peril. Doug Ford, and any PC's who would endorse him are delusional if they think he will make a good party leader and potential premier! 

Mr. Ford's supposedly "stellar" Toronto mayoral election campaign was just plain nasty, negative and divisive. It should come as no surprise that former PC leader Tim Hudak thinks Doug is a "real talent". [Link] The Fords share the same neo conservative brand of politics of Misters' Hudak, Harris, and Harper. [Link] We get outlandish claims and divisive wedge issues instead of any politics of substance. We get bullying, name calling and personal attacks rather than any serious thoughtful discussion or debate. It's time to say enough is enough!

Toronto voters clearly expressed their distaste for Doug's "stellar" campaign in preferring to vote for John Torys promise of "One Toronto". Also in voting for Olivia Chow's inclusive campaign. Doug Ford might well be said to have garnered 1/3 of the votes, but think about it. All told 2/3's of voters were ready to vote for "anybody but Ford" when faced with the prospect of 4 more years of division and international derision. [Link] Would we be any better served by Doug Ford as PC opposition leader, or God forbid: Premier?!?

PC's on self destruct? Just what the heck is Tim thinking anyway?!? 

Ontario voters withheld their support for former PC leader Tim Hudak's very similar spring election campaign. His bogus "Million Jobs" economic platform and attacks on working families cost Hudak an election that was the Conservative party's to win. That's why they face a leadership race now in the first place. They immediately kicked him out as leader as soon as the Queens Park legislature resumed! Would they seriously consider more of the same losing proposition by now choosing Doug Ford in his place? [Link]

One will recall that Doug Ford did not get any PC endorsements during the municipal election. A lot of objective, self respecting Conservatives at Queens Park had enough! Indeed, in a rare moment of unanimity, notable PC, Liberal and NDP MPPs, and their back room campaign staff put their differences aside to make sure our city council and thereby the City of Toronto was not crippled and the citizens divided by 4 more years of the Ford Bros follies! [Link] 

One cannot run a city let alone a province with the political and personal baggage both Rob and Doug inevitably bring wherever they go. Toronto municipal politics is not and should never have been all about the Fords all of the time. We face huge challenges as the world's largest multicultural diverse city. Not to mention our traffic, and transit needs. Or to find positive, constructive solutions to meet the citizens' public service and community needs. 

Doug in high school: 80's Sampson? Thor? Jock hash dealer? 

Instead with Rob Ford, we had a crack head mayor as the cities chief magistrate doing god knows what else with his gang banger buddies! With Doug, there were reports of his own criminal past! [Link] What kind of a leadership example is that for our youth?! And what a bad, destructive tone to set for our politicians and all the varied interests they represent!!!

Let's be frank: Doug Ford's campaign was anything but "stellar" except in the negative sense. For six weeks or so he piggy backed on Rob benefiting from his generic Ford signs and messaging. He avoided debates. Each day was another attack guaranteed to shock and destroy anybody or anything he didn't like. The notion he would be as popular outside Toronto is highly debatable. Much of the province has watched the Ford Follies in Toronto for the past 4 years with shock and ridicule. Not a very flattering picture!

Would we be any better served by Doug Ford as a Mayor, PC party leader, or God forbid: Premier?!? Where did this idea come from anyway? I first saw it floated in the Toronto Sun on election night, within hours of Doug's ignoble defeat. [Link] Can the Sun still take us "back to the future" with Mr. Hudak and Harris's particularly vile brand of regressive, divide and conquer politics? Hope beats eternal in the neo conservative heart!

Doug Ford: what's good for Toronto is good for the province?!?

One hopes that is not the sort of debate, if we might call it that, which Toronto let alone Ontario needs to move confidently together into an uncertain future. If the provincial PC's disagree, then let them continue to waste away in the political wilderness. It is worthwhile to note that it is John Tory, another former PC leader who defeated Doug's mayoral ambitions with positive, constructive promises and messaging. When it comes to the Ford's negative, bipartisan style of politics we would do well to heed incoming Mayor John Tory's promise to not focus on moving to the left or the right, but forward in the next four years ahead. [Link]

The citizens of Toronto, and indeed Ontario deserve nothing less if we are to finally turn our minds to a better future. Let's hope the provincial PC's can finally put aside Harris, Hudak and Ford's ill conceived brand of negative politics and also act positive and responsibly when it comes to working for our common good. Alas! Is that too much to ask? Unfortunately we will now just have to wait to see! 

Despite all the logic and arguments to the contrary, the bottom line is this: PC leadership candidates can sign up an unlimited number of members, each of whom get a vote in the leadership race. Doug Ford comes from Toronto, the most heavily populated part of our province. Does that give then him easy access to the most votes? 

The Fords can potentially sign up all and sundry within their Etobicoke "Ford Nation" stronghold, and among his supporters in north Toronto, especially Scarborough.  The leadership vote could then possibly become skewered in his favour. With the candidates from the outlying ridings having a much smaller base to draw upon, would it be race over for them due to the sheer logistics of the numbers game? 

Perhaps, and maybe for the PC parties good electoral prospects in the next 2018 provincial election as well. Doug Ford might be able to throw his weight around within the PC party pretty much as he will if he decides to run as party leader. That doesn't however mean that the rest of the province, including much of Toronto, will vote for him as premier. In the meantime, we will be looking at over 3 years of a very nasty political side show at Queens Park. Stay tuned folks! Sure, there are lots of maybes and howevers for whatever happens next, and perhaps the really big time Ford Follies have only just begun!

Doug Ford: He wishes! Dream on buddy boy ... Hmmm. Kinda kinky, no?

MORE NEWS LINKS

My comprehensive news link coverage of the Ford Follies back to:

Part 1 @ Nov 2012  Part 2 @ Here! Part 3 @ There! Part 4 @ Then! Part 5 @ More! Part 6 @ Jan 2014! and Part 7 @ Here!

Scroll down to next blog for my Oct 27th Toronto Mayoral race election news link coverage @ Goodbye Doug Ford?

The rumour of a Doug Ford PC leadership run has been floated a few times in the past. Doug thinks he'd have a good chance of not only winning the PC leadership race but becoming Ontario Premier @ Huffington

Doug Ford says running for PC party leader is now "on the table" @ Globe + Mail

Toronto Sun continues to tout Doug Ford as winning PC leadership candidate @ Sun

More pro arguments for a successful Ford leadership run @ Radia

Doug Ford succeeds in riling and insulting the other PC leadership race contenders before he even enters the race @ Thumbs down?

PC interim leader Jim Wilson speaks about Hudak's removal as party leader. Here we go again? Story @ Hudak

Toronto during the Ford Era: The horror! The horror!

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