Randy Hillier

It is a rare occasion when an esteemed university political science professor demonstrates both intolerance and ignorance in a single interview.

One recently left his comfortable academic chair and waded into the swamps of political leadership. Along the way his foot found the traps his mouth had set and his mind had baited. Had he armed himself with some knowledge of history and a measure of respect for others, the swamp and the alligators may have been avoided.

During an interview with the Star, the professor expressed significant bias and a large dose of disdain for rural Ontario, commenting that political leaders from the countryside are likely to be "rural yahoos." The professor further demonstrated his ignorance in stating that "smart people realize this." Most Canadians will find these statements both repulsive and ignorant.

Objective readers with a basic knowledge of Canadian history will recognize the falseness of the professor's statements. Canadian history is paved with a marvellous collection of rural leaders who helped build a prosperous, just society and, along the way, built the academic classrooms where generous paycheques abound. Sir John A. Macdonald leads this list, followed closely by farm kids Sir Robert Borden, Wilfrid Laurier, prairie populist John Diefenbaker and Baie-Comeau lad Brian Mulroney.

Great rural leaders are certainly not confined to federal politics. In Ontario, the rural cast includes farmer Mitch Hepburn, Frank Miller and Mike Harris, to name a few. Anyone looking at Canadian history through these misinformed academic eyes would have to conclude that Canadians are uneducated and have been led by, and voted for, a series of "yahoos."

Complete story at the Toronto Star

This is the story referred to by Randy Hillier in this op-ed piece

Does PC Leader Tory have "magic number" ?

Monte Sonnenberg/Simcoe Reformer
Wednesday February 06, 2008

If it is true that adversity builds character, Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory is as fine a political specimen as we are likely to see.
In fact, it is a safe bet Tory himself would be happy to trade some of that character for an actual taste of the greatness so many have hoped for him. Few politicians in Canada have so little to show for such positive reviews.
Tory is praised as a communicator who has endeared himself to a lot of people who matter. He’s an excellent networker and, as he demonstrated during a recent visit to Delhi, he has an easy way with strangers. He is likable and sincere.
But for reasons that remain a mystery, Tory hasn’t been able to translate this "it" factor into political power. He has done well behind the scenes. But in 2003 Tory failed to succeed Mel Lastman as mayor of Toronto and, in October, he failed miserably in a provincial election which, by all accounts, was his to win.

Complete story at the Woodstock Sentinel-Review

KAREN HOWLETT

February 7, 2008

TORONTO -- The 26 Tories with seats in the Ontario legislature might be presumed to have a pretty good idea of what it means to be a true blue Conservative. But John Tory, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, thought they could use a little refresher course.

He invited a number of stalwart conservatives, including Senator Hugh Segal, author Linda Frum and lobbyist Mark Spiro, to address a two-day caucus retreat this week. The purpose was to have them talk about what it means to be a conservative and to prepare for the return of the legislature and the next provincial election, a spokeswoman for Mr. Tory said.

But not everyone felt the soul-searching was necessary. Bill Murdoch, the Tories' resident maverick, who has held the rural riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound since 1990, was one of the caucus members who skipped the meeting.

"I wasn't really interested," he said yesterday. "I'm not trying to think I'm smart or anything, but I think I do know what a conservative is."

A party member who asked not to be named said it should be obvious what the party stands for: lower taxes, smaller government and getting tougher on crime. "I can't believe we're having a training session on this," he said.

Complete story at the Globe and Mail

Wed, February 6, 2008
Only five of 10 area ridings report being for the embattled Ontario PC leader.
By CHIP MARTIN, SUN MEDIA

John Tory hasn't found as many supporters among Progressive Conservatives in the London region as he might like to feel comfortable keeping his job as party leader.

Delegate selection meetings for the PC convention Feb. 22 to 24 have been completed across the province, including the 10 ridings in the London region where many favour a vote on leadership.

Nearly 2,000 delegates expected in London will be asked if they'd like a leadership review. If a majority agree, a vote will be scheduled.

Tory says a simple majority opposed to a review is enough for him to keep his job. But political pundits have told The Free Press he'll need three-quarters or more behind him to avert internal strife .

Complete story at the London Free Press

MURRAY CAMPBELL

February 5, 2008

TORONTO -- It may be snowy and cold outside but Brad Harness looks around and sees nothing but low-hanging fruit in John Tory's backyard.

Mr. Harness is the Leader of the Reform Party of Ontario, a newly reconstituted party whose members felt abandoned when federal Reformers threw their lot in with Conservatives a few years ago.

They licked their wounds for a while but revived the party in Ontario in time to run two candidates in last fall's provincial campaign.

The party has nowhere to go but up - it got just 354 votes in October.

But Mr. Harness believes there are lots of people who would be attracted to the message of fiscal prudence that Preston Manning used to deliver.

The latest video from the DraftALeader.com team.

Feb 05, 2008 04:30 AM
John Capobianco

Recently this paper published an opinion piece from former Ontario Progressive Conservative party president Rueben Devlin concerning "myths" about John Tory.

As some readers may know, Devlin is pushing for a leadership convention in our party and supports a vote for a leadership review at our upcoming annual general meeting.

The differences that divide Devlin and myself, as among all Progressive Conservatives, are insignificant compared with the shared principles that unite us.

Complete story at the Toronto Star

The agenda for the PCPO London Convention has now been posted on the Ontario PC website. We are posting the information here as well as making it available for download in .pdf format.

DraftALeader.com will continue to monitor the Ontario PC website for any changes or updates of information and keep you informed.

PCPO London Convention Agenda Version 1

Friday, February 22, 2008

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm President’s Council

5:00pm - 7:00pm Policy Advisory Council Breakout Sessions (Health, Urban Issues, Energy, Rural Affairs and Resources, Education)

7:30pm - 9:00pm Opening Reception

5:00 pm - 10:00pm Ontario PC Youth Association Annual General Meeting


Saturday, February 23, 2008

8:00am - 9:30am Regional Breakfasts

9:30am - 11:30am Policy Advisory Council Breakout Sessions (Economy, Environment, Northern Issues, Social Policy, Justice, Culture)

10:00am - 11:00am Annual General Meeting - Ontario PC Association of Women

9:30 am - 12:00pm Ontario PC Youth Association Annual General Meeting

12:00pm - 12:30pm Speech by John Tory, Leader of the Ontario PC Party

12:30pm - 1:30pm* Vote - Leadership Review Question

1:30 pm - 2:00pm Leader’s Availability

2:00pm - 2:30pm Report by Party Treasurer & PC Ontario Fund

3:00pm - 5:00pm Riding Organization Breakout Sessions (Building a Winning Volunteer Team, Riding Leadership, How to Be an Effective CFO, Effective Riding Fundraising)

3:00pm - 5:00pm Technology Fair - Riding Database Management

6:30pm - 7:30pm Reception

7:30pm - 9:00pm Dinner

* Please note that time of vote is approximate. Voting shall commence following the Leader’s speech, and voting will remain open for one hour.


Sunday, February 24, 2008

8:00am - 9:00am Breakfast

9:00am - 10:00am Speeches by Candidates for PCPO

10:00am - 11:00am Voting for Party Executive

11:00am - 11:30am Vote results and introduction of New PCPO Executive

11:30 am - 12:00pm Closing Session and Adjournment

The latest video from your DraftALeader.com team.

Posted By JIM ALGIE

John Tory says he's learned hard lessons from the faith-based schools debacle that sank his campaign last fall, and he vowed Friday to fight to keep his job.

"I'll be a wiser and stronger leader for having had the experience of the 2007 election when we did lose and I did make some mistakes," Tory admitted.

The Progressive Conservative leader refused to budge on the funding issue despite objections from many of his PC colleagues, including local MPP Bill Murdoch, who urged a free vote on the subject.

Everyone's favourite appropriately-named party leader hasn't been having a great time over the past few months. Ever since John Tory's upsetting dual loss in October's provincial election, the vultures have been circling over him. Both established and grassroots party members have been calling for Tory's head, and they'll finally have a chance to oust him at the Progressive Conservative Party's General Meeting at the end of the month.

The anti-Tory camp's main argument is, simply put, that Tory is a loser. GrassrootsPC, an anti-Tory website, argues that the man has lost a provincial and mayoral election—and that he even lost his own seat. The website is the brainchild of Rueben Devlin, the party's former president, and he certainly seems to think that leadership matters—but that there's no leadership in John Tory, and that he would fumble again in the 2011 election.

Complete story at the Torontoist

What's being said about the campaign around the blogs in Canada? Stay informed.

If you notice a story or blog post that's not listed here, send an email to info@draftaleader.com.

1. Christian Conservative - It's official... I'm a delegate

2. The Politic - 10 Ontarians That Would Be Better Leaders Than John Tory

3. Freedom is my Nationality - Together with Dalton/Tory

4. Joan Tintor - Dump Tory group shoots itself in the grassroots (link fixed)

5. The Torontoist - Tory Pleads Relevance, Afri-School Not Special, U.S. Contenders Dropping Like Flies

CHINTA PUXLEY

The Canadian Press

January 31, 2008 at 4:52 AM EST

TORONTO — Ontario's embattled Conservative Leader said yesterday he plans to do a better job of consulting grassroots members about the party's next election platform and will impose "tough measures" to control spending if delegates give him a second chance.

In a letter posted on his website, togetherwithtory.ca, John Tory said he is listening to party members who are upset about the election loss in October.

Some Conservatives were especially bitter that Mr. Tory's controversial promise to fund all religious schools dominated the campaign and cost the party support, resulting in one of its worst election results ever.

Twenty of 21 local representatives will call for leadership review

Posted By COREY LAROCQUE

Conservatives from Niagara Falls are expected to call for provincial leader John Tory to step aside, says the past president of the local riding association.

The movement to dump Tory got its start in Niagara Falls when former MPP and last year's candidate Bart Maves teamed up with a former party president to call for a leadership review at the party's convention next month in London.

"There really is a groundswell for a leadership review," said Nathan Hyde, who was president of the Niagara Falls provincial riding association for the last couple of years.

Maves replaced Hyde as the local president last week. As a former MPP in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves, Maves' point of view carries some clout with Niagara Conservatives. But the movement to replace Tory is more than a local phenomenon, Hyde said. "I don't see that just in our riding. I think there's a lot more than what's being spoken about."

After Premier Dalton McGuinty's Liberals were re-elected in October, Tory took responsibility for the Conservative defeat. During the campaign he emphasized the plan to extend public funding to all religious schools, an issue voters rejected and many say cost the Conservatives the election.

Complete story at the Niagara Falls Review

Rueben Devlin

In the four weeks since a dedicated group of Progressive Conservative party members launched Grassroots PC, I've heard from a huge number of people across this province.

Many people have told me that for the good of the party and to win the next election, John Tory simply has got to go. I agree.

Other people have told me that they would like Tory to stay on as leader. Fair enough. But I've also noticed that when people tell me this, I usually hear one of five main reasons. So I'd like to take a moment and respond to each one.

Myth No. 1: There is no one else available to be Progressive Conservative party leader.

Fact: The PC Party of Ontario is a great party with a strong winning tradition. There is no shortage of new and experienced leaders out there who will seek our party leadership if there was a leadership election. Remember, people don't just jump on the playing field – they wait for the game to actually be scheduled.

On Jan. 21, Grassroots PC released a list of 50 people who would be excellent candidates to replace Tory.

We believe that a leadership race would reinvigorate supporters and attract many new supporters to our party. A new leader will take us to victory in 2011 the way Tory simply hasn't and never will.

Myth No. 2: Tory is a nice guy.

Complete story at the Toronto Star

What's being said about the campaign around the blogs in Canada? Stay informed.

If you notice a story or blog post that's not listed here, send an email to info@draftaleader.com.

1. The Politic - Is The PC Party Actively Creating Delegate Spots For John Tory?

2. Conservative Hipster - Some Additional Advice For John Tory's Posse....

3. Freedom is my Nationality - The True Danger to Party Unity

4. Letter to the Editor, Kingston Whig Standard - How to keep Tory as leader

5.

January 28, 2008
Andrew Dreschel
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 28, 2008)

John Tory's future as the leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives is coming down to a single make-or-break vote that's going to take place on a convention floor a month from now.

At this point, it's virtually impossible to say if the move to get rid of Tory within the party is as deep as it is widespread.

But there's no question the drumbeat, if not support for a leadership election, is getting stronger by the day.

Tory himself insists the noise is coming from a minority. If so, it's an extremely vocal and well-organized one.

At least two websites opposed to Tory's continued leadership have sprung up in the past few weeks, including one by Grassroots PC, a movement launched by former Ontario party president Rueben Devlin and former PC MPP Bart Maves.

As the pro-Tory forces rally with a campaign of their own, the showdown between those who blame the party's defeat in the Oct. 10 election on Tory and those who believe he deserves another chance will take place at the party's annual general meeting to be held in London from Feb. 22 to 24.

Complete story at TheSpec.com

DraftALeader.com would like to welcome back Together with Tory spokesperson John Ratchford from his brief hiatus in favour of Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa Macleod. Although we still have serious doubts about their grasp of "reality" over at Together with Tory, we're happy to see everyone's still "together".

What's being said about the campaign around the blogs in Canada? Stay informed.

If you notice a story or blog post that's not listed here, send an email to info@draftaleader.com.

1. Victory2011 - "Mr. Tory will be picking up the tab for the evening."

Note: Part Three of the Video Response blog will be posted Tuesday morning.

ONTARIO PC PARTY BREAKING RULES TO HELP JOHN TORY?

Press Release

January 27, 2008

The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is contributing to the chaos surrounding their "Membership Lists" that are being used as "official and final" lists in Delegate Selection Meetings. "It's not fair to blame Blair McCreadie, President of the PC Party of Ontario, of total incompetence for this complete disaster of a process. But it's hard to escape the conclusion that the party is accepting certain memberships after the cutoff and certifying them as eligible voters" said Nick Kouvalis.

By Sandy - Jack's Newswatch

There is no doubt that John Tory is a very pleasant person and a very successful business man. But, as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, what he needs is strong political instincts — instincts that haven’t been obvious to those of us watching from the bleachers, including many of us who worked on the Ontario campaign in some way.

Yet, he doesn’t seem to see that he has a problem — in fact that he IS the problem. For example, I saw him on Mike Duffy Live on Friday evening, January 25th and he said he deserved to run again because others had lost a campaign and went on to win the next election – such as Mike Harris and Dalton McGuinty.

But, Harris and McGuinty did not lose their own seats. And, Harris was effective as an opposition leader. He relentlessly went after the government of the day — Bob Rae’s NDP — particularly during the social contract debate and the increase to welfare rates. We all remember the term workfare, no matter what we think of Harris.

By CHRISTINA BLIZZARD, TORONTO SUN

It's the hottest topic in Conservative circles.

Should he stay -- or should he go? In the wake of the Tories' disastrous election outing, should PC leader John Tory call it quits?

Barely stopping to catch his breath after the Oct. 10 vote, Tory is on the road once more, from Cornwall to Timmins, Ottawa to Windsor, convincing Tories he should lead the party in the 2011 vote.

At the end of February, he faces party faithful in a leadership review that promises to be a rough ride.

While Tory has most of his caucus on side, two former party insiders are mounting fierce opposition to his leadership. Former party president Reuben Devlin and former Niagara Falls MPP Bart Maves (who lost his seat in 2003 and ran unsuccessfully in the last election) are rallying disgruntled Tories to their side on their website grassrootspc.ca.

Meanwhile, party activist Nick Kouvalis has his own website, Draftaleader.com that suggests Tory needs an 81% approval rating in the leadership review.

Devlin says the groups opposed to Tory are not setting a fixed mark, but are looking at the history of leadership reviews.

He points out that in 1992, former Premier Mike Harris got 93% approval after modestly improving the party's fortunes in the 1991 election -- only six months after he became leader. Both Dalton McGuinty and Stephen Harper went through "vigourous," leadership reviews and got more than 80%. At the other end of the scale, Joe Clark got 67% and allowed a leadership convention to take place.

"You really should have significant support from your own party if you are going to convince the voters to vote for you," Devlin said in an interview.

Complete story at the Toronto Sun

Randall Denley, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Sunday, January 27, 2008

Few Canadian politicians had as bad a year in 2007 as John Tory. The PC leader worked three years for his crack at the Ontario premiership, seemed to have it in his grasp, fell into a Liberal trap, got his butt kicked, and even lost his own seat. Now he has to ask his party for another chance so he can spend nearly four more years waiting for one last shot.

For a 53-year-old, that's a lot of his remaining working life to devote to a dream. It would have been easier to go back to the business world and let someone else take all the flak. How can anyone want something so much?

Tory was on a swing through Eastern Ontario Friday and I sat down with him to pose that question. Despite his recent education in the rough side of politics, he still thinks that government can be better, more honest with people and far more effective at doing its job.

"I don't want to be Pollyanna-ish, but if you don't have a certain degree of idealism, you should leave the job to someone else," he says. "This is the place where I can make the biggest difference. Good government will make a gigantic contribution to our ability to provide more health care and education."

Complete story at the Ottawa Citizen

John Tory: He too is likely to be looking for work as the Ontario Tories eat yet another leader and set us up for more painful years of Dalton McGuinty. Tory could promise to turn things around for the Leafs by making the entire team skate backwards. It might not be what the fans want to see but hey, once announced, the plan would be a matter of principle and he simply would have to stick to it.

Dalton McGuinty: Please, please, please make him the coach and/or general manager. I can't think of a single thing he would bring to the team, but at least it would get him out of Queen's Park.

Complete story at the Owen Sound Times

Party dissenters insist 50.1% won't be enough for him to keep his job

Jan 26, 2008 04:30 AM
Robert Benzie
Rob Ferguson
Queen's Park Bureau

What is Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory's magic number?

That question is swirling like a tornado at Queen's Park in the wake of his insistence he will remain at the helm if more than 50 per cent of delegates vote No to a leadership review at the party's Feb. 23 convention in London.

In a wide-ranging interview, Tory emphasizes that the only number that counts is the one in the party's constitution.

"The rules are very clear that 50.1 per cent is what you require either way in order to have the motion carried one way or another – 50.1 per cent is what's called a first-ballot win on the leadership convention itself," he says.

"I'm just going by the rules. To start speculating on numbers – any number at all – I mean other than what's in the rules I think is unwise."