So John Tory comes out to talk to the National Post editorial board yesterday, and while claiming he was neutral on the electoral reform question, went ahead and criticized it anyhow. The kicker to all this was this statement:
“The notion to me that you’d have a whole bunch of people that would be down there now who will be accountable only to party bosses who put their names on the list, to me seems to be making the place less democratic, not more, and less accountable.”
Uh, John.. you’re the leader of the Progressive Conservative party. You’re one of those “party bosses” you’re so fearful of in your statement. I’m sure you have a say and some influence in deciding how exactly your party would pick your list candidates. Let me repeat to you what Rosemary Speirs said in the Toronto Star yesterday regarding this flimsy argument:
This is where those little understood, much maligned “lists” come into play… The lists are public and each party will try to put its best foot forward. NDP Leader Howard Hampton has already pledged province-wide party nomination conventions to elect his “list” candidates. Premier Dalton McGuinty and Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory should now join in Hampton’s declaration that all his party’s nominations will be open and democratic. Otherwise, think what the No forces are admitting in their desperation to win! Cronyism is alive and well and could get worse?
You had a chance, Mr. Tory, to tell the National Post and the rest of Ontario that if MMP were to pass, you would make sure your party would pick your list candidates in a democratic manner. Instead, you brought up the same bogey-man that the No side does - and you’re one of the people in a position to ensure this doesn’t happen! If both you and Premier McGuinty were to make public statements of the nature that Rosemary Speirs suggests, this argument/fear would effectively be kneecapped (even though I don’t really believe it will happen regardless - there will be too much public pressure I believe to ensure a democratic method is chosen to pick these list candidates - a public declaration from the 2 main parties leaders would still certainly help).
You still have a chance, Mr Tory. Show some leadership on the issue and declare the days of cronyism are over and declare that your list candidates will be democratically picked. Even if you don’t support this electoral reform, you surely can see that its good policy to say to everyone that party hacks and “backroom boys” will not manipulate the lists.(And you too, Premier McGuinty).
Of course, it may be you’re so against MMP that you’re trying to propagate that fear, but again, a “party leader” spreading concerns about what “party leaders” will do under MMP is a tad rich.
Excellent point!