Few people that I’ve read or talked to who are associated with the Ontario PCs argue that the results of last weekend’s leadership review were anything but the worst-case scenario in that it presented a tepid endorsement for John Tory’s leadership with a side of his indecisiveness and charges of corruption. In the wake of returning to my home, I decided to sit back and absorb what all of us were just put through, as well as see what would transpire in the coming week both from my fellow Blogging Tories, the Liberals and, of course, Mr. Tory. Having compiled and contemplated the last seven days’ worth of information, I think I’m ready to make an assessment of the situation that the Ontario PCs now see themselves in March, 2008…

First of all, I think that the best commentaries that I’ve read so far come from Christian Conservative, Joanne and Aaron; as this post will demonstrate, I don’t agree completely in every case, but the three posts capture nicely the mood in the party right now, as well as making some good arguments. Mr. Tory should feel very fortunate to get such a good group of people behind him since he really needs this group if he’s going to do anything of substance in the next election.

That said, I have to admit great disappointment that so far, the only thing Mr. Tory has released in the aftermath of the most destructive convention I’ve ever been to is a press release that attempts to pad over the difficulties of London but gives little encouragement to the reader that Mr. Tory will follow through with his promise to reach out to the one-third of the party who as able to vote against him at the convention. I have to admit that I am further discouraged from seeing a breakthrough to the magnitude that the party needs after having my first face-to-face with the PC Leader on the 22nd. After explaining to him that he got 6 fewer votes than Ernie Eves did in my family alone, and offering a suggestion on how he could target two groups (one traditionally PC, one swing) with a health care plan I’ve gotten favourable feedback from among other PC Party members, Mr. Tory automatically dismissed it as not fitting with his urbane vision of the party’s policy. After hearing that, I have no more doubt that the man simply does not realize that he has needs to change his thinking if he’s going to bring the party back to 2003, let alone 1999 support levels.

The next problem that the party is facing internally is that the whole leadership process has left a very bad taste in everyone’s mouth. I watched as entire ridings, which incidentally had a strong anti-Tory bias to them, had their delegates challenged on the Friday night. In light of the Andrew Brander scandal that hit on the 20th, and the questionable tactics employed in ridings particularly in the GTA throughout the winter, it would have done a great deal of good for Mr. Tory to announce on Friday night that any delegate that made the trip to London should have their voting privileges acknowledged no matter what, for the sake of being inclusive and representative of the grassroots — two things Tory is now claiming to be constantly. It would have shown that he was confident in his support among party members, lowered the tension level by two points on the rictor scale during the first day, and even guarantee the party a couple extra thousand dollars in delegate fees! Instead, I felt like we were living out a bad Young & the Restless arc and can’t see how those party members who got shafted during the delegate selection process will happily volunteer extra hours in 2011.

Finally, and most importantly, I offer the reason why I am currently not ready to jump behind Mr. Tory in support of his leadership at the present time. It is something that unfortunately has become largely ignored in the last week, but is the biggest scandal of the whole process. To illustrate, I came home on Monday morning and checked my mailbox on the way up to my place. Inside the box was a large manila envelope sent from the PC Party and which contained a letter explaining at length why I should, as a delegate for my riding, vote NO to a leadership review. The letter had Mr. Tory’s picture and the party’s letterhead on the top and a 68 cent postage stamp on the envelope. The question isn’t so much why the PC Party’s headquarters paid for this partisan material with everyone’s donations (including those who don’t support Mr. Tory’s leadership), or why Mr. Tory has not yet paid back the party for all the expenses the debt-ridden organization incurred to keep him as leader (I have heard that he promised to do this after the convention, but have heard nothing since), but rather why such a practice was allowed to commence in the first place!

Let me put it this way folks: if Mr. Tory sees the PC Party as his own personal expense account when times get tough, what would he think of the province’s public treasury? And if you’re a hyper-partisan who thinks that this isn’t a very comfortable development to bring up, then how do you think the Liberals will treat this material in 2011? Let’s face it, the Liberals are ruthless and far more skilled at playing dirty than Mr. Tory’s people are. They will be digging up skeletons from this last weekend all through the next campaign, and I’d bet good money that this financing issue will be front and centre. You’re better hearing it from me now when the public is effectively asleep, than from Warren Kinsella’s negstapo two weeks before e-day. Anyway, isn’t our side supposed to be the integrity and transparency team?!

Mind you, if Mr. Tory settles the accounts now, he might get off with a clean record, but if he doesn’t, he will be the target of corruption accusations that would make the Jean Chretien crowd blush. Irregardless of the political fallout, the only honourable action is for Tory to reimburse the party now. Only then, after that is taken care of, can he begin the process of convincing voters like me that he won’t treat my tax dollars to such a questionable, and partisan, endeavour.

Your move, Mr. Tory!