Embrace the Conservative Hat Trick

Premier Dalton McGuinty is bringing up the idea of a Conservative Hat Trick.  That's a Conservative majority in Ottawa under Harper, a P.C. government at Queen's Park, and a P.C. in the Mayor's seat in Toronto.  I don't really find that too scary.

Harper for his part has been a steady hand on the tiller for the economy.  We started off not knowing what he was like on a personal level and gave him a minority government; and then slow but steady increased the minority.  The N.D.P. is strong enough to stand up to his majority; they've already done it when they filibustered the postal-workers back to work legislation.  Even though it's a transitional period as they prepare to choose a new leader I think they'll still find ways to make their message heard.

Toronto Voters chose Rob Ford last October; and they need him.  David Miller says he left a $350 million surplus, but so far there are no signs of it.  Surplus or not, the city is still in a pretty big hole and something has to give.   The cuts will be painful, but if the result is a more prosperous Ontario capital, then isn't it worth it? Toronto voters also chose more federal Conservatives to represent them in Ottawa showing that fear of Conservatives in Toronto might be on the decline.

I don't find anything scary about a possible "Premier Hudak."  Polls show a minority with Andrea Horwath in a king-maker role.   I think she'd be a strong enough influence at Queen's Park.  Polls show a  minority mostly because even after months of campaigning we still don't know Tim Hudak that well.  Why couldn't we treat Hudak, the same way we treated Harper? Give him a minority for a while, and see what he can do

The whole idea of a "Conservative hat trick" seems more a reaction of a Premier desperate to hold on.  His platform is in tatters, and all he has left is a record in which the scandals outweigh the successes.  Fear is basically the last tactic open to him.   Well I say, embrace the fear- let's give Hudak a try.  If we find electing him wasn't the best idea we ever had we can always switch it up in a year or so.