Premier Dalton McGuinty is getting the honeymoon he never had, and it is putting new spring in his step.
The Liberal premier was not given the period of grace new governments traditionally enjoy, in which they can do no wrong and often climb in polls, after he was elected to his first term in 2003.
He was denied it because his first act as premier was to impose a huge tax increase, which he had said he would not do, to pay for election promises, although the outgoing Progressive Conservative government was as much to blame because it falsely claimed it was leaving him balanced books.
McGuinty was forced to read newspaper headlines about “Fiberals” and “McLiar” throughout his first four-year term, and he had other failings, about average for governments, so the criticisms never let up.
If he found joy in being premier, he never showed it, and most of the time looked as if he was on his way to a funeral.
But since McGuinty won a second successive majority government on Oct. 10, it shows in his appearance.
Almost any time he speaks, even when making such mundane announcements as “our caucus met earlier today and we had some productive discussions,” he has a half-smile, as if he is having difficulty holding back his glee and it is about to burst forth any moment.
McGuinty looks extremely self-satisfied and gives no hint he owes his bliss particularly to Conservative leader John Tory’s blunder in promising to fund private faith-based schools, which alienated most voters.
McGuinty looks relaxed, comfortable and confident for the first time as premier and is acting more as if he is in control.
He has not seen a headline denouncing “Fiberals” in at least a month and may feel that burden is behind him.
The defeated leaders of the opposition Conservatives and New Democrats pop their heads above ground only to indicate they and their parties are still debating how long they will be around.
Tory wants to stay and many in his party, but not yet a majority, agree with him. NDP leader Howard Hampton after leading in three successive defeats in elections is still pondering whether he has the heart to lead in a fourth.
The legislature is not sitting, so McGuinty’s opponents cannot use it as a forum. The news media have not yet decided, as they have sometimes when one party dominated, that it is up to them to be the real opposition.
McGuinty feels in charge at last and this is prompting him to be more aggressive.
It has shown in his shuffling of his cabinet. In his first term McGuinty had trouble deciding what to do with ministers who hurt him.
He allowed Harinder Takhar, who devoted time to his business instead of his ministry; and David Caplan, who failed to protect lottery ticket buyers, to stay; and dropped Mike Colle, who was responsible for allocating funds for immigrants that seemed to go disproportionately to Liberal friends.
McGuinty has started his second term boldly by dropping four ministers who mostly were steady if unspectacular and replacing them with younger MPPs he feels will provide more energy and make his party more in tune with the times.
McGuinty may not get better performances from them, but he suddenly shows eagerness to try.
McGuinty also put a brake on the only minister who has been seen widely as a potential successor, Michael Bryant, by moving him from attorney general, traditionally a senior post well situated for gathering support from the most powerful professionals in politics, lawyers, to a new Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs.
There had been predictions McGuinty will not lead his party in the next election in 2111, but he has done nothing to suggest this and probably will not decide until close to the election and is under no pressure.
But he should savour this moment, because this is as comfortable as it is likely to get.
Eric Dowd is a veteran member of the Queen’s Park press gallery.
