Posted by Sudbury Northern Life
Toronto – There is another debate on leadership going on in Ontario and it is nowhere as dull as some make out.
Toronto news media mostly have been so consumed by the uncertain future of John Tory as leader of the Progressive Conservatives, the larger opposition party, that they have taken as much interest in the race for New Democrat leader as they might in a contest for mayor of Moosonee.
One journalist on a TV panel looking at prospects for 2009 sniffed the NDP race is “one of the most boring in history,” and another lamented it has “little of the life, spark or conflict usually found in Conservative leadership campaigns.”
It is true no contestant has called another a pale, pink imitation of a Liberal — as a rival called Ernie Eves, who went on to become premier — in one recent Conservative race for leader.
But the NDP race has produced worthwhile ideas, including the bravest from an Ontario politician in years, and jostling that reveals these comrades have differences, although mostly they stick together like Krazy Glue.
The bravest idea came from Michael Prue, who said the NDP needs to review all its policies and this includes its support for funding Roman Catholic schools.
The Conservatives under Tory were soundly defeated for proposing to expand funds to schools of other faiths in the 2007 election, and this also emphasized the province funds only Catholic and not other faith-based schools.
It also has made funding for Catholics increasingly difficult to justify and revived calls for a single, non-religious public system, which many Catholics would resist and most politicians would not dare even to broach.
Prue says he is not advocating a single system, but politicians have avoided discussing this issue and it is time they faced it and he deserves praise for being willing to look at it.
Prue also would give residents power to de-amalgamate huge regional municipalities forced on them by successive provincial governments, which would please many, because they have increased costs.
Gilles Bisson has proposed the almost revolutionary policy that the NDP should not promise programs until it can demonstrate how it would pay for them. He said his party has to place as much emphasis on how to improve the economy to fund programs as it does on social policies.
Bisson sounded like the man from the Chamber of Commerce when he said many entrepreneurs lack capital to produce what they invent, and an NDP government should offer them “backstop loans” guaranteeing part of what they borrow from banks.
Andrea Horwath is proposing the province prevent property developers from launching massive lawsuits against residents who oppose and delay projects that threaten to stifle opposition.
Horwath has promised to shake up the NDP, says it needs new voices and sounds a lot like candidates in U.S. presidential elections, who say Washington has lost contact with ordinary people.
Peter Tabuns, the last to enter, echoes the same theme that the party needs inspiration, hope and a bigger vision. He wants to create a new “energy economy” that will provide jobs by building new ways to save energy.
One sign this is not a party motivated entirely by brotherly love is Paul Miller, one of its brightest new MPPs, is not supporting fellow Hamiltonian Horwath and says he does not endorse people according to where they live.
He says he supports Prue because he will do the best job and win the most seats, and he and Horwath “have a little history and I hope she understands the situation.” Horwath retorted icily, “Paul has to make the decisions Paul has to make, and at the end of the day I will become leader.”
Cheri DiNovo, an MPP who, on ability, could run herself, is not supporting Horwath, the only woman candidate, but opting for Tabuns because of his green agenda.
These New Democrats are not exactly overflowing with sisterly love, either, but they are not taking this leadership contest lightly and neither should others
Eric Dowd is a veteran member of the Queen’s Park press gallery.
