For better or for worse: Tim Hudak

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: TORONTO SUN
Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak survived a leadership challenge and will lead the party in the next provincial election

London was host to an historic vote near the end of September that cemented Tim Hudak as the flag-bearer for the provincial Conservative Party for the next couple of years, but most importantly, for the upcoming provincial election expected next spring. It happened just down the road at the London Convention Center on September 21.

Hudak has been the leader of the provincial Conservatives since 2009, and the vote was a result of inner party criticism over Hudak's failure to win more than one of the five by-elections held in August, including one right here in London.

Public perception is the highest authority in politics because regardless of the quality of the governing party they're guaranteed a return ticket to office if they can convince the public that they're making good choices. The provincial Liberal Party is a case in point, as they won support for cancelling the construction of two power generation plants only to have their leader, Dalton McGuinty, resign once the cost of the cancellations became public. Hudak is poised for the next provincial election and the vote to retain him as party leader could point to two possible paths forward.

The Conservative Party in Ontario has suffered from inner turmoil virtually since Hudak was elected as party leader. The failure to capitalize on the by-elections is being used by rabble rousers to convince delegates within the party that Hudak lacks the necessary qualities to lead them to victory in a province that has a long history of supporting the Liberals. The vote on September 21 could indicate that the infighting has reached a conclusion and the factions within the Conservative Party will pull together to make a strong bid come election time. The alternative, and more likely, scenario is that this has been an indicator of what Hudak will be up against. The criticism he's been under ranges from accusations that he lacks leadership qualities and the term “cold fish” comes up a lot. His lone victory in the byelections gave his detractors exactly what they needed to make the case that Hudak doesn't resound with voters.

The one positive that Hudak can take away from the experience, other than retaining his title, is that the party changed their policy too make it more difficult to call a leadership review going forward.

Given the paramount importance of public opinion the provincial Conservatives likely took a hit on their popularity in the face of an attempt to remove their leader. Supporters of Hudak should be concerned that they're supporting a candidate who doesn't even seem to have the support of everyone in his own party. The timeliness of the vote is sure to factor in given that virtually no one will remember, or care, about the vote by the time an election is called however, if it's indicative of the next two years for the Conservatives, Hudak will be fighting both the opposition and his own party for the top job in Ontario.

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