John Tory: One Final Thought
As has been noted elsewhere, John Tory’s 66.9% of the delegates votes on Saturday was the same as Joe Clarke’s 1983 showing, which Clarke accepted as not enough and called for a leadership convention. Some have been suggesting Tory should follow Clarke’s lead, that, because of Clarke, 70% is the drop dead point on these reviews.
As Wudrick points out, however, “Mr. Clark… is considered the gold standard of poor political decision-making in Canadian politics.” His decision to hold a leadership convention after receiving 66.9% would be one of those judgements.
But Clarke had a reason (two, actually: from the comments of the same post linked to above: “People tend to forget that Joe Clark got 66.5% of delegates voting against a leadership review in 1981… In 1983… He received 66.9% supporting his leadership. Clark called a leadership convention because his support was not increasing.”) . Joe Clarke had lost his caucus back in 1983. He had virtually no support from the members he was supposed to be leading. He wanted a very strong majority in the review so he could reinforce his leadership in caucus. When he didn’t get it, he went with a convention.
John Tory, on the other hand, seems to have caucus support. He didn’t need super majority status to reinforce his leadership. He needed 50% + 1, and he got it. I don’t support John Tory, and won’t, but I have no complaints about Tory staying on with almost 70% of the delegates votes.
I casted a “YES” vote but will support John Tory though I never did prior.
I had a call from the Ontario Tories last night asking for a donation. I told them “Not until you get a new leader.” The caller sounded as if she has been getting a lot of that lately.