Cornwall Ontario – Today has been a certain bit of delicious irony. The Progressive Conservative Leadership circus may have ended. If it has Doug Ford has surprised many and won the race on the first ballot, but not without at least one recount.
One would think that after the Hilary Clinton election campaign farce that if any party wouldn’t mimic it here in Canada it wouldn’t be a Conservative one, but sure enough after assassinating their own leader politically the strange machinations over how many members the party really has and if all of them had a chance to vote for the leadership, and issues resulted in a hot mess that all the leadership candidates asked for an extension for with the exception of now three time loser, Christine Elliott. (Ms Elliott snubbed this newspaper in her one visit to SD&G)
BREAKING: A senior official with direct knowledge of the results tells me that Doug Ford won the Ontario PC leadership race in the initial count and that Christine Elliott is demanding a recount. #onpoli #pcpoldr. pic.twitter.com/urSPg4s4bJ
— Mike Crawley (@CBCQueensPark) March 10, 2018
Not so surprising was the poor results for Caroline Mulroney, but she’s young and may learn from her mistakes or simply slither back to the US.
With Doug Ford winning the leadership the election may become about gender politics and values with slivers of Trumpian slashes and dashes.
You have one of the most hated politicians in Canadian politics, but a strong leader in Kathleen Wynne who should never be underestimated. You have Andrea Horwath taking the high road, but again not doing much from that position, and then you have the PC’s who can reasonably be asked that if they can’t manage their party how can they manage the province?
It almost makes one want to move to Saskatchewan.
Further irony is that Ford finished third in support in PC Leadership endorsements.
Ironically again the only live coverage this scribbler found was on the CBC that area PC’s love to hate with amazing coverage from the delightful and charming Rosemary Barton with some great work from the very talented Eric Grenier and Mike Crawley on the floor seeming to be leaked info that shouldn’t be leaked.
At 4:41 pm before anyone else: @CBCQueensPark reports @fordnation wins ##PCLeadership to @RosieBarton #DougFord @PCpoldr #onpoli #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/fqK8YciOy6
— Jeff Harrington (@JHarringtonTV) March 10, 2018
In all it’s been a hot mess, but an entertaining one and the fact that Ford will be the frontrunner in this race shows how messed up #onpoli is.
And of course the Elliott camp can end up taking this all to court. Stay tuned!
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UPDATE 6:27 PM
Ironically a statement is about to be made stating that the party is not in a position to announce the results.
Why do I get the feeling that Kathy is wearing a Hawaiian shirt, no shoes and is on her 3rd rum drink….
BREAKING: The chairman of the PC leadership election committee @hartleylefton is about to tell the crowd he party is not in a position to announce the results. https://t.co/wUZsRzgf7u
— Mike Crawley (@CBCQueensPark) March 10, 2018
6:55 PM
Why is it that the one person who is allowed in and out of a sealed room is leaking info to the press regarding the #PCPOldr results-Nothing official other than rumors. Happens to be the same PB coms person. #onpoli
— Randy Hillier (@randyhillier) March 10, 2018
UPDATE 7:08 PM
PC Party may have to leave hotel room for other event before announcing official winner.
UPDATE 7:21 PM
Hartley Lefton finally takes the stage. He apologizes for the delay. Review to be done of certain votes. Now being booed. Have lost access to hall and asks media and every to leave. Sends media to their room upstairs. No mention of cookies and beer. More booing. Cue music. The hottest political mess this scribbler’s ever seen.
UPDATE 7:34 PM
CBC reporting that it’s Christine Elliott dragging process longer, tire burning party. So Hilary!
Frank Klees calls for resignation of Party Executive blaming them election mess.
UPDATE 8:08 PM
Rosie and the CBC team call it a night. Kudos to her for lasting as long as she did! Still no real answers other than Christine Elliott appears to be doing her best Hilary Clinton impersonation!