Revolutionary Moderation

Poor Peter MacKay



The new Tory leader seriously needs to hire some new spin doctors. He cuts a deal with David Orchard to get elected leader of the PC party, and for three days he's been getting the crap beat out of him for it. What?



Let me have a go: "Peter has shown the sort of flexibility required of a true national leader." "The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada is proud of its roots, and proud that we could bring a free trade agreement to this country. But just as the NDP is a staunch defender of medicare, so we must be a staunch defender of true free trade, and that defense requires constant examination and re-examination." "Never ask questions? Never rethink policies? That sounds like the Liberal Party, not the PC Party." "Nothing in this agreement says our caucus can't work with the Alliance Party in the House of Commons. Come next election, we'll run 301 candidates, because at that point, the only deal we want to make is with the Canadian people."



I actually believe some of that, if not in the partisan way I've put it. If the Tories believe that NAFTA has been nothing but good, let a committee write a report that backs that up. And let that same committee talk about ways to deal with the forces working to undermine real free trade (think softwood).



As for the "no truck nor trade with Reform" clause, let's be honest: the only sort of merger Reform wants is one where the two parties join together, they call themselves the Canadian Alliance, and Stephen Harper is named leader. It's sort of the merger Nazi Germany had with Poland. No Tory leader worth electing is about to hand over the keys of Sir John A.'s party over to an organization that can't wait to strip it for parts.



I don't think Peter MacKay gave away anything. If there's any reason for Tories to be concerned about Peter MacKay as leader, be concerned that Mr. MacKay either doesn't realize he gave nothing away, or he's afraid to stand up for himself.