The Tory blues

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/10/2011 (5438 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Progressive Conservative party led by Hugh McFadyen is dead.

Long live the Tories.

In what will be looked back on as one of the most ineffective election campaigns in Manitoba history, the hapless McFadyen-led team allowed the NDP to break records and attain a fourth consecutive majority government on Tuesday.

The Tories certainly got off to a good start in late August, but the campaign quickly devolved into a scattershot affair, drenched in despair.

While the PC party attempted to appeal to everyone with a platform any Liberal would be proud of, it only served to turn off all but the most ardent supporters.

In his concession speech Tuesday night, McFadyen fell on his sword and announced he would step down as leader as soon as a replacement could be found.

The 44-year-old lawyer said it was time to let someone else try.

And he left on a bitter note: “Regrettably,” he said, “today in Manitoba it appears that fear and deceit have won the day.”

The NDP may not have been afraid to fight the fight in the gutters, but the Tories did nothing to defend themselves.

How can you possibly win over people with promises of what you won’t do?

When McFadyen was made party leader in 2006, few thought the NDP would be able to tear him down by tying him to his former boss, premier Gary Filmon.

But Selinger et al did so with astounding ease.

This was McFadyen’s second loss to the NDP. And you just don’t get a chance to go for a third strike in the bloodsport of politics. Especially Tory politics.

If the election had taken place in the spring, the Conservatives could have won a majority (the mantra “it’s time for a change” was in the air.)

But the fixed election date allowed the Manitoba NDP to start playing out its well-scripted campaign as soon as it was clear the historic spring flood wasn’t going to hit Winnipeg.

Simply put, the province — and especially Winnipeg — is in a pretty darn good mood these days. And happy people don’t go looking for change.

Westman constituencies — save for Brandon East — were once again painted a bright Tory blue.

In Brandon, the margin was tight but Brandon West remained in Progressive Conservative hands after newcomer Reg Helwer defeated New Democrat Jim Murray by 146 votes.

We strongly suggest Helwer start building good working relationships with Brandon East NDP MLA Drew Caldwell (easily re-elected), Mayor Shari Decter Hirst and Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Merv Tweed.

Helwer needs to learn a thing or two from the veteran Caldwell about what it takes to represent Brandon to Winnipeg. The two of them working together could be of benefit to us.

Sure, Tuesday night was a huge disappointment for the PC party as it failed to make the required gains into several key Winnipeg constituencies.

So what does the party need to do to going forward?

First off, have a complete and thorough housecleaning of everyone in the backrooms at the Leg and at party HQ. Whoever thought they were doing a good job clearly weren’t.

Then, to ensure you don’t start losing any support in your rural base, look for a leader from outside the Perimeter Highway and return the party to its true Tory roots during the rebuilding phase.

The Progressive Conservatives are bound to be in Opposition for maybe multiple terms after this week’s crash and burn.

But at least if they start acting like Tories and not Liberals — or the McFadyen-led faux socialists — they might find some way to have some self-respect while in Opposition.

The party isn’t dead.

It’s just on intensive care.