GuelphToday received the following letter to the editor from reader James Smith in response to our story Liberal letter courting Mike Schreiner to be next leader.
Regarding the “high profile" Liberals' open letter to Green Party leader Mike Schreiner to run for provincial Liberal leader.
As just a 'low profile Liberal,' were the gentleman in question to run for provincial Liberal leader, I and many other low profile Liberals will work tirelessly for anyone but him, regardless of how high these well-meaning Liberals may be.
Please don’t misunderstand, as a director of the Guelph Provincial Liberal Association, I know, have worked for and respect several of the people who have signed this letter.
However, I fundamentally disagree with their premise and their conclusion that this gentleman is the right person to lead the Ontario Liberal party.
Having worked hard for decades on local Liberal campaigns, knocking on doors, donating money, and putting up signs, I’ve also managed a few campaigns and was an unsuccessful Liberal candidate in 1988 in Burlington.
I’ve shared in some great moments as well as some real downers and I understand the sentiment to want to turn away from “politics as usual."
I suspect the general public sees this effort as high profile Liberals attempting to jump past the hard work with the vain hope that a new leader will just fix things.
Some may recall how “high profile” federal Liberals convinced many to elect the outsider Michael Ignatieff as Liberal leader.
His campaign was supposed to be different, a different kind of leader who was going to do politics differently.
That was until the effective and negative the “just visiting” campaign Stephen Harper unleashed.
Mr. Schreiner as the leader of a fringe party has never really faced the full scrutiny of the press nor the Conservatives' war room focused on him, his character or his various policies.
I suspect the results won’t be pretty. The Tories will keep playing nice with Mr. Schreiner, but as Liberal leader, he’d suddenly face “politics as usual” .
I’d hoped we Liberals had put the divisions of the past behind us, but this letter blows the doors off of that dream.
Many lowly Liberals like me feel confused, demoralized and betrayed.
To the public we look desperate and disorganized and this gentleman’s stock at Queen's Park has risen, at our expense.
Were he to cross the floor, some Guelph Liberals will, like me, make life difficult for this gentleman, others will give up, some will join other parties.
Someday, when a new REAL Liberal leader is in place, whenever that may be, that person’s workload will be that much greater.
Until then, Doug Ford’s ability to push his right-wing agenda for the (rich and connected) people shall continue without pause due to Liberal shenanigans.
Lastly, as this gentleman considers crossing the floor, may I suggest that he consider crossing the floor to where he would find a much better fit?
That is, of course, to sit on the PC side of the legislature.
James Smith
