Tories Praise Harris

OTTAWA - The effort to rebuild the fortunes of Ontario's Conservative Party began in earnest last night with a debate that celebrated the glory days of Mike Harris's Common Sense Revolution. John Tory, who lost a bid to become mayor of Toronto last year, seemed the odd man out, as former cabinet ministers Frank Klees and Jim Flaherty tried to paint him as a left-of-centre alternative. "My tradition, I suggest our tradition, is more value based" than leadership by polling, said Mr. Flaherty in his opening address. "I believe our party wins when we act like ourselves. When we act on our values as common-sense conservatives." Mr. Klees urged the party to return to the message it imparted "between 1995 and 1999," the era in which Mr. Harris held a lock on politics in Ontario.

Mr. Tory was assailed for comments he made during the mayoral race when he suggested he might raise taxes to help pay for Toronto's ailing transit system. "When you ran for mayor you said I think I'm running on exactly the same message that [Dalton] McGuinty ran on," said Mr. Flaherty, alluding to the Ontario Premier's promise to hold the line on taxes and perhaps even increase them. "I'm a Conservative, I believe in reducing taxes in Ontario - capital taxes, corporate taxes, personal income taxes."

During the debate last night, Mr. Tory came out strongly opposed to private entry into the public health-care system, but Mr. Klees disagreed. "Let's break the shackles of the Canada Health Act," he said. "Why would you deny the principle of choice in health care?" The debate, held in a hotel in Ottawa's high-tech suburb of Kanata in front of an audience of about 400, was the first of three that will take place prior to the leadership vote on Sept. 18.

The last time the Conservatives sought a new leader (after the resignation of Mr. Harris), the battle for the top job eventually went to Ernie Eves. It was a somewhat nasty affair, with the contenders turning on each other.
There are elements of that at play this time, but the candidates have Mr.
McGuinty as a new target for their ire. All three candidates touched on the perceived failings of the current Liberal government and Mr. McGuinty is undoubtedly in store for intense criticism as the race continues. Mr. Tory said he had travelled to many parts of the province and has seen the anger that he said Ontarians hold for the Liberals, particularly because of the decision to establish health-care premiums. "In eight short months the McGuinty government has broken its promise to Ontarians," he said.

Tory Contenders Trade Debate Barbs

Provincial Conservative leadership candidates pledged to start a new revolution to kick-start the party during the first of three leadership debates last night. As expected, the three contenders - Jim Flaherty, John Tory and Frank Klees - vying for the party's brass ring took a variety of shots at the current Liberal government, which handed the Tories a crushing defeat in last fall's election. However, their political barbs weren't limited to the Liberals. They didn't hesitate to point the finger at one another, with each candidate suggesting he was the only one with the vision to take the party forward.

Flaherty and Klees took repeated shots at Tory during the one-hour debate in Kanata last night, suggesting Tory was not "conservative enough" and accusing him of having policies mirroring those of Paul Martin. Flaherty later denied that his attacks on Tory, a former candidate for the mayor of Toronto, were a sign that his leadership bid is slipping.

Several times during the debate, Klees accused Tory of failing to think outside the Toronto box and that there are issues facing all Ontarians, not just Toronto taxpayers. Under the watch of former premier Ernie Eves, Klees was appointed Minister of Transportation. He says he clearly understands the public transportation needs of Ottawa residents. "I am well aware of the O-Train issue and I've always been a strong proponent of a good mix of public transit with an appropriate highway system," said Klees. "My commitment is to public transit."

Flaherty, who lost the 2002 provincial leadership race to Eves, said Tory couldn't lead the province and shares the tradition of less successful Conservative leaders such as Larry Grossman, Kim Campbell and Joe Clark.

Tory said his 35-year devotion to the party and willingness to talk to voters across the province will make him the best choice, adding it is too early to tell who the frontrunner is yet. "In the final analysis, it will be up to the members of the party to decide who the frontrunner is," said Tory.