LARRY'S CORNER- Hamilton's Former Mayor Speaks

Tim Hudak: Leader in Waiting?

By Larry Di Ianni
(posted March 18, 2009)

The ambitious, young Mr. Hudak has been smacking his lips at John Tory’s demise for quite some time now. His name has been circulated among political circles even before Tory assumed the shaky helm of his party; and why not? Hudak is an aggressive, well-connected Harris-style politician who cut his teeth in provincial politics during the party’s successful, if divisive, days of the former premier’s domination (some might say devastation) of the provincial landscape. That experience, and the years in opposition have probably taught Tim a lesson in how to seek government for the long term, not just the short period.

I met Tim Hudak as Mayor when he and I had a breakfast meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton. He asked to meet and I was glad to accommodate. After all, I knew he was destined to represent part of the city after the change in provincial riding structures folded Glanbrook in with the Niagara part of his riding; and I never missed an opportunity to gain another supporter for Hamilton’s issues. He was a quick study and was certainly well-briefed on the topics we touched on: the Red Hill Parkway (still to be built then), Social Services funding, job-creation, our airport, tourism were among the topics we discussed. It was a very good conversation. I came away impressed.

I must add that I was less impressed with Tim when I visited Queen’s Park a number of times and took in question period. Tim Hudak was rude and annoying during this theatrical charade where opposition members hold government ministers to account. He wasn’t as bad as John Baird who was actually kicked out by the Speaker on that particular day, but Tim’s whining, piercing voice and constant interruptions were a marked departure from the young man of substance and intellect that I had seen in the private meeting. I chalked up his demeanour to the follies of the trade demanded by the hour of insanity known as Question Period. For what it’s worth, the House of Commons process is even worse from my experience.

That aside, I think Tim Hudak will be a formidable candidate for the leadership. Although these are, as he himself said, ‘early days’, his connections and philosophy make him most suited for the moment. For one thing, he is not John Tory who is considered to be a middle of the road, ‘red’ Tory. Tim is hard right. Mr. Tory, as John Snobolen once told me, was trying to be nicer than Dalton McGuinty; and, added the witty former Education Minister, “You can’t be nicer than Dalton. He is too nice. You need to be different from Dalton.” These words are almost the same ones uttered by Tim in his comments to the Spectator recently.

Tim’s connections enhanced by those of his wife who was one of Mike Harris’ neo-conservative ‘whiz kids’ during his tenure, will stand him in good stead. In fact Mike Harris was featured at a private fund raiser for Mr. Hudak during the last provincial campaign. Tim will need these connections because Tim’s business pedigree is like Joe Clark’s was when he became federal leader of the PC party, pale and paltry. That is understandable. Tim has really been a professional politician all his life. He was elected when he was in his mid 20’s and has sat in government all this while. He did not have a chance like John Tory to cut his teeth in the hard and tumble competitive business world. Also, even though he was in Cabinet with Mr. Harris, his portfolios were those typically given to junior ministers. Those who count in the Conservative movement look at prior successes before they anoint a leader. However, timing may prove to be on Tim’s side for his run at the leadership.

John Tory’s business pedigree didn’t translate into electoral success. By the time the next provincial election comes around the PC’s will have been out of power for a generation. The local Tories will be hungry. Their calculus for choosing a leader will be based on only one criterion: winnability. As well, Mike Harris’ ghost will have been totally washed away. Teachers, nurses, city politicians, poor people, all will have forgotten the damage of Tim Hudak’s party’s policies in the ‘90’s. Therefore, if Tim Hudak can present a credible, more humane, even if more right wing, alternative to the McGuinty government, he will have a chance to govern. As well, by the time we go to the polls provincially in 2012, Conservatism, now in disfavour mostly because of George W. Bush and his failed policies and Barak Obama and his popularity, the pendulum may have begun to swing back.

There will be only three factors which will prevent Tim Hudak and his provincial Tories from gaining power: the first is Dalton McGuinty. He has proven to be very successful and adaptable as a leader. He reminds me of Bill Davis who mastered the art of seeming in charge under all circumstances. If Mr. McGuinty sticks around, he may easily three-peat. The second is Stephen Harper. Ontarians like to balance their politics. We generally tend to elect Liberals provincially when the Conservatives are in power federally and vice versa. If Mr. Harper and his government stick around, it will spell trouble for the local PC party. And the third is Mr. Hudak and his policies. The Common Sense Revolution has come, gone and been repudiated. Ontario is much more tolerant than Mr. Harris thought. Ontario doesn’t like to treat any citizen with disrespect and the Harris government, of which Mr. Hudak was a member, did that in spades. Remember that Harris got elected because Lynn McLeod fizzled as Liberal leader and because there was a strong desire to throw the NDP out of power, and not because of Mr. Harris or the CSR. If Mr. Hudak doesn’t heed that message and present a more ‘compassionate’ Conservative face to Ontarians, he will be sorely and electorally disappointed.

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