Finally things are starting to get interesting again at Queens Park, from a political perspective that is. Many of you will remember William G. Davis, Premier of Ontario from 1971 to 1985. Premier Davis operated under the assumption that "bland works". For the longest time, I kept saying to myself, he is anything but bland.
My readers and others will know that I served in the Ontario Legislature, representing the riding of Essex South, from 1975 until 1993, at which time I retired from partisan politics.
So what was this "bland" if Premier Davis himself was not bland? "Bland politics", in Ontario, is low balling your political problems, making them less than newsworthy and focusing on the problems of others, especially the federal government. And at this, and many other things, Premier Davis was a master. He was also very warm, very smart and very capable.
Current Ontario Premier, Dalton McGuinty, has adopted this "bland works", aided by a very weak opposition, so far the strategy has been successful. In the interest of Fair Play, I disclose that I supported McGuinty, in his quest to become Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, unlike Windsor area Ontario Cabinet Ministers, Dwight Duncan and Sandra Pupatello. As a matter of fact, I was standing right in front of McGuinty as the final results of his come from behind victory was announced. It was a good moment!! At the same time, Duncan and Pupatello were standing next to losing candidate Gerrard Kenedy. Not such a good a moment, at least until McGuinty forgave them!! saving their political careers.
No one knows if Premier McGuinty will run for a third term as Premier. I am betting he will not. Therefore the un-official race is on to replace Premier McGuinty as Ontario Liberal Leader.
Tune in for Part 2 tomorrow.
