ABOVE THE FOLD
I spoke with a top NDP strategist to help tee up this weekend’s AGM at which MARIT STILES will face a leadership review — but first: y’all had plenty to say about yesterday’s Q&A with Project Ontario’s MATT SPOKE.
In case you missed it: Project Ontario is a policy-minded group that believes DOUG FORD is taking the PCs into non-traditional territory — after all, the biggest-spending Premier in provincial history can hardly call himself a true blue fiscal conservative. They insist they’re not coming for his head (yet), but rather are looking to influence government policy and turn an eye to what the PC Party will look like in a post-Ford Nation era.
But not everyone is buying it. “They lead every email about their upcoming event by saying how “When conservatives lose their principles, Ontario loses its way”. It is 10000% about how they feel about the govt, imho. Not some policy circle,” said one high-ranking Tory insider. “I know and like some of the folks involved, I just don’t think it’s about policy improvement or whatever. Almost everything they write leads with this lack of principles and takes some sort of shot at the govt. If it was really about policy, I just don’t think that would play into it.”
Even shadier: “Can you stop pretending to be a conservative”, tweeted CHRIS CHAPIN, a lobbyist who’s worked on PC campaigns.
FISSURES IN THE FALLS — New Democrats are heading back to where it all began: Niagara Falls, site of the party’s very first convention. And a little birdie tells me the Falls will be lit up orange Friday night to mark the occasion.
But don’t expect a trip down memory lane — MARIT STILES is facing a leadership review after February’s snap election flop (fewer seats, fewer votes, and more than a few grumbles in the ranks). The socialist caucus is sharpening its knives over the party’s centrist drift (surprise, surprise), while pro-Palestine activists — including SARAH JAMA’s backers — aren’t exactly lining up to give Stiles a standing ovation.
To set the stage for this weekend’s showdown, I caught up with veteran NDPer ERIN MORRISON (ex-ANDREA HORWATH, ex-JAGMEET SINGH) to talk stakes, schisms — and whether Stiles can hold the line.
No magic number: Morrison wouldn’t put a figure on what Stiles needs to get in her leadership review, but says she’s confident Stiles will “sail through.” More highlights: