Did Mackay win the leadership debates?
Peter Mackay’s performance in the Conservative leadership race has vindicated the criticisms levelled by rival Erin O’toole that the former defence minister is yesterday’s man; an entitled, policy-light, serial flip-flopper who keeps putting his foot in it.
That was all true until around the hour mark in the French-language debate on Wednesday, when Mackay appeared to remember why he is running.
Asked how he planned to attract new support, Mackay said the Conservative Party had a perception problem in the last election.
“We have to change that perception. The Conservative Party is a big tent, but we have to prove that to people,” he said.
“We have to welcome everyone into the party and present ourselves as an inclusive, modern party with clear and modern policies. We need a plan to protect the environment. I also support LGBTQ2 communities without reservation.
“We have to reach out to young people, cultural communities, Indigenous people and francophones.
“It is crucial to present ourselves as a party that says, ‘Yes, come in, we respect you, what’s your opinion, what’s your perspective?’ We need to have a party where people see themselves reflected.”
This proclamation will be music to the ears of Conservatives who recognize the need to peel off disaffected centrist voters from the Liberals.
The fact that he said it in reasonably coherent French added to the feeling that Mackay has re-discovered his mojo.
Over the course of two nights, Mackay appealed not just to Conservative partisans, but to the wider voting public – which suggests he believes his lead is large enough to risk upsetting social conservatives.
On Wednesday, O’toole tried to insert himself into the debate, but Mackay brushed off O’toole’s accusations that he is dividing Conservatives.
“You say you want to bring the party and the country together but you’re the wrong person to do that. You’re an angry man, Mr. O’toole. Why are you always angry?” asked Mackay.
It was the defining moment of this most unremarkable of campaigns.
That the barb stung was apparent by O’toole’s more subdued performance in the English debate. As a result, the debate on Thursday night was much less cantankerous, with far fewer clashes between the front-runners.
The two other candidates – Derek Sloan and Leslyn Lewis – were handicapped on Wednesday by their limited French language abilities, effectively kissing goodbye support in Quebec. With every riding carrying equal weight, it is hard to win this contest if you have written off a quarter of the points going in.
Both were markedly better in English, particularly on the question of racism, where Lewis distinguished between individual and systemic racism, and Sloan criticized Quebec’s ban on religious symbols as an example of systemic racism.
Lewis still has the potential to spring a shock.
But it was Mackay who consolidated his status.
O’toole’s face reflected as much in the post-french debate press conference. The former veterans’ affairs minister looked like he’d found a dead fly in his water glass.
Mackay can consider himself fortunate that he does not have a more compelling, bilingual opponent. For all his fine words, his platform is not much of an improvement on the one offered by Andrew Scheer last fall – an offering that was summarily rejected by the electorate.
Mackay talked about protecting the environment but his plan cancels the Liberal carbon tax and offers no alternative route to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He criticized O’toole for presenting an environment plan that “looks like a Liberal plan” because it allows provinces to bring forward their own form of carbon pricing. He even labelled his rival, “Erin Trudeau”.
Yet, there is nothing in his platform to suggest he has a better idea.
Mackay’s campaign has lurched from one gaffe to another, as the candidate has taken advice from people he might have been better off ignoring.