Brown is being vilified for centrist platform

MPP accuses ousted leader of ‘crooked politics,’ lies, Feb. 21

Tory MPP Randy Hillier has accused former party leader and former social conservative Patrick Brown of all kinds of nefarious deeds. Hillier, who would be at home in the American Tea Party, doesn’t like Brown’s centrist turn.

What we have here is not so much an attack on Brown personally, although it is definitely that, but part of the social right wing of the party making war on any attempt to bring the party to centrist policies.

The four “legitimate” candidates have outdone themselves to renounce Brown’s centrist platform. Stephen Bloom, Toronto

Watching the ongoing slagging of Patrick Brown has brought one or two things into sharp focus.

One is that he is being vilified by many of the rank-and-file Tories who are doing their best to discredit him.

Another is the reporting of mismanaged personal funds, the mismanagement of official coffers and the assump- tion that a teetotaller is inherently a good guy.

Brown may be a decent human being, but he now needs to exonerate himself or quietly fold up his tent and creep into the night. His decision to join the leadership race is utterly insane.

He may be vindicated, but many people perceive a wrong has been done and, in politics, perception is everything. Tom Kirby, Fergus, Ont.