The controversy roiling the Progressive Conservatives is not a source of joy for the Liberals or New Democrats â even with the June 7 election fast approaching.âThis is bad for all of us,â a high-ranking Liberal insider confided this week of the PC saga transfixing the province since former leader Patrick Brown was forced to resign Jan. 25 amid allegations of sexual impropriety.âIf General Motorsâ marketing plan was âFords crash and will kill you,â thatâs bad for the entire car industry. Well, this is bad for politics.âNDP Leader Andrea Horwath agreed Friday that âpeople are feeling pretty cynical about politics in Ontario right now.ââThey have a deep sense of disappointment. The (Progressive) Conservative party is in no shape to govern itself, let alone our great province,â said Horwath, mindful that the current climate presents an opportunity for the New Democrats.The trouble is that the Brown soap opera â widening to include questions about his personal finances and suspect membership numbers â is hogging so much media attention that itâs hard for other parties and PC leadership candidates to get their messages out.âThis certainly isnât the time to be distracted by one personâs problems,â leadership candidate Caroline Mulroney said Friday, urging Brown to drop out of the March 10 race for his old job after being kicked out of the party caucus at Queenâs Park.Liberal MPP Deb Matthews, co-chair of Premier Kathleen Wynneâs re-election campaign, said she finds âthe whole thing very troubling.ââI donât think anybody is enjoying this. Itâs not good for democracy when weâve got this kind of activity going on in a party that had a proud history in this province. Thatâs disappointing for us all,â said Matthews.PCs privately fear they could, once again, snatch defeat from the jaws of victory ...
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