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Peterson on Wynne’s win

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June 25, 2014

Peterson on Wynne’s win

By Andrew Cardozo

“This was a very personal victory for Kathleen Wynne, she was absolutely remarkable”, says David Peterson, one of Wynne’s predecessors, a colleague in the rarified club of Ontario party leaders who has been in the heat of an election, having won one election and lost one and kind of drew on his first.

“There is something remarkable about her. She showed toughness and spine and yet warmth, patience and understanding. It’s a rare political commodity”. Peterson says election outcomes are a result of two things, leadership qualities and policies, and Wynne had the winning combination.

In a recent interview with the Canadian Centre, he agreed that this was a tough campaign and going into it, one that the Liberals should have lost after a decade in office with the baggage they had. It was one for the Progressive Conservatives to win. “Wynne had the weight of the previous record on her shoulders and still came through.”

Peterson felt that Tim Hudak started the campaign being somewhat unlikeable and was not able to gain traction, even though he dominated the agenda during most of the campaign. His “hard right” platform was out of touch with the province.

As for Andrea Horvath, he noted that “she didn’t seem to be carrying a lot of the weight and did not handle complex issues very well – such as when she explained the traditions of the NDP.”

But was this election also about where the province is philosophically? Is this a progressive liberal province? “Yes it is. The centre is the tradition for Ontario. Apart from the deviation to the left with the NDP and the resulting aberration to the right with the Harris Tories, the moderate centre is where this province is”.
Peterson had been leader of the Ontario Liberal Party for eight years, five of which he was Premier of the province. He led his party through three elections. He says leaders are responsible for the advisors they get and more importantly, the advice they take. During the cut and thrust of an election campaign, he says, “ you are constantly under pressure and scrutiny from the other parties and the media. You are in a bubble. You have to call the shots. You are in the fight of your life. You are tired. You rely on your own integrity and your vision.” And as this experienced politico watched Kathleen Wynne, he knew she was doing the right thing.
He adds with some bemusement, “she is a runner and there she was running across the province, the oldest of the three leaders, yet she looked like the youngest as the other two old fogies couldn’t keep up to her!”
“I take my hat off to her, she is an extraordinary human being!” he said as a final comment.

(Based on an interview with Andrew Cardozo)

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