Constant craving

Now that all legal challenges have been abandoned, Doug Ford is officially leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. I can’t think of a worse outcome. When his brother Rob was mayor of Toronto, Doug was supposedly the brains of the pair, which wasn’t saying much. To my mind, Doug Ford doesn’t deserve to be leader. Should someone be allowed to become leader when previously he wasn’t even running to be a member of the legislature?

Still, the election of Ford puts Ontario in lockstep with other jurisdictions where populism triumphs over ideas and ideals. That’s what’s sweeping the western world when you look at Poland, Hungary, Italy (when a coalition is created), Brexit in the United Kingdom and Donald Trump in the United States. Grass roots voters are choosing social conservatives whose only thought for the future is that the past has all been a mistake.

I can’t vote for a party with Doug Ford as leader. He’s too much of a yahoo for me. Nor can I vote for a party led by Kathleen Wynne who thinks my grandchildren should pay my electric bill. But I can’t stay home on election day, June 7; I’ve always voted in any and all elections. Intentionally spoiling a ballot is just buffoonery. I’m left with but one choice: a protest vote for the NDP.

And I’m OK with that. In fact, I voted NDP once before. Of course, at the time I was young and ornery. Now I’m older, but still ornery. I’ve always preferred politicians with a little class. It’s a trait that’s increasingly in short supply.