ABM

Tory's dithering hurts his chance to be mayor By PETER WORTHINGTON

John Tory would be a better Toronto mayor than David Miller.

That's not necessarily a compliment. Almost anyone would be better.

But of all the contenders for the job in 2010, Tory -- who fell 36,000 votes short of winning when he ran in 2003 -- seems best suited for the job. He'd almost be a cinch if he'd made such a decision after the last provincial election which he almost single-handedly blew for the Tories.

He's now tainted, not only because of how he screwed up in the 2007 provincial election, but also because of his curious insistence of thinking he could stay on as Conservative leader without a seat in the Legislature after losing.

In spite of all that, he still seems best equipped to bring sense and balance to Toronto, and to deal with those elements that seem to have Mayor Miller in their sway.

The mystery of Tory still resonates. Regardless of his worthiness as a possible mayor, he'll have a tougher time persuading voters next time around than last time, when he was a outsider who gained support the longer the campaign went on.

If he runs in 2010, and if there really is a "draft Tory" movement as he seems to hope, he's unlikely to wind up 200,000 votes ahead of his nearest rival, as he led Barbara Hall last time.

In fact, a split of anti-Miller votes would be disastrous.

THOMPSON HAS POTENTIAL

Scarborough Centre Coun. Michael Thompson is said to be contemplating running, and he has the potential of being a great mayor -- but only if he'll speak his mind on all issues and take politically incorrect stances that resonate among the sensible public. Karen Stintz and Denzil Minnan-Wong are also interested in the job.

Politicians who try to anticipate public opinion rather than seeking to mould it (that is, by leading rather than following), often become casualties.

In the provincial election, Tory proposed expanding public financing for religious schools and raised hackles among the public.

And why the damn fool abandoned a safe Tory seat to challenge a popular education minister in Toronto remains mind-boggling. Not since George Drew (1943-48) has a Conservative leader won a Toronto riding.

Yes, he'd likely have been a better premier than Dalton McGuinty -- likeable, sensible, connected, honourable, realistic and a whole mess of virtues except for fatal flaws that were mindful of Joe Clark as Tory leader who infamously couldn't shoot straight.

It's a pity Tory didn't immediately resign as Tory leader after losing in 2007 and announce his intention to challenge the 2010 mayoralty election in Toronto. Instead, he's become something of a standing joke, which he'll have to deal with if his mayoral candidacy is to be taken seriously.

In Toronto, Miller has been a lousy mayor. A growing number wish they'd voted for Tory in 2003 when they had the chance. At least Tory understands business, empathizes with wage-earners, has some noblesse oblige.

Mayor Miller favours high property taxes, expanding public services, high wages for politicians and unions, screwing up Toronto's roads, spending more on the fake homeless, pandering to street predators, even alienating the police, snuggling closer to lib-left activists, babbling about guns. The list goes on.

There's no guarantee John Tory could provide the leadership to rescue Toronto, but it's an absolute certainty that David Miller can't, won't, doesn't want to.