FORMER Tory prime minister John Diefenbaker once famously said during a poll-challenged period in his tumultuous reign that polls (poles) were for dogs.
At times since his near majority in the 2008 election, current Tory prime minister Stephen Harper must have pondered that bit of political wisdom.
But this week, barely a month before the Liberals have to decide whether to bring down the year-old minority government, Harper had some good news: a poll that gave him an 11-point lead.
It is not the kind of result that would have any party leader lifting a leg.
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Other pollsters quickly said it was a rogue poll, not reflective of the Liberal-Conservative dead heat. Still, even if true, the dead heat should give Harper some comfort.
Despite the fact that the party has been leading through the worst recession in almost 80 years, that in government the Conservatives have reneged on many of their key principles (think Senate appointments, a record deficit and creation of regional economic development agencies) and that the Liberals have a new leader, the Conservatives remain competitive.
If there is an election, Harper has a chance at another minority if not better. Usually, voters take out recession woes on the sitting government, justified or not.
Ironically, then, some of the best material the Liberals will be able to use against Harper if an election is called comes from the keyboard of a devoted Conservative.
Bob Plamondon has been a Tory insider and the author of several books, including the story of the 2002 HayWest effort by eastern farmers to send feed to drought-stricken prairie farmers.
This year, he published Blue Thunder, a history of Conservative leaders, and it is not kind to Harper.
Plamondon portrays the Conservative leader as controlling, partisan, lacking in broad vision and human skills, all criticisms made by opponents but now given credence by a “sympathetic” insider.
Describing the 2008 election campaign, Plamondon wrote: “His tendency to pathological partisanship left the impression that he was mean-spirited and vindictive. Being a tough, optimistic and visionary leader rather than a gruff loner and bully was the path followed by Canada’s most successful Tory leaders.”
Ouch. Liberal war room researchers were salivating.
Unfortunately for him, Plamondon hurt his credibility with inexcusable historical errors and unsubstantiated claims.
He correctly has Diefenbaker losing as a provincial Conservative candidate in Prince Albert in 1929. Then he adds, “though the Conservative party gained ground in popular support in the provincial election of 1929, it won no seats.”
Actually, J.T.M. Anderson became the Conservative premier in that election.
He has Diefenbaker and Flora MacDonald as parliamentary seatmates under prime minister Joe Clark. Diefenbaker died months before the Clark Commons sat in 1979. And he claims Liberal Pierre Trudeau offered Brian Mulroney a cabinet seat after he lost the 1976 leadership race.
“I’m a Conservative,” Mulroney allegedly replied. Funny that Mulroney forgot to mention that in his self-serving memoir.
These are points Harper loyalists can use to pick at Plamondon, if they want to fight a fellow Tory.
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