Toronto has experienced political turmoil that one would only expect to see in a movie.

Rob Ford, once the darling of Conservatives across the nation, has created a spectacle that may have mortally wounded the Conservative brand. A brand that was barely recovering after expelling three Conservative Senators, they were also darlings of Conservatives across the nation.

There is an option to end this political embarrassment, and that would see the provincial government take over. In Alberta the provincial government took over Lac La Biche council to end all the acrimony. This is an unwelcome option, but it is still an option.

A year or so ago Conservative leaders provincially and federally were fawning all over Ford clamoring for photo-ops with him and his endorsements.

Holding him up as a Conservative star, they were hoping for ‘Ford Nation’ votes. Ford has ambitions to be the prime minister, and if Prime Minister Stephen Harper had found it necessary to retire last year, those ‘Ford Nation’ votes and the accolades from Harper and his family friend, Flaherty, he might have become the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and ultimately the prime minister.

A long shot, but the Toronto turmoil wasn’t on the radar a year ago.

Our current Conservative prime minister has been consolidating all the power to his office; he is seen as a control freak, a micromanager and an abuser of power. If he is successful in being able to unilaterally abolish the senate, for example, what mechanism would be in place if he was to pull a ‘Rob Ford’ in Parliament.

What would prevent an Ottawa turmoil?

There would be no provincial government waiting on the sidelines. Ford exposed the ugly side of Conservative partisan politics and I wonder if this just an anomaly or just the beginning? Our prime minister will be retiring soon, will the Conservatives elect another Conservative star to lead their party and take over as prime minister? When will this movie end? Not soon enough.

Garfield Marks

Red Deer