John Ivison: Peter MacKay has his mojo back, performance at French-language debate shows

Peter MacKay’s performance in the Conservative leadership contest has vindicated the criticisms levelled by rival Erin O’Toole that the former defence minister is yesterday’s man; an entitled, policy-light, serial flip-flopper who keeps putting his foot in it.

That was all true until around the hour mark in the French-language debate, when MacKay appeared to remember why he is running.

Asked how he planned to attract new support, MacKay said the Conservative Party had a perception problem in the last election.

“We have to change that perception. The Conservative Party is a big tent but we have to prove that to people,” he said.

“We have to welcome everyone into the party and present ourselves as an inclusive, modern party with clear and modern policies. We need a plan to protect the environment. I also support LGBTQ2 communities without reservation.

“We have to reach out to young people, cultural communities, Indigenous people and francophones.

“It is crucial to present ourselves as a party that says ‘yes, come in, we respect you, what’s your opinion, what’s your perspective?’ We need to have a party where people see themselves reflected.”

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This proclamation will be music to the ears of Conservatives who recognize the need to peel off disaffected centrist voters from the Liberals.

The fact that he said it in reasonably coherent French, added to the feeling that MacKay has re-discovered his mojo.

O’Toole tried to insert himself into the debate but MacKay brushed off accusations that he is dividing Conservatives.

“You say you want to bring the party and the country together but you’re the wrong person to do that,” said MacKay. “Why are you always angry?”

It was the defining moment of this most unremarkable campaign so far. MacKay declared himself pro-choice in unequivocal terms and said he has not lost sight of the fact that he is talking to all Canadians, even during a leadership contest.

The two other candidates – Derek Sloan and Leslyn Lewis – were handicapped by their limited French language abilities, effectively kissing goodbye to support in Quebec. With every riding carrying equal weight, it is hard to win this contest if you have written off a quarter of the points going in.

Lewis still has the potential to spring a shock but MacKay has consolidated his front-runner status, something O’Toole’s face reflected in the post-debate press conference. The former veteran’s affairs minister looked like he’d found a dead fly in his water glass.

MacKay can consider himself fortunate that he does not have a more compelling, bilingual opponent. For all his fine words, his platform is not much of an advance on the one offered by current leader, Andrew Scheer, last fall – an offering that was summarily rejected by the electorate.

MacKay talked about protecting the environment but his plan cancels the Liberal carbon tax and offers no alternative route to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He criticized O’Toole for presenting an environment plan that “looks like a Liberal plan” because it allows provinces to bring forward their own form of carbon pricing. He even labelled his rival, “Erin Trudeau”.

Yet, there is nothing in his platform to suggest he has a better idea.

MacKay’s campaign has lurched from one gaffe to another, as the candidate has taken advice from people he might have been better off ignoring.

Yet, at game time, MacKay discovered his value proposition – that he is the best-placed candidate to win a general election – and zinged his closest rival as too cocky, egotistical and combative.

MacKay stood tall, looked comfortable, sounded credible and even appeared to be enjoying himself, disproving critics who didn’t think he’d be able to string two sentences together in French.

O’Toole was reduced to complaining that MacKay had attacked him, contrary to his claims of cordiality.

The contest between the two men has become personal – if there was mutual respect before, it is gone now. O’Toole’s team is led by Fred DeLorey, who ran and lost in MacKay’s former Central Nova riding in the last election, without much help from the former MP.

The O’Toole campaign has hardly taken a New Testament approach to turning the other cheek. The MP for Durham got his retaliation in first in a digital ad that claimed: “With Peter MacKay as leader, the next election is already lost.”

O’Toole’s hopes of a down-ballot victory now rest on doing even more damage to the MacKay brand than MacKay and his team did to themselves in the early months of this race.

• Email: jivison@postmedia.com | Twitter: IvisonJ