David Herle, backroom strategist, pollster, and host of two of Canada’s favourite political podcasts The Herle Burly and The Curse of Politics, was in Oakville last week to provide entertainment and encouragement to local provincial Liberals.
This is a group that has faced some substantial adversity, losing two elections, seeing the NDP form the official opposition, and losing official party status. The have also endured the dismantling of many of their policies under the Ford Progressive Conservatives.
While many of the Ford government decisions, particularly around the Greenbelt and urban boundaries, have since been reversed, cap and trade, Ontario's alternative to the carbon tax, was one policy attendees were dismayed at losing.
The meeting was timely as on November 25th Ontario Liberals will choose a new leader to run in the next provincial election against Doug Ford of the Conservatives and Marit Stiles of the NDP, who is currently opposition leader.
Herle indicated his polling gives reason for optimism for the Liberals, citing public reaction to the Greenbelt scandal and an increasing sense among voters that the Ford government has looked after its friends more than the interests of the general Ontario population.
He also complimented the Liberals on what he described as a very strong field of leadership candidates. He was an entertaining speaker and left the audience feeling buoyed up by his upbeat views about their future fortunes.
Local Liberal candidate Alison Gohel also spoke very positively to the partisan crowd, obviously hungry for good news and inspiration for the challenge that faces them in moving from third position back into the governing role they are seeking to earn.