July 13, 2000
The fool named Joe - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- Joe Clark is an interesting character. He burst through Progressive Conservative ranks in the mid ‘70s from his High River, Alberta and soon was in the House of Commons. Robert Stanfield, the man regarded as the greatest Prime Minister we never had, felt the brunt of his party’s knives in his back and stood down in 1976 opening up one of the most memorable leadership contests in Canadian political history.
Toronto, 1976: Something like 10 candidates (or less than that) threw their hats into the ring and challenged each other for the leadership of the Tory party. A party that failed to form government since the late ‘50s. Bob Stanfield took Pierre Trudeau on, thrice, and lost. Amongst those gunning for the leadership included the odds-on favourite, Claude Wagner, who’ve we never heard of since. There was Flora MacDonald who had an excellent chance before the convention began, but once there, wound up with parctically no support. Thus, was born the term, ‘the Flora Syndrome.’ Joe Clark was in, as was a Montreal backroom boy named Brian Mulroney. Paul Hellyer was in that race too. Funny, because he challenged Trudeau in 1968, and now 8 years was a Tory. He managed to prove that he was much more of a conservative than anyone in the party, thus was rejected, soundly. Not to mention being the only candidate there that was booed.
Clark had the obstacle of defeating Wagner, and did so with the support of Flora MacDonald. He was crowned leader of the Official Opposition and 3 years later took Pierre Trudeau on in an election and won. The only politician to defeat Trudeau was now Prime Minister with a minority government. He brought on crusty John Crosbie and they tabled a budget that was a little too ambitious. The Liberals, equally ambitious, supported NDP whip, Bob Rae’s (future Ontario Premier) non-confidence motion and the Tory government of Joe Clark was toppled in just 9 months.
The good thing equally equated to Joe, was that he defeated Trudeau. (Trudeau, even called Clark a tougher challenge than Brian Mulroney.) He did, in his 9 months as PM make gaffes that’d make Jean Chrétien blush. His current statements taunting Stockwell Day to face-off in a by-election in Calgary Centre are funny, sure, but he did make some royal gaffes in 1979 too.
He, upon winning the minority government, told the Canadian people, even though they failed to possess a majority in the house, “We’ll govern, as if we had a majority.” Foolish, Joe. He made a diplomatic blunder when he decided to move the Canadian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Embarrassing, Joe. There may be others, but I’m too young to remember.
Sure, I can give you this, that Joe Clark is an interesting politician. He has some facets that are admirable. As a fan of Trudeau, I admire the fact he defeated him, but then a 9 month government, doesn’t really mean much.
Then in 1983, after a leadership question that yielded only 64% support to Clark, he risked his leadership and faced off against Brian Mulroney. Guess what? He lost and Mulroney took over the Tories, and 24 Sussex Drive the next year.
Joe Clark headed the Charlottetown Accord debacle, and when that failed went into retirement. After the Canadian people forgot about him and the Accord and its defeat in referendum, he returned in 1998 to head up the Tories, yet again. Up against socialist David Orchard, Hugh Segal, a Mulroney flack and some other uninspired’s, Joe won.
He’s up to now rejected to run in safe Maritime seats, thus depriving his caucus of a leader in the House of Commons. Joe Clark was recently nominated to run in the next election in the riding of Calgary Centre. That’s an ambitious plan, since he’d be lucky winning, since it’s CA territory. He’s challenged Stock Day to get the CA MP, Eric Lowther out, and go up against him in a by-election.
Funny part is that the CA MP for Yellowhead, a riding Mr. Clark represented 3 times before his retirement, is offering to step aside for Stockwell Day’s entrance into the house. Day’s receptive and took Clark’s challenge to run in Centre back and challenged him to a face-off in Yellowhead.
Truth be told, there isn’t a seat safe enough for Joe Clark to win in Alberta. The Tories are weak West of the Maritimes, and Joe running against anyone in Centre, especially Day would be a big colossus joke. However, the fool that he is, is challenging Day to a fight.
If Day and Clark match wits in Calgary Centre, I think Day would have his work cut out for him. As Clark has said, it is an urban riding and Day’s social policies don’t wash over with the urban crowd. However, it’s an Alberta riding and Day was Alberta’s Treasurer. If Joe Clark would relent and go up to Yellowhead, then he’d be toast for sure. The riding he won thrice in the past, would reject him.
Stockwell Day and Joe Clark won’t be meeting in a by-election. Joe Clark is too stubborn to go up to Yellowhead and too scared, too. Day could still change his mind, but I doubt it.
Diagnosis: Joe Clark’s time has passed. It passed him in 1979 and why he’s still here is pure comedy and entertainment. Thanks, Joe, stay on, but you’d only doing damage upon yourself.
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