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Bill Kelly: Sorry Patrick Brown, but you lost me at ‘guarantee’

Ontario Provincial Conservative Leader Patrick Brown speaks with members of his party before the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario's Speech from the Throne, opening the second session of the 41st Parliament of Ontario, in Toronto on Monday Sept. 12, 2016.
Ontario Provincial Conservative Leader Patrick Brown speaks with members of his party before the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario's Speech from the Throne, opening the second session of the 41st Parliament of Ontario, in Toronto on Monday Sept. 12, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power

The Ontario PCs have finally released their long-awaited platform, and to suggest that it raised eyebrows would be a massive understatement.

The PCs opted for a colourful, picture-filled 78-page document that looks more like the latest edition of People magazine than a political document.

The content of the document, called the People’s Guarantee, is equally surprising.

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It seems very much like Patrick Brown is channeling the policies of Bill Davis and John Robarts, who were considered to be moderate “Red Tories” in contrast to the hard right that Mike Harris took the party.

But one thing that  Patrick Brown said at the policy convention rubbed me the wrong way.

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Brown promised that if he was unable to fulfill the five key pillars of the People’s Guarantee,  that he would not run for re-election.

ANALYSIS: Patrick Brown’s Oprah moment

Brown is not the first, nor the last politician to make such a claim, but the reality is, few, if any, ever stick to that promise.

When they inevitably fall short of that vow, they trot out a long list of excuses, blaming everyone but themselves for the failure.

I suppose there are some naive voters who will take Brown at his word, but the adults in the room will view it as just another empty promise by a politician who wants to gain power.

Bill Kelly is the host of Bill Kelly Show on AM 900 CHML and a commentator for Global News.

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