I must confess that, like most Canadians, I was concerned about how I could cover the selection of a new Conservative leader, who could become a future prime minister, while watching the Toronto Raptors’ playoff run and the Stanley Cup playoffs.
But, fortunately, the incompetence of the federal Conservatives allowed me to do all of the above.
READ MORE: Erin O’Toole is the new leader of the Conservative Party, wins on third ballot
The Tory leadership, which was supposed to begin around 7 p.m. and wrap up by 9 p.m., was still going on well past midnight because the voter tabulation system was a total screw up.
That left media commentators, who were willing to dedicate prime time evening TV to the leadership race, waiting and waiting for the Conservatives to get their act together.
It was a monumental opportunity for the Conservatives to introduce their new leader to a prime time TV audience, but they blew it.
Instead, by the time Erin O’Toole was declared the winner, most Canadians east of Manitoba, where the Conservatives really need to pick up their game, had gone to bed or fallen asleep watching Dr. Ho’s late-night TV infomercial.
As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.
For the federal Conservatives, who are trying to convince Canadians that they’re ready to govern in these troubling and challenging times, it was not their finest hour.
Bill Kelly is the host of the Bill Kelly Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.
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