Provincial politics, and politicians, often play third fiddle in Ontario, with federal and municipal personalities – mayors Hazel McCallion, Jim Watson and Rob Ford; party leaders Bob Rae, Michael Ignatieff and the late Jack Layton – taking up much of a busy voter's mindspace.
To get to know the three major provincial party leaders – one of whom will, as premier, exercise more power than any Ontario mayor – we can look to their platforms. that tells the What: what they believe in, what they are promising.
But to inspire voters, to show how decisions will get taken, platforms and promises alone aren't good enough. We need to hear the leaders' own stories, to learn the Why, the How and the Who of governing.
Unlike slogans, stories necessarily come from a deeper place – the lived experience of the party leaders. The best ones do more than just tell us who these leaders are. They show us how leaders respond when face with a challenge, and they connect to the larger collective stories and challenges in the province. With the right mix of personal details, they have a power to emotionally resonate in a way a platform never will.
The stories told Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty celebrate family, sacrifice and public service. When Mr. McGuinty's father Dalton Sr., the MPP for Ottawa South, died just before the 1990 provincial election, he had to decide whether to run to replace him. "It wasn't convenient; but callings rarely are." (It's recounted in this video at the 10 minute mark). In past speeches, he'd mention his nine brothers and sisters, or his work as an orderly as a veteran's hospital. It all suggests a custodial responsibility, in line with the economic focus of the 2011 Ontario Liberal platform.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak deploys his family story more often, and for a slightly different purpose. He regularly mentions the immigrant origins of his Czech grandfather, his parents' service as teachers, perhaps to inoculate himself in the eyes of those constituencies. He connects his family story with the economic focus of the PC brand, saying in one ad that "the Hudak family story is a lot like the stories of some of the other Ontario families. They say Ontario as a province of hope and opportunity," then throwing the story forward to say he is running to "make sure my daughter Miller will have a better future." ( During his stump speeches he sometimes cradles his daughter, with his wife Debbie on stage.) He's started to mention a laid-off trucker, Horace, to attack the Liberals' training tax credit for immigrants (Horace was an immigrant to Canada).
From NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, we get snippets of story. She says that she's a fighter, and that people "shouldn't be surprised; I'm from Hamilton." She invokes working and single mothers, though without mentioning a story of greater personal challenge, her recent separation).
This is all interesting biographical trivia, but these aren't necessarily full stories, or the stories voters need to hear. They leave out the motivations and the choice points that reveal what real leadership is all about. Our own lives aren't just airbrushed moments – they are filled with texture, complexity and contradiction. Yet we navigate through. So why should political stories be any different?
So from Mr. McGuinty, we ought to learn more about why he is so focused on education. Why does he see it as an economic driver? What incidents from his time in office make him so convinced that this is the right priority? Or is it just the data that tells him so?
From Mr. Hudak, who sat at Mike Harris' and Ernie Eves' cabinet table from 1999-2003, hearing stories about how he participated in some of the decisions made then (say, around reviving the Ontario tourism industry post-Sept. 11, when he was minister) might help give some insight to voters into how he would handle decisions today (especially as he handles allegations that the numbers in his platform don't add up).
Ms. Horwath, the party leader least likely to be picked as best premier, and therefore the one with the room for the most growth, may need to more fully introduce herself to Ontarians.
Voters aren't in a position to place their leaders on the couch. But they can do two things to learn about those who seek to represent them.
The first is to listen for any new personal asides and stories, whether on the trail or at the Sept. 27 leaders' debate, and to do a gut check on how practiced they sound.
The second is easier, and can be done right away. They can get to know their local candidates, who will, most often, come straight a voter's door. They may offer up their life story, but they be able to answer a simple question: Why are you running? Why put yourself through this awful grind? If the answer comes out of the platform book, rather from their lived experience, it may be worth thinking twice. For a candidate who can't give his or her own reason for running may not be the best person to represent your interests at Queen's Park.