Toronto City Councillor Doug Ford in his office at the family business in EtobicokePeter Power/The Globe and Mail
Politics Insider delivers premium analysis and access to Canada's policymakers and politicians. Visit the Politics Insider homepage for insight available only to subscribers.
If Tim Hudak winds up in the Ontario Premier's office, he's going to have to spend a significant chunk of his time managing the egos in his cabinet.
That's a problem the Progressive Conservative Leader will gladly take, which explains why he purports to be "excited" by the prospect of welcoming one very big potential headache into his ranks.
If he makes good on his latest musings about running for the Tories next election, Doug Ford will considerably improve their chances of taking the riding of Etobicoke North away from Kathleen Wynne's Liberals. Considering the strength of the Ford name in that part of Toronto, he might even improve PC prospects in a nearby riding or two. And in a campaign that looks like it will be tooth-and-nail, that could make a huge difference.
That it is impossible to imagine the bombastic city councillor comfortably adjusting to life at Queen's Park, where a premium is placed on being a team player, is a matter for another day. Sure, Mr. Ford's inability to resist controversy or a good fight means he can scarcely go a few days without veering off message from his brother Rob, the Toronto Mayor for whom he has great love and a strong protective streak. But that's not the sort of thing an opposition leader trying to scratch and claw his way to power overly concerns himself.
Nor would it do Mr. Hudak much good, for now, to preoccupy himself with the rumours that Mr. Ford has designs on his job. After all, if Mr. Hudak loses that next election, he'll almost certainly vacate it voluntarily. And if there's any chance of a coup before then, led by the Fords and their friends (such as PC Party president Richard Ciano), it would only go up if Mr. Hudak refused to sign the would-be candidate's nomination papers.
As for what Mr. Hudak might wake up to the day after a victory…well, that's a different matter.
There is much to be said for independent minds in a caucus, government or otherwise. But to function effectively, cabinets generally need to be able to get onto the same page. And Mr. Ford is far from the only challenging personality who would expect a prime post, if the Tories were to win power.
There is, for instance, Randy Hillier, the libertarian MPP with a radical streak who made his name as founding president of the Ontario Landowners Association. Mr. Hillier has mostly kept his head down since the revelation during the last campaign that he hadn't paid his taxes. But there remains a lingering fear that he could form a break-off party, splitting the conservative vote in eastern Ontario, if he felt slighted.
A notch down on the volatility scale, but still at risk of causing some grief, are MPPs who have frequently clashed with party brass. That includes Lisa MacLeod, credited by PC insiders for doing heavy lifting in opposition but also accused of being excessively power-hungry, and acerbic finance critic Peter Shurman.
Then there is Frank Klees, the veteran MPP who has been most transparent in his dissent from Mr. Hudak, most notably when he made an abortive run for the Speaker's chair at risk of handing the Liberals back their majority government. Although he has few allies within the PC caucus, Mr. Klees is the flag-bearer for social conservatives, so Mr. Hudak would have to at least consider putting him in cabinet as well.
There are current members of his caucus in whom Mr. Hudak would have an easier time putting his trust in. Vic Fedeli, an affable former North Bay mayor, invariably comes up when PC insiders are asked to name their stars. So does Monte McNaughton, a youthful southwestern Ontario MPP.
It is entirely possible, too, that the constant rumours of internal dissent are exaggerated. Every opposition leader, after all, faces his or her share of second-guessers.
But throw Doug Ford into the mix, then put him and a handful of other folks who think they know better than Mr. Hudak into government, and that problem Mr. Hudak would be only too happy to have starts to look a little daunting.
Adam Radwanski is The Globe's Ontario legislative columnist.
Adam Radwanski