Oh I am sure by now you will have read more than enough analysis of “what went wrong with Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC’s?” I am also sure that there will be a steady stream still to come as we begin the leadership process. Here’s one more, but I just want to talk about 3 small words. They may be small but they would have made a significant difference.

There has been a lot of comparison between the plans of Tim Hudak and former Premier Mike Harris. A lot of talk that the Hudak plan to reduce 100,000 public service jobs was very similar to The Common Sense Revolution.

Here’s the difference though….3 small words. I think a lot of people are forgetting the three simple words at the end of the Common Sense Revolution tag line. The tag line was “Common Sense…For a Change” Well there’s the kicker folks. “For a Change” Ontario needs change more than ever. Hudak and the Ontario PC Party seemed to forget that this was an important motivator.

They failed to demonstrate that moving from Dalton McGuinty to Kathleen Wynne (same party kids) was not enough of a change. When the Common Sense Revolution was launched in 1994 (yes, a year before the election) most people in Ontario had had enough of Bob Rae and his NDP policies which: created Rae Days (cuts to public service); created increased spending that increased deficit significantly; and lead to many jobs heading south of the border. Voters definitely wanted change.

In this election, voters definitely wanted change as well. They had had enough of all the scandals and waste of their tax dollars. Kathleen Wynne was able to convince voters that she was not Dalton McGuinty. She was new. Forget that she was there every step of the way when all those scandals went down. She was different. A softer, gentler and more trusting sort.

Tim Hudak on the other hand didn’t use the word “change” enough. There was no definitive clarification that Hudak and his policies of managing spending were the real deal change that Ontarians were looking for. It needed to be spelled out. No, shouted out! “Our plan is real CHANGE from scandals, growth in spending, debt and higher taxes!”

Common Sense Revolution…for a Change. Sadly the last 3 small words were forgotten. They would have made a big difference.