John Tory talking to bloggers

Yesterday John Tory held a conference call with a group of bloggers, all of whom are on the Blogging Tories website. The whole thing lasted about forty minutes. We each got the chance to ask him one question after he gave us a brief opening. I wanted to ask the dorkiest question so I asked him about the Greenbelt, framing it from a property rights point of view. I want to sit down and write a proper post about the Greenbelt when I have time and so I won’t tell you what he said yet. Instead I’ll marvel at the fact that he was talking to us at all.

John Tory told us that he was talking to us because of the new media and new ways that people get their news. I hope that none of you get your news from me. I comment on news I don’t produce it. I generally assume that if you are reading this blog you are an informed person already. Occasionally I will post a news article that I found interesting. I try to only do that when it is from a source most Canadians don’t read, such as the Wall Street Journal. Once in a while I’ll report some happening or event that I witnessed or participated in. However this does not make me a journalist.

I would say that few if any bloggers are journalists in this country. There are a few in the States who might qualify but I know of none among the Blogging Tories. So if I may assume that John Tory understands this, then why was he talking to us?

I can think of two reasons.

The first is a classic conservative mistrust of the traditional media. Conservatives in Canada and the US are always looking for ways to bypass the old media and communicate directly to the people. Blogs are a good way to do that. I won’t flatter myself by saying I’m an opinion maker, but the more people come across conservative ideas the more open they become to them. In that light it is certainly worth forty minutes of the day to talk to half a dozen or so bloggers.

The second reason I can think of is a little more cynical. I wonder if this was a way to smooth over some of his toughest critics. It is a classic trick. If a reporter or columnist or whatever is attacking you, then give him/her access. This would make them feel beholden and would at least soften their attacks. The problem with this theory is that I think I was the biggest critic of John Tory on the conference call. The other bloggers have been increasingly more lenient over the last year. Besides I asked and it was Stephen Taylor that put together most of the list. So really I’m not sure I can justly say that John Tory was trying to quiet discontent, as much as I enjoy being paranoid.

At the very least I can approve of the party developing an internet strategy. They have been mumbling about doing so for years now. I can also approve of the fact that some of the more useless staffers have been cleared out. They have been replaced by people that understand that a Bill Davis style campaign doesn’t actually work in this decade.

You can read the other blogger’s experience at Return of the Trusty Tory, Dr. Roy’s Thoughts, Blue Like You, and Christian Conservative. There were others on the call but I haven’t seen their posts yet. So I’ll add you to that list as I find you.