Crashing The Party

Our process for choosing political leaders is flawed.

- Jen Gerson

 

Long before Patrick Brown gained national notoriety for resigning from his position as Ontario Progressive Conservative leader in the face of sexual- misconduct allegations — then entered the race to replace himself, then ducked out of that race a week and a half later — the thirty-nine-year-old bachelor’s personal life had been the subject of rumours in political circles. The rumours didn’t point to anything illegal; rather, Brown had a reputation for womanizing, for carrying on with interns and staffers — that sort of thing. The kinds of rumours that in a pre–#MeToo era might raise an eyebrow but not bring down an axe in Canadian politics.

That era came to an end January 24 when CTV reporter Glen McGregor sent Brown’s chief of Staffan email detailing accusations of sexual misconduct, at least some of which were both credible and specific. Earlier that day, after a preliminary inquiry by McGregor, party staff members had combed through Brown’s private Facebook messages. On November 2, 2012, at 11:21 p.m., from Brown (then a thirty-four-year-old member of Parliament) to a young woman he had met while travelling: “Are you impressed I remembered you [sic] name?” he asked. “If your [sic] downtown tonight maybe I will bump into you. I will be out with friends at Kenz, Queens, and the Bank. And if you ever need to skip a line in downtown Barrie just text me.” The woman, who would go on to work in his constituency office, was eighteen years old at the time.

Brown’s staff and advisers knew he was doomed. Whether he was guilty of sexual misconduct or not, the leader could not survive the allegations. They told him so. As a teleconference later that night would make clear, Brown’s caucus had no faith the leader could win the next election.