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Alas, I am reminded of a timeless old Yiddish adage “Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht,” which means, “Man Plans, and God Laughs.”

The People’s Guarantee will never come to be. History, in my view, will treat Patrick Brown much better than the last few months have treated him. I am proud to have worked for him and hope to do so again. His positive legacy will live on.

As for Patrick’s future, he is a born winner, and he will be just fine. Just watch him.

For caucus members, candidates, party members, union leaders and their members, ethnic community leaders and their members and other stakeholders who were excited about the party over the last 3 years, I have one message — Doug Ford is a different leader with a different style and different policy priorities and as one of the architects of the tone of the last 3 years he has my unwavering support and I am proud of him as my leader and my next premier.

And, if you have been a supporter or intrigued by what you saw over the past three years, you should too.

I have heard pundits compare him to Donald Trump, call him a climate change denier and intolerant. As a proud centrist in the conservative movement, I can tell you these pundits are categorically unfair and wrong.

I know this first hand.

Doug played a leading role in our historic victory in Scarborough Rouge River in 2016 — we believe the most ethnically diverse riding in Ontario. He lent a hand across the province door knocking over the past 3 years, including flying up to Sault Ste. Marie for our historic win in that riding. He was a frequent adviser and we encouraged him to run for the party in Toronto.