LONDON, ONT.

PC Leader Tim Hudak has survived to fight another provincial election.

Ontario PC convention delegates spared Hudak an embarrassing leadership review Saturday when they voted overwhelmingly against a party constitutional amendment that could have cost him the top job.

Delegates waved red cards to vote no to the amendment, and shouted “shame” when a few souls flashed their blue cards to indicate their support, as Hudak waited in the room for the results.

“I’m feeling buoyed by the energy at this conference,” Hudak said after the vote. “We’ve got a PC Party that is unified and focused on turning the province around.”

Hudak called the constitutional debate a “minor sideshow” to the real purpose of the conference which is to help craft an election platform.

But it was clear that many party stalwarts who’ve long supported him made a point of showing up, and former Premier Mike Harris was among those waving a red card.

Delegate Arne Brown, one of 10 people who proposed the amendment, said the existing constitution makes it almost impossible to trigger a leadership review outside of a few opportunities such as after a loss in a general election.

“I’m putting forward the motion so that we have in place a process where your average member can bring forward their concern and know that it can be dealt with in the constitution, not go running to the press, not go badmouthing people in public, but rather have a civilized methodology to deal with their concerns.” Brown said.

Questions about Hudak’s ability to lead the party to government surfaced after stinging losses to the NDP and Liberals in August byelections, and after consistent polling showing him to less popular than either Premier Kathleen Wynne or NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.

Other delegates expressed concern that a leadership review prior to the next provincial election would prove a divisive debate for the party.

Prior to the constitutional vote, Hudak turned on the charm in a high-energy, notes-free speech that saw him wade into the crowd to take tough questions about his lack of success winning over voters.

One delegate said his riding calls NDP Leader Andrea Horwath the “Great Pumpkin” — a Peanuts comic reference — because her party’s colour is orange and she’s put some weight on.

Hudak didn’t respond to the insult but did frown through the question.

Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Doug Holyday, who received a near rock star reception at the convention after winning the party’s only Toronto seat in a decade, lavished praise on Hudak as he introduced his speech.

“I think that when we get out of this convention and get ourselves on a ready footing because the election could come at any time, we’re going to change this province of Ontario and it’s high time,” Holyday said.

Hudak said that going forward the party’s message will be all about creating jobs and balancing the books, more about describing what a PC government would do rather than concentrating on criticizing the Liberal government.

“You’re going to see Tim Hudak talking about his plan for a better Ontario speaking from the heart,” Hudak said.

Liberal MPP Steven Del Duca said Hudak has many years as opposition leader in front of him.

“One thing that came across loud and clear to me is he spent a great deal of the time in his remarks today talking down the province, very pessimistic about the future, which I think is in keeping with the message that he’s been delivering for quite some time. And I think it’s one of the many reasons that people across Ontario have rejected his leadership and his ideas over the past number of years,” Del Duca said.

NDP MPP Peggy Sattler, whose London West byelection win last month triggered much of the PC party’s angst, said she’s hearing from her constituents that they voted NDP for the first time because they wanted to see a change.

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PC Leader Tim Hudak faced tough questions from critics in his own party:

Question: “In person you’re really warm, you’re really relatable but it doesn’t seem to translate well on TV. So what I want to know is how are you going to speak better to voters through the media in the next election?”

Answer: “(Laughing) Folks know I am one charming son of a gun so I don’t know what’s going on. Just ask my mum... (seriously) Sometimes when you’re in the legislature it’s a bit of an adversarial relationship... there’s always a bit of a fight going on... but we’re going to see from Tim Hudak going forward that bold optimistic vision of a better Ontario. Not so much saying what’s wrong with the other parties... but why to vote for us.”

Question: “My question has to do with your personal (polling) numbers. I don’t mean any disrespect but after two years why aren’t they changing?”

Answer: “Polls go up and down, and you know what, I learned the hard way not to put a lot of faith in polls. A leader doesn’t follow the polls. A leader leads and the polls follow him... Andrea Horwath and Kathleen Wynne are focused on being liked... that helps but you want to have a leader who’s actually going to turn the province around.”

Question: “As we know, the Liberals are going to be destroyed in the next election. It’s just going to be you and Andrea Horwath. I just want to know how are you going to contrast yourself to the NDP because the NDP, they’re trying to become all nice-y, they’re all trying to become friendly and all warm, flowers, sunshine and lollipops?”

Answer: “When the focus of the campaign comes on it’s going to be a very, very clear choice out there. And even these byelections that we just had they were five safe liberal seats... in five safe Liberal seats what party got the most votes in those five byelections. The Ontario PC Party.”

Question: “We call Andrea Horwath the ‘Great Pumpkin’ in my neck of the woods because their colour is orange and she’s put on a bit of weight. Anyway, I was concerned about the 416 and the 905 area codes. If we don’t take those we lose... it seems those two area codes are turning more and more NDP and Liberal.”

Answer: “If we don’t win in Toronto and near GTA... we’re always in opposition. So here’s what I’m doing.... We’ve got to break gridlock. People are spending far too much time stuck in their cars, stuck in traffic.”