- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

Before we proceed to the upcoming leadership contest for the Ontario PC party and the subsequent provincial election, let us deal with two quotes about Patrick Brown's departure.

"I've instructed my attorneys to ensure these allegations are addressed where they should be, in the court of law." - Patrick Brown

That means, I suppose, we could hear about a civil defamation suit against CTV or its parent Bell Media within the two year limitation period for such cases. Or against the two women involved, because although we do not know their names, at least one of them is well known to Patrick Brown. Given what Mr. Brown has lost, and the depth of some of the pockets involved, this would be the logical legal step to clear his name  if he continues to be as sure of his innocence as he was on January 24.

"I doubt that there are many male Canadians above the age of 40 who have never committed acts similar to those alleged against Patrick Brown, including Justin [Trudeau] and me, though not involving women who were subordinate." - Conrad Black

Wait...what?

Is Mr. Black suggesting that the majority of adult Canadian men, while cold sober, have taken a woman home from a bar, given her more alcohol, shut the bedroom door, dropped their pants and said "do this"? Or "acts similar". Because such are the allegations against Mr. Brown.

Perhaps Grey-Bruce is different from the rarified world in which Mr. Black has travelled. He has, after all, attended some of the most prestigious schools in Ontario and four universities. He has belonged to very exclusive private clubs, and associated with men at the highest levels of Canadian business and the Catholic church.

But in any of the local response to the allegations against Mr. Brown, including some deeply concerned about the anonymity of his accusers, we have heard no one – not a man nor the most "rabid feminist" - write this off as simply the expected behaviour of the majority of men at some time in their adult lives.

A young man from a good conservative Grey-Bruce family, graduate of a local public school, said of Conrad Black's remark - "Even it were true, it would only prove the point of the #metoo movement: that misogyny is baked into the social fabric."

So let us proceed with the work ahead – in politics and journalism,  in parenting and education– and start with the expectation of honesty, civility and justice.