Tory drops contentious religious schools issue

"TORONTO - The contentious issue of funding religious schools that many believe cost the Progressive Conservatives the Oct. 10 election was declared "dead as a doornail" Wednesday after party Leader John Tory abandoned the policy and suggested he will stay on to fight the 2011 election.

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"When they ultimately indicate as decisively as they did that they reject the point that I put forward . . . then you have to respect their will. This is an issue where people have rendered their verdict. They have said 'No."'
That was what many caucus members wanted to hear after what some felt was a disastrous and poorly run election campaign. Tory now has the "unanimous" support of his caucus going forward to the 2011 election, members said.
"It's dead as a door nail," said party veteran Norm Sterling, adding he is happy with the shift in policy. "The people have spoken and we've listened."

Across Canada, 24. October 2007