Liberals who would be king are in for long wait
The federal Liberals and their beleaguered party, which has had two less than sterling leaders of late in the ghostly forms of Jean Chretien and Paul Martin—really do take the cake when it comes to chutzpah.
Last weekend I decided to waste a bit of precious time scanning news reports as 13 or 16—take your pick—hopefuls in the Liberal leadership race met in Edmonton.
The likes of “acclaimed academic” Michael Ignatieff, former environment minister Stephane Dion, former public works minister and floor crosser Scott Brison, disastrous former New Democratic premier of Ontario Bob Rae, and others even less notable than this bunch.
There were warbles the Liberals must start a process of renewal, and that process must start right here in Alberta.
Well, that’s OK, I suppose, except several candidates then spent a lot of time bashing Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his supposed insidious vision of what Canada should be.
But, hey, Harper is from Alberta, and one might bet many Albertans are mighty proud to have a prime minister from their province in Ottawa.
So, why would these candidates come to Edmonton, talk about how essential it is to build support here, and then tear apart the prime minister for whom most of us voted and greatly admire?
What a way to win friends and influence people.
Ignatieff himself declared: “We’ve got to elect more Liberal members of Parliament in Alberta.”
Well, Michael, you can hardly elect fewer Liberal MPs from Alberta since you have not a single one here right now.
Or didn’t he know that?
Didn’t he know all 28 MPs from this province are Conservatives, and many were elected with tens of thousands more votes than their Liberal opponents.
Later in the week, I saw Ignatieff on CTV Newsnet—other than Fox News, the only TV channel I watch news coverage on—and when asked why he was running for the leadership he replied: “Because I love my country and this is my home.”
Considering Ignatieff has spent little time in Canada during the past three decades—except for the occasional long weekend visit so he doesn’t entirely forget his roots—this was a bit of a chuckle.
Actually, this “acclaimed academic” and world traveller and commentator happens to be the best candidate in the race, which again doesn’t say much for the others, but at least Ignatieff has his head screwed on properly.
Backing the liberation of Iraq took some fortitude for a Liberal.
Dion got into the act, condemning Harper’s child care plan to give Canadian families $1,200 a year for each child they have under six years, saying: “I will not be the kind of prime minister who thinks child care can come to Canadians through the mail box.”
Now, Dion is another academic, and quite likable, but he seems to have forgotten the Liberal slur that supposedly irresponsible families would spend the $1,200 on “beer and popcorn” cost them an immense number of votes.
Like Ignatieff, Dion is well-heeled, so he obviously can’t imagine just how much of a relief, say, $300 a month, would be to the average working stiff with a wife and three kids.
Recall those callous, arrogant and elitist types in Calgary who bristled when Premier Ralph Klein announced all Albertans would get a $400 prosperity cheque?
Again, comments like this are not the way to win friends—or votes.
When it came to Brison’s turn, he beamed and said: “There’s a positive can-do attitude here in Alberta that I think the Liberal party of Canada needs to learn.”
There surely is a “positive can-do attitude” in Alberta, Scott, and it’s the antithesis of everything for which you and your Liberal cronies stand.
Rae’s shortlived stint as Ontario premier was enveloped in chaos.
Spending went haywire, so did taxes.
The NDP’s own constituency, Big Labour, even revolted.
When questioned on this at the leadership forum, Rae bleated everyone knew it was difficult to govern in a recession.
Yet surely difficult times demand leadership, and firm hands at the helm, to prevent a government from slipping into weakness and chaos.
The good news here is I’m told memories of Rae’s boondoggles are still vivid in Ontario and the last thing people there want is to see him is running the entire country.
Friends, these people better get used to the idea Harper is in for the long haul.
Our nation is in better hands with every passing day—and policy implementation.
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