Friday, February 03, 2006

21 To Go

Four down...

I never really put much stock in the rumours that Allan Rock was considering a run at the Liberal leadership. I was a big Rock supporter back in the day, but there always seemed to be a sort of finality to it all when he called it a career in 2003.

And, as much as I respect the guy, and as great a leader and PM as I think he'd be, this is likely for the best. Fairly or not, Rock would have been seen as the "Chretien candidate", and the guy was just the velcro politician - everything stuck to him. This party needs to shed some of it's baggage and needs a face with some "newness" to it, and Rock just didn't fit that bill.

And with another big hitter's organization now free, the opportunity for an outsider to do well in this race is even bigger. There are a lot of organizers out there without homes who will be getting a lot of phone calls this week me thinks.

posted by calgarygrit at 10:27 a.m.

26 Comments:

  • Kennedy. He's everything that Rock supporters believed Rock would become but never turned out to be. I hope people who have been watching this and other sites churning out leadership speculation are firing off emails to Gerard's office.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:32 a.m.  

  • Really good news for Kennedy. I know at least 15-20 SR organisers across the country who would have been very torn if both Rock and Kennedy had run who will now support Gerard. I would expect Kennedy to say nothing for leadership for as long as he can while continuing to quietly organise behind the scenes.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:41 a.m.  

  • Remember, unlike the other considered candidates, Gerard not only is an elected official (whose MPP riding is the same size/population as an MP riding), he is responsible for one of the two largest Ministries (education) in the largest province in Canada (with a budget exceeding a few provinces).

    In between responsibilities, I'm sure he is waiting like everyone else, for leadership details to be released.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:54 a.m.  

  • How strong in his french?

    By Blogger Hasty, at 11:01 a.m.  

  • Well put, CG.

    I, for one, am breathing a sigh of relief that Rock is out of the race, I was not much of a fan when he was in cabinet, but i can see how others might have held a different view.

    Kennedy, eh? Who cares about his french, it would just be cool to run under a "Kennedy for PM banner."

    Even more fun to keep asking Harper's team, "We have Kennedy, who is your Nixon?"

    By Blogger A Canadian Publius, at 11:14 a.m.  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:19 a.m.  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Blogger A Canadian Publius, at 11:55 a.m.  

  • This Gerard Kennedy fellow is sounding better and better all of the time.

    By Blogger John Murney , at 12:04 p.m.  

  • "Would it be too much to have two McGuinty leaders in Canada?"

    Um, ya.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:19 p.m.  

  • Kennedy is an American institution...don't we need our own strong Irish family to take the lead? Would it be too much to have two McGuinty leaders in Canada?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:19 p.m.  

  • So let’s get this straight, he is married to a francophone, born and raised in Manitoba, educated in Alberta, does a great job as Minister of Education and starts Food Banks?

    Someone pinch me!

    chuckernut?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:24 p.m.  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Blogger Tarkwell Robotico, at 12:29 p.m.  

  • Publios, Kennedy does indeed have a brother named Edward. This Edward is the CEO of the North-West Company.

    By Blogger Don, at 12:44 p.m.  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Blogger James Curran, at 1:17 p.m.  

  • Sean,

    Give your head a shake. Belinda? Opportunist wannabe Liberal. Money will NOT buy her this one. Any other mentioned candidate on any site will beat that girl up in a debate. And you think she's PM material? Pleeeeeeeease!

    What's the word on Gerard having to defend the recent announcement that tuition fees will be going up in Ontario. Bet the students won't like that very much since the Libs said they weren't going to touch tuition when they campaigned. Bet their parents won't like it either.

    THE WHAT DO I KNOW GRIT.

    By Blogger James Curran, at 1:22 p.m.  

  • "What's the word on Gerard having to defend the recent announcement that tuition fees will be going up in Ontario. Bet the students won't like that very much since the Libs said they weren't going to touch tuition when they campaigned. Bet their parents won't like it either."

    Three things:

    1. Kennedy is the Minister of Education, Chris Bentley is post-secondary so he's not the Minister raising tuition fees (I know, cabinet solidarity but it's not his personal decision).

    2. The Liberal Platform in 2003 committed to "Immediately freeze college and university tuition for at least two years.". The government has frozen tuition for the last two years. Any change will take effect next year.

    3. Bob Rae (heard of him) recommended raising tuition in his report to McGuinty on post-sec. Is Bob Rae going to wear it?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:28 p.m.  

  • Gerard is Bilingual.

    Gerard is Ontario Minister of Education.

    The Honourable Chris Bentley is Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities

    Gerard has nothing to do with McGuinty's university tuition statements yesterday.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:31 p.m.  

  • James Curran, try clicking on the link that Sean provided.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:36 p.m.  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:40 p.m.  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:27 p.m.  

  • OMG! Sorry Sean. Didn't see that link. Whoa!

    That's ballsy stuff.

    The What Do I Know Grit.

    By Blogger James Curran, at 2:57 p.m.  

  • Anonymous,

    get a name and a sense of humour.

    By Blogger Tarkwell Robotico, at 3:07 p.m.  

  • Rumour is that John Godfrey is getting in.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:25 p.m.  

  • My preferred candidate looks like he isn't going to run for the leadership -- but has some sage advice for us grits as we begin our trek in the wilderness.
    Lloyd Axworthy would have been a worthy candidate and a terrific leader (needless to say an inspirational choice for Canadians as PM) ... Here's what he had to say yesterday about the party's future.

    --"Particularly with the Harper government coming into place, I think really representing a liberal approach is going to be the best service we can provide to the country, and also, I think it's the best pathway back to government," he told CBC News Friday.

    --"I think there've been too many pretend Liberals over the years, and I think this is a chance to refresh ourselves."

    --Axworthy, who is now president of the University of Winnipeg, says the Liberals must allow a "grassroots process" to take place while choosing their next leader.

    --"The party should slow down, take it easy, take a big breath, have a pause, and let's not rush into jumping on the latest celebrity bandwagon, but really turn the party back to the party people and let them work out what kind of leadership they would really like to have," he said.

    --Axworthy says he has no plans to run to replace Martin, who announced his planned departure following the Jan. 23 general election in which Stephen Harper's Conservatives won a minority government.

    So MississaugaPeter, how do I join your 'draft Kennedy' campaign (not just to prove Vijay wrong...;*)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:07 p.m.  

  • Out of work? Need a job? Apply to be Liberal leader. New talent desperately needed. All applicants will be welcomed with open arms.

    With all the front-ranked candidates now having declared that they will not run for the Liberal leadership, the federal Liberal party is in a bit of a pickle. This is illustrated by the fact that two of the names now being tossed about are Belinda Stronach and Scott Brison, two defections during the last Parliament from the Conservatives to the Liberals. Or the Liberals might take a chance on an ex-goalie not noted for his oratorical skills or a Harvard Professor who has spent most of the past 30 years outside Canada but dropped by to run in the January election.

    Better still , as the Toronto Star put it today, if you own a car you could be leadership material.

    For application form, go to http://cardinal47.blogspot.com/

    By Blogger cardinal47, at 11:36 p.m.  

  • daninvancouver...

    I am gonna see him on Tuesday at a fundraiser. Hope to be able to give you more info after. I know that McGuinty is trying to balance the budget out here and Gerard is in the middle of some boards and McGuinty. Nothing serious, but it is definitely taking a lot of Gerard's energy.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:04 p.m.  

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