Wednesday, March 01, 2006

This Week in Leadership

As February comes to a close and the National Executive meetings approach, we've been bombarded with leadership news and speculation. Among the highlights:

-Martin Cauchon is in the news and has suddenly opened up to alternative health care solutions and flexible federalism. I've always liked Cauchon, but I'd have a tough time supporting anyone who makes the fiscal imbalance and asymmetrical federalism one of his top priorities.

-Joe Fontana is seriously considering a run at Liberal leadership. He has no doubt been inspired by Tom Wappell's 1990 bid.

-On the other end of the quality candidate spectrum, the darling of the blogosphere seems to be marching towards a leadership bid.
Update: There's more Kennedy stuff here, here, here, and here.

-As observed by several other blogs, Belinda Stronach has no Liberal logo anywhere on her website.

-Speaking of Belinda, Reg Alcock is quite intrigued by this economic pie she keeps promising to bake, and it looks like he's jumping on board her campaign.

-The kids at Fuddle Duddle are up in arms over the Quebec Young Liberals President, Brigitte Legault's decision to back Belinda Stronach for leadership.

-There's a new blog up and running from a "LPC insider". I'm obligated to link to it, due to my policy of hyping any blogs which refer to me as a "clever guy".

-Out good friend Joe Volpe is in the news yet again.


UPDATE: Apparently Anne McLellan is going to be supporting Bob Rae. I kid you not. I'm not sure if this is a "if I'm going down, I'm taking you all with me" strategy or what, but it's certainly unexpected.

posted by calgarygrit at 4:09 p.m.

21 Comments:

  • At least she's got a website. *Cough* Emerson *cough*.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:57 p.m.  

  • MSM is finally acknowledging what the blogs have been saying for over a month: Gerard may run.

    See Gerard links to Globe and Mail and Ottawa Citizen articles over at

    http://bestworsttimes.blogspot.com/

    Note: those who know Gerard know that he wants to make sure that Education initiatives he has had a hand in introducing remain in the forefront of Ontario Liberal Policy and are included in the upcoming provincial budget. Declaring his intentions to run federally would probably require him to step down as Minister. If the leadership review is not until 2007, there is no need for him to step down before the provincial budget is announced!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:27 p.m.  

  • So Alcock is jumping on the Belinda train? Wow. I thought Alcock would have better sense than that.

    I guess having some punk kid kick his ass has jumbled his politcal instincts. I expect that the Alcock Staff will be on board with Belinda as well, making her the person to beat in Manitoba.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:12 p.m.  

  • If Alcock goes for Belinda you can bet Richard Diamond and the rest of the Manitoba crew will follow along. If Diamond goes so will 75% of the Young Liberals of Canada leadership, and with the YLQ already there you can almost bet it’s a sure thing. Any other contender is going to have a serious uphill battle if the young liberals move in mass to Belinda. Overnight she will go from being the punching bag of the blogospehere to front runner.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:45 p.m.  

  • MANITOBA IS BEHIND RICHARD DIAMOND !!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:48 p.m.  

  • I would really hope that the Young Liberals in Manitoba and the rest of the country are bright enough to avoid Belinda.

    It goes to show that most Young Liberals don't have any ideology, they just want a good paying summer job with someone like Belinda.

    I doubt Richard will be able to move 75% of the Young Libs to Belinda's side.

    But Alcock and his staff still do have a lock on Manitoba in terms of organization. Even though Alcock lost his seat he is still more respected that our light weight do-nothings like Neville and Simard. Hopefully Axworthy or someone with more sense than Alcock will fight that big man for control of Manitoba's delegates.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:51 p.m.  

  • Manitoba Liberals:
    Go for your Manitoba Man: Gerard Kennedy! Send your support, email, volunteer etc.

    The next prime minister could be from Manitoba!

    Let's make it happen.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:01 p.m.  

  • Where is the best place to register our support for Mr. Kennedy and encourage him to run?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:14 p.m.  

  • And to think Belinda failed to get voting delegate status for the Tory youth wing.

    You folks are welcome to her.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:16 p.m.  

  • This is the party that thought Paul Martin would make a better leader than a man who'd won them 3 majority governments.

    It's no wonder they're lining up behind Belinda.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:41 p.m.  

  • //I'd have a tough time supporting anyone who makes the fiscal imbalance and asymmetrical federalism one of his top priorities.//

    Duh...the Martinis were making asymmetrical deals left and right. And with the Chaoulli decision in Quebec by the Supreme Court, there is no alternative but to consider alternative health care solutions.

    Regarding Belinda's rising support...my thesis is that the Martinis destroyed the Liberal Party. It became a platform for the boss, and loyalty to the boss became the raison d'etre (in place of merit and ideas). With the Martini stooges still mostly in place everywhere including the youth wing, the remnants of the Liberal Party are basically defenseless against someone just signing up all the Martini stooges, which is what Belinda is going to do.

    Welcome to the 21th century...the Liberal Party is dead. The battle for the progressive side of the spectrum will be between the NDP and the Greens, and the Greens should ultimately prevail.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:01 p.m.  

  • I met Gerard Kennedy once during the campaign and thought he was a decent chap. However I don't know anything about his politics - what he thinks of expansion of the army, Canada's role in the UN, relations with US, immigration and the like. He is photogenic, that I give you. Anyone knows how he stands on those issues?

    By Blogger mezba, at 8:18 p.m.  

  • "Gerard Kennedy! Send your support, email, volunteer etc."

    This goes for EVERYBODY! I'm a NDPer and I emailed Kennedy's office telling him I'd support him if he ran.

    Kennedy can save this country.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:31 p.m.  

  • Why did you have to post a link with tasha kheirridin's picture. I dispise her with every fibre in my body.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:58 p.m.  

  • Belinda.kennedy,dryden,thats the a-team thats hilarious its a great time to be a conservative wheres john turner when you need him he fit right in with the misfit crew you have assembled here.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:53 p.m.  

  • All this talk about leadership and all of us Liberals have forgot that the vast majority of us do not get a vote at the Leadership Convention. We need to be emailing the Liberal executive to urge them to make this process more democratic. The more people who are able to vote the more the campaign will be about ideas instead of positioning for delegates. I understand the concern about regional representation, but surely a party with so many leadership hopefuls can sign up many members from all parts of Canada!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:30 p.m.  

  • The LPC runs on a proportional representation system in voting for the leader. Do you have a better system then that in mind?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:55 p.m.  

  • I have a better system in mind - Canadian primaries!!!

    Then fucking people over and hording memberships would land you in jail rather than in 24 Sussex!

    Martin totally roxord and I'm totally not still bitter!!!

    YEah!!

    XOXO

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:01 a.m.  

  • You Grits definitely fit the description of "useful idiots." You talk about leadership and issues as if an ordinary member can have any influence whatsoever. Your Party is nothing more than the vehicle of choice for the inbred, uber-wealthy billionaire boys club of central (Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa) Canada to exercise their control over the policies of the country.

    Why waste so much time fretting over a decision which is in the hands of the Desmarais and a few of their ilk? You will be informed in due course.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:39 a.m.  

  • McLellan did choose Rae as the head of the Air India inquiry. They would also have had a fair bit of contact when he was at SIRC.

    Strange, but stranger things have happened.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:24 a.m.  

  • my what a time we all had at the heritage dinner last night.

    the best sight was belinda and reg. man that guy is looks fat when he stands beside her.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:11 p.m.  

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