Final Thoughts on the Final Four
Before I head off to Montreal next week, I thought I would give some final thoughts on the "Big 4" candidates in this race. Gerard is obviously my top choice but I'm perfectly happy supporting any of the other three should they win. They all have great positives and I haven't completely made up my mind as to which one would be my second choice should things not unfold as I hope they will in Montreal. I also have no freaking clue as to who has the best chance of the four to win which should make for a very exciting Saturday. So, over the coming days, I'll be taking a closer look at the front runners.
However, it's important not to overlook the other candidates in this race and not just because who they choose to support could determine this race. I honestly believe that many of the bottom four deserved a better fate and if I was filling out a preferential ballot I'd certainly rank a few of them above some of the perceived front runners. So, in fairness, today I'll give some quick final thoughts on the bottom four candidates:
Martha Hall Findlay
Website
My Profile
Globe Profile
My Interview
Martha Hall Findlay is probably the feel good story of the campaign and probably one of the best things for the Liberal Party to come out of the race. It's no secret that the party is short on female talent in the front benches but Martha has turned herself into an individual who is universally respected in the party and the media and who showed herself to be a rising political star. The important thing to remember, which is often overlooked, is that Martha could have been the punchline of the campaign. Instead, Martha has proven that she completely rocks and that she has a bright future in this party.
Scott Brison
Website
My Profile
Globe Profile
My Interview
I'm genuinely surprised at how poorly Brison did during this leadership campaign. He's a gifted speaker, has political experience, and would represent generational change for this party. The Income Trust e-mails just seem to have derailed his campaign before it ever got off the ground.
Despite this, my impression of Brison has probably gone up more than mine of any other candidate over the course of this race. I took my fair share of pot shots at him back during the last election and this spring but throughout this race he impressed at the debates, he impressed at his events, and he actually put policy out on the table. I don't have any doubts that Brison would make a fantastic opposition leader and I do think he still has a bright future in this party, even after his poor showing this race.
Ken Dryden
Website
My Profile
Globe Profile
My Interview
It's hard not to feel bad for Ken after this race. He's, without a doubt, the most genuine politician you'll ever meet and it's hard to find a cynical bone in his body - maybe that's what did him in. As I said in my interview recap, he's the type of person who should be Prime Minister - he's just not suited to the real world of politics.
Still, Ken's talk of "big Canada" and his work on the childcare file has been a big benefit to the Liberal Party. It will be a pleasure to listen to his speech on the Friday of the convention.
As for Joe...well...the less said about that the better.
However, it's important not to overlook the other candidates in this race and not just because who they choose to support could determine this race. I honestly believe that many of the bottom four deserved a better fate and if I was filling out a preferential ballot I'd certainly rank a few of them above some of the perceived front runners. So, in fairness, today I'll give some quick final thoughts on the bottom four candidates:
Martha Hall Findlay
Website
My Profile
Globe Profile
My Interview
Martha Hall Findlay is probably the feel good story of the campaign and probably one of the best things for the Liberal Party to come out of the race. It's no secret that the party is short on female talent in the front benches but Martha has turned herself into an individual who is universally respected in the party and the media and who showed herself to be a rising political star. The important thing to remember, which is often overlooked, is that Martha could have been the punchline of the campaign. Instead, Martha has proven that she completely rocks and that she has a bright future in this party.
Scott Brison
Website
My Profile
Globe Profile
My Interview
I'm genuinely surprised at how poorly Brison did during this leadership campaign. He's a gifted speaker, has political experience, and would represent generational change for this party. The Income Trust e-mails just seem to have derailed his campaign before it ever got off the ground.
Despite this, my impression of Brison has probably gone up more than mine of any other candidate over the course of this race. I took my fair share of pot shots at him back during the last election and this spring but throughout this race he impressed at the debates, he impressed at his events, and he actually put policy out on the table. I don't have any doubts that Brison would make a fantastic opposition leader and I do think he still has a bright future in this party, even after his poor showing this race.
Ken Dryden
Website
My Profile
Globe Profile
My Interview
It's hard not to feel bad for Ken after this race. He's, without a doubt, the most genuine politician you'll ever meet and it's hard to find a cynical bone in his body - maybe that's what did him in. As I said in my interview recap, he's the type of person who should be Prime Minister - he's just not suited to the real world of politics.
Still, Ken's talk of "big Canada" and his work on the childcare file has been a big benefit to the Liberal Party. It will be a pleasure to listen to his speech on the Friday of the convention.
As for Joe...well...the less said about that the better.
posted by calgarygrit at
4:16 PM
10 Comments:
Martha Hall Findlay has been a real winner throughout this whole race - I've become a real fan.
I'm seriously disappointed that the "women friendly" Liberal Party has shown her so little support - in my view, the whole race has just shown how uninterested too many Liberals are in good, solid female contenders.
Not wanting to end on a negative note, though, I'll say again - I'm a real fan and she rocks.
By
Jason Bo Green, at 3:59 PM
You can always vote for Ken on second ballot.
By
Mark, at 4:31 PM
CG: I always thought you were in Calgary Nosehill, but I didn't see you running as a delegate here. Are you an ex-officio delegate or what riding do you represent at the convention?
By
Werner Patels, at 4:38 PM
ex-off
By
calgarygrit, at 5:53 PM
I think if an intelligent, personable man who'd never held elected office at any level in his life and had done little else of note came along and ran for the Liberal leadership he'd have fared no better than Hall Findlay.
She'll certainly be a valuable addition to the Liberal team as an MP, but realistically she hasn't even earned a cabinet position yet, let alone the leadership.
I do think it was very wrong for the party brass not to find a seat for her to run in in gratitude for her stepping aside in Newmarket-Aurora. I think Etobicoke-Lakeshore would have been ideal!
By
Reality Bites, at 7:33 PM
Well, then, go off and represent our riding well, CG.
By
Werner Patels, at 8:27 PM
I hate to interrupt the Martha Hall Findlay love-in, but her respect seems to be based on
1) She's a woman
2) She has no chance to win
3) She hasn't put her foot in her mouth.
That last bit is easy to accomplish when you take no risks whatsoever. She hasn't challenged the party or taken any bold positions. One of the nice things about having no chance is you can actually stand for something that might make someone uncomfortable. She might say a "female perspective" is needed, but she seems to have exactly the same opinions as all of her male counterparts. So what's the point? MHF's campaign seems to have been simply an exercise in personal vanity. I haven't seen so much nothing collect so few votes since the last campaign of the Progressive Canadian Party.
By
RWA, at 12:38 AM
what riding do you live in Mr. Grit?
By
fartcatcher, at 1:36 AM
jason bo green:
Martha's lack of support has everything to do with the fact that she has never held elected office, and nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman.
Also, Dryden, Brison and Hall Findlay are without a doubt some of the brightest lights in the Liberal Party, and it's a genuine shame to see them fare so poorly. But not everybody can win, I guess.
By
Clear Grit, at 2:25 AM
Pshaw! Volpe, not Brison, clearly best represents generational change, if you look at his constituency.
Volpe is going to nail this one on the second-ballot.
By
hosertohoosier, at 11:52 AM
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