Thursday, November 04, 2010

Campbell Resigns


One of the most interesting story lines in Canadian politics over the past year has been the fate of the three Liberal Titans - Dalton McGuinty, Jean Charest, and Gordon Campbell. Their political background, beliefs, and styles are very different, but they've dominated the political landscape in Canada for close to a decade. Hell, the federal Liberals have gone through four leaders since this trio took power of the country's three largest provinces at the start of the decade.

Sure, they all had setbacks - Campbell's famous DUI, McGuinty's broken promise, and Charest's near-defeat in 2007. But up until recently, things were going swimmingly for them.

McGuinty trounced John Tory in 2007, leaving the provincial PCs in complete disarray. Charest bounced back in 2008, capturing a majority government. Gordon Campbell took a third straight majority in 2009, in a province where Premiers usually wear out their welcome before the paint dries in their office.

But ever since Campbell's re-election, the trio has fallen on hard times. The HST burned McGuinty first, then Campbell. And Jean Charest has had to fend off daily scandals. In a recent Angus Reid survey, Campbell's approval rating came in at 9%. Charest and McGuinty haven't done much better themselves lately.

So Campbell decided to pack it up, in an attempt to save his party from an electoral wipe-out in 2013. McGuinty is ready to run for a third term and might very well win it. As for Charest - the man is a fighter and comes back to life more often than slasher film villains, but it wouldn't at all surprise me to see him make the same call as Campbell early next year.

Outside of the three Liberal Titans, Danny Williams is the only current Premier who has managed to win re-election. And Danny, being Danny, is an exception in every sense.

Maybe it's part of a larger "time for a change" mood sweeping the nation. Maybe it's just a coincidence in timing. But even if McGuinty is re-elected next year, he's going to be surrounded by a lot of fresh blood on the provincial scene.

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11 Comments:

  • It would be interesting to see if any of the 3 jump federally. I think Campbell is done, but I could see Charest going back to the Tories federally and McGuinty running for the federal Liberals.

    By Anonymous Deb, at 9:47 a.m.  

  • To call Campbell a Liberal simply robs that word of any possible meaning, it is like calling Cardinal Richelieu a Christian.

    By Blogger Kirbycairo, at 9:53 a.m.  

  • kirbycairo - True enough. I was thinking of going off on that tangent in the post, but scraped it.

    All 3 men are Liberals, but very different Liberals. Campbell's BC Libs are the conservative party in the province...Charest is the former PC leader...and McGuinty is about as "typical" a Liberal as they come with a brother who is part of the federal grits.

    By Blogger calgarygrit, at 10:12 a.m.  

  • New blood ... think that will include some Wild Rose?

    What odds would you set on that? 10-1?

    By Blogger Robert Vollman, at 11:47 a.m.  

  • Hmmm!

    Gordo 'Lying' Campbell resigned to avoid being trashed by the party convention next month.

    Moreover, the anti-HST movement was about to launch a recall campaign of Liberal legislators three at a time. They only need to recall six of Gordo's caucus to force a vote of confidence.

    Finally, Gordo manifested the typical traits of harper conservatism. Contempt for the voters, disregard for democratic principles and procedures, and an overwhelming sense of superiority.

    Note that the anti-HST movement was founded and led by an old-time right wing premier Bill vander Zalm. And, the extreme right were reactivating the BC Conservative Party as an alternative to Gordo. So, Gordo managed to get the right and left wing up in arms against him.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Vander_Zalm

    Here's an important aspect of Canadian politics. It's the right wing that took the issue to the people and were effective in ousting Gordo!

    By Blogger JimTan, at 12:15 p.m.  

  • Any bets on who will succeed Campbell? Chuck Strahl has been mentioned.

    By Blogger nuna d. above, at 2:54 p.m.  

  • Finally, Gordo manifested the typical traits of harper conservatism. Contempt for the voters, disregard for democratic principles and procedures, and an overwhelming sense of superiority.

    Don't meet to start a flame war, but isn't that the exact reason why Chretien/Martin and Liberals were replaced in the first place?

    And didn't they replace Mulroney for the same reason?

    And didn't he replace Trudeau for the same reason?

    Dude - Gordo manifested the typical traits of ANY government of ANY political stripe as it goes into its death throes.

    P.S. Whoever replaces Harper conservatives will also take on those attributes before they're replaced.

    By Blogger Robert Vollman, at 3:11 p.m.  

  • "Dude - Gordo manifested the typical traits of ANY government of ANY political stripe as it goes into its death throes.

    P.S. Whoever replaces Harper conservatives will also take on those attributes before they're replaced."

    Actually, Gordo deliberately lied during the election for his first term. Then, he did it again in his third term.

    Like I said before, the Federal Liberals lie when they get into trouble. The neo-conservatives lie as a matter of SOP.

    By Blogger JimTan, at 4:41 p.m.  

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