Nice column in the Edmonton Journal today that makes a lot of good points about why Stephane Dion is the right person to take the helm of the good ship Liberal.
I think the alternating leaders between Quebec and the rest of Canada thing isn't the factor it's often made out to be, but otherwise the author makes a lot of sense.
There's a number of choice quotes in the piece, but I'll choose to highlight this one:
In two of their last three leadership conventions, the Liberals opted to anoint a "winner" who could walk right into the Prime Minister's Office. John Turner and Paul Martin both proved a disappointment and led their party to defeat. In the other contest the Liberals opted for the less flashy, more solid Jean Chretien, who could lead them in Opposition and provide an alternative for Canadians when the Mulroney Conservatives collapsed.
While I think Stephane has plenty of star quality, I see what he's saying, and I think he has a good point. It's also a good piece of advice for those who are determined to find the next Trudeau. If we're looking for substance over style (and I really think we should be) Stephane has it in spades.
And as I think anyone who has seen him on the campaign trail will attest, he's working on the style too.
Cabinet experience, Quebec link among strengths
David Watts, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Monday, July 31, 2006
Stephane Dion is the compromise candidate who may just succeed in holding the other Stephen, Prime Minister Harper, to a minority in the next election, and replacing him in the election after that.
Third of three front-runners, he may emerge by default after the other two have been examined and found wanting.
(more)
9 comments:
This is the type of leadership this country needs. No response from Harper yet.
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER
July 29, 2006
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister
Government of Canada
Langevin Block
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A2
Dear Prime Minister:
Yesterday, Canadians learned that the Conservative Party of Canada is selling your position on the Middle East as a source of election funds even as people there are suffering and dying.
I would hope you find these Conservative fundraising tactics as tasteless and indefensible as I do.
Out of respect for the high office you hold, I would ask that you immediately repudiate your party's attempts to profit from the misery of the men, women and children caught in a war half-way around the world.
Prime Minister, if you are the man of principle your fundraisers claim you are, you will do the right thing and ask them to stop.
Canadians await your response.
Sincerely,
Gerard Kennedy
Liberal Leadership Candidate, 2006
Good on Kennedy for going after that issue.
Bad on his supporters for flogging it all over the blogosphere even in articles that have nothing to do with it.
It is tacky.
I'm really sorry Gerrard,
Canada is not going to elect a Prime Minister with no university degree.
I think all agree about the Conservative fundraising methods, but I truly believe that Kennedy has used this too.....by addressing it he appears to be a go-getter.......really doesn't impress me.
Actually, he doesn't impress me - I think he used this as a "marketing" method for his campaign.
Tacky schmacky - Kennedy is the first candidate to lay a glove on Harper for raising money on the backs of a international tragedy. Be nice if some of the other candidates joined him in this principled stand.
Good to see someone playing the role of leader of the opposition.
Well that was a lot of off topicness, as the article didn't mention Gerard.
While, on-topic Manitoba Liberal, I found as odd as the inclusion of Rae as a frontrunner. Still, given all the nice stuff that was said about my guy, I chose to ignore that detail. :)
But on the off topic posts (and I've seen that letter spammed a number of places this afternoon) I thought Gerard overplayed it in his press release the other day. A soft sell (more along the lines of this letter) would have been far more appropriate, and effective. Come on too strong and it gives the Cons an easy deflection/diversion point: alleging he's playing this up for leadership purposes.
That's why I really wish Graham or MacKinnin was/is up front on this.
Kudos to Kennedy for hammering Harper on the fundraising ploy. He is the candidate showing real leadership.
I may be one of the few people that think that Dion has a charisma that stems from his obvious intellectual ability and vision for Canada. Maybe it is because I am older, but I find that it is Dion's substance that is his real style.
Cycles, I think he has really come into his own in the last few months, and is starting to show that charisma. That was one of my initial concerns with him, making the transition from leiutenant to leader, but I think he's done it.
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