Canada's Next Prime-Minister: Stephane Dion
I would like to give a big congratulations to Stephane Dion on his victory as Liberal leader and soon to be prime-minister of Canada. As even Brandon points out, he poses the most formidable threat to the Tories, which probably explains why they are in full damage control rather than simply congratulating him like the NDP did. However, rather than talk about his electability, I want to discuss his remarkable come behind success. Last spring when he entered the race, few thought he had a chance, yet he proved them wrong and I believe he will prove many pundits wrong when he wins the next election. Another even more remarkable achievement is the fact he had the lowest campaign expenses of the four top tier candidates. This just shows those with a strong vision one can win against those with big money. He can count on my full support come next election and considering I live in an NDP riding, I plan to do my part to ensure it goes Liberal next election. I may not agree with him on every issue, but I am very impressed by the great thought he puts into every issue and his willingness to listen to those with different ideas, which is quite a contrast with our current PM. This is the best result I could have hoped for and hopefully just as Stephane Dion surprised people in the Liberal leadership race, he will surprise people in the next election.
As a side note, in the Alberta race, Ted Morton is currently in third, which is more good news. It looks like his hard right message hit a brick wall, which all I can say is good riddance. I'll have more tomorrow morning on the winner in Alberta.
As a side note, in the Alberta race, Ted Morton is currently in third, which is more good news. It looks like his hard right message hit a brick wall, which all I can say is good riddance. I'll have more tomorrow morning on the winner in Alberta.
posted by Monkey Loves to Fight at 9:49 PM
15 Comments:
If the Liberals ever had a chance to win the next election it's gone. In your blind idiotic process to elect a leader you have managed to completely disregard and alienate all other Canadians except those those who are totally committed to the Liberals cause already. I so wanted to see an end to Stephen Harper era but I'll be damned if I'll vote for yet another Quebecois Prime Minister. You had a real opportunity today and it's gone. I think I now understand the Liberal Party and realize that I must actually be a Conservative. It took stupidity like today to bring me to this conclusion but I now know where I stand. Thanks for helping me discover this. Liberal = Agree to ANYTHING to get the Quebec vote. ... Well done!! You got it, but you've lost a lot more in doing so.
Green Canuck - I know many other Liberals and Conservatives alike feel the same way, but I wholeheartedly disagree. In fact I think most Canadians really care less where the PM comes from. Everybody said the fact Harper was from Alberta made him unelectable yet he won. I believe Stephane Dion has many qualities that make him electable. Just check at some Tory blogs such as langhjelmletter.blogspot.com, daifallah.com, http://canadiangovernment.blogspot.com/2006/12/dion-win-could-pose-challenge-for.html, and http://rightwingtory.blogspot.com/. If some Tories are worried, then I think he has a good chance at winning. I have a good record of predicting election outcomes and I wouldn't have endorsed him if I didn't think he could beat Harper.
Dion is a decent, intelligent man. He will bring some honesty into the debate on many issues.
(tho I think PMSH has him beat on strategy)
It was a good day, Rae & Iggy out. Dinning and Morton out.
Nice guys can finish first. Canadians are sick of politicians attacking each other.
Wilson61 - I would agree it was generally a good day, but also the fact Ed Stelmach and Stephane Dion both won, shows that you don't need to be a frontrunner and one can come from behind and win.
For myself, it is not because Dion location; I just do not think he is prime minister material. A personal choice, but I will no longer be voting Liberal.
Miles,
I'm disappointed that you're lving in an NDP riding, because if the Liberals win the next election (as you and I both hope), I think that an extra NDP member giving one more voice to Canada's "social conscience" would be more valuable than another Liberal backbencher.
First off, I would like to make note of the fact that the NDP did actually attack Dion. They said the following about Dion:
“Let’s face it, when he was minister of environment, he sat around that cabinet table and I’m not sure he was a big champion for the environment. Did he really pound his fist on the table or was he happy to have his appointed position to that cabinet? So with all due respect, Mr. Dion’s record on the environment has been abysmal.” -Pat Martin
“It’s very difficult to say this party is renewed when essentially all it’s received is a coat of paint on a very old car and I don’t think Canadians will see this as resulting in any real sincere renewal. It’s the same old Liberals.”-Peter Julian
Just thought I'd clarify the Conservatives weren't the only ones in "damage control"
That said, Dion's win is good for two reasons, even as a Tory who saw him as a threat to Harper. The reasons are as follows:
1) He was the most desirable Liberal candidate by far. Ignatieff and Rae would have made atrocious leaders, and even more atrocious PMs. Kennedy could be good, but as Brandon says, he lacks the political experience. I do think, however, he should contest Peggy Nash in his home riding Parkdale-High Park (for one reason, I REALLY want to see Nash get the boot) in the next election, and become an MP. Anyways, point is, Dion is the most impressive candidate. And while I wasn't inclined to vote Liberal should any of these gentlemen win, I would say I'm least adverse to a Liberal victory with Dion at the helm.
2) Dion vs. Harper presents an interesting matchup: two intelligent, scholarly, dry policy wonks fighting each other on a campaign of ideas and visions, rather than mudslinging and lies. Put it this way, Canadian politics has come a long way from the circus we saw between Jean Chretien and Stockwell Day in 2000.
I've believed in DION since the beginning. A hard working man with integrity! What more can ya ask for? and you're damn right the Conservatives aren't happy! *evil grin*
DION is a TRUE LIBERAL!! Rock on!
Hi Miles,
Looks like yesterday was an "out with the old boys day across the country" - first the Liberal federal party results yesterday, then the Alberta provincial PC results late at night. Alright!
I have to agree with you, it gives one hope that people can be fooled for awhile, but in the long run, they recognize integrity and vision when they get a chance to see it - and by gosh, maybe we still even want to see integrity in action and (let's hope) in office. Of course, if we really want to see meaningful progress in sustaining our world, we will all need to live with more intergity than we have to date.
Thanks to Stephane's win, I might have to reconsider my Green vote in the next federal election yet - we'll see. I will listen carefully during the next election campaign to see what Stephane actually commits to and then decide where my vote needs to go. One thing I know, no more startegic voting for me - I am going to vote for the person whose platform is transparently, viably environmental. Period.
It's a good Sunday on the prairie, think I will go wave goodbye to Rod Love - and good riddance!
A Prairie Fan
For myself, it is not because Dion location; I just do not think he is prime minister material. A personal choice, but I will no longer be voting Liberal.
I hope that changes come next election, but each is entitled to his opinion. I realized that no matter who we choose, some would be unhappy.
I'm disappointed that you're lving in an NDP riding, because if the Liberals win the next election (as you and I both hope), I think that an extra NDP member giving one more voice to Canada's "social conscience" would be more valuable than another Liberal backbencher.
The NDP may be a useful opposition just as the Conservatives are, but I would rather live in a Liberal riding. Besides I live in Trinity-Spadina which went Liberal in 2004 so there is still Jack Layton's riding which is probably the one safe NDP riding in Toronto.
BC Tory - Its true the NDP was also in damage control, although they did also congratulate him, whereas I saw no such thing on the Conservative website. I also agree he is the toughest one Harper would face, but we will have to see in the next general election.
Dion vs. Harper presents an interesting matchup: two intelligent, scholarly, dry policy wonks fighting each other on a campaign of ideas and visions, rather than mudslinging and lies. Put it this way, Canadian politics has come a long way from the circus we saw between Jean Chretien and Stockwell Day in 2000.
You will still see some mudslinging, but at least it will be a lively debate on differences of views on policies, not just smearing the other candidate about things that are totally over the top. Secondly, regardless of what you think of Harper personally, he has done enough to at least give opponents things to attack him on, just as Stephane Dion has been in politics long enough and done enough to give Harper things to attack him on. The point is the attacks will be on their actual record, not fearmongering.
Anonymous #2 - Yesterday was remarkable in the sense in both the Alberta PCs and Liberals a third place finisher came from behind and won and in both cases it was someone no one thought could win.
Stephane Dion as Environment Minister accomplished what?
Well, here's what Canada's independent Auditor General uncovered:
The government has yet to create an effective governance structure for managing its climate change activities. This is despite various studies that have pointed to the need for governance mechanisms and despite internal commitments made since 2003 to put in place a renewed governance structure for climate change.
There is no government-wide consolidated monitoring and reporting of spending and performance information on climate change activities. The Treasury Board Secretariat is developing a system for capturing this information, but it is not yet fully operational, and responsibility for its management has not been assigned. The Secretariat was unable to provide us with documentation to fully substantiate its response to a parliamentarian's question in 2005, when it said that federal spending on climate change totalled $1.6 billion. Nor were we able to accurately replicate the reported total expenditures using the available data. Until the current system is improved, it is not sufficiently accurate for managing and reporting purposes.
Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation and industry sectors—which together account for about 78 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions—are not expected to bring emissions below 1990 levels; they may only slow the rate at which greenhouse gas emissions in these sectors continue to grow. A voluntary agreement with the automotive industry contains no provision for independent verification of the model, data, and results used to determine progress.
The proposed systems for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial emitters and for domestic emissions trading are highly complex. Progress to date has been slow, and many issues, such as public disclosure of key data, have yet to be resolved. Distinctive features of the domestic emissions trading system, particularly the $15 per tonne price cap promised to industry, present potentially serious financial risks to the Canadian taxpayer that could range from zero to over $1 billion.
As much as the Liebrals condemn the Conservative's Clean Air Act - the real truth is thad had Dion been so forward thinking when he was Environment Minister and had the chance to do more than flap his jaws...Canada would be much further ahead in reucing GHG emiossions than we are.
If I'm Harper, I'm delighted to run against Dion on the former Minister's record.
Anonymous - Most of the rises in GHGs occurred when David Anderson was Environment Minister while most environmental groups lauded the 2005 budget as the greenest budget. In addition politics is about perception not necessarily reality and as Adam Daifallah pointed out, the Tories are perceived as quite weak.
As for the Clean Air Act, it was a complete joke that backloaded all targets and rightfully condemned by all environmental groups many who are critical of the Liberals.
But go ahead and underestimate Stephane Dion.
We can already see Dion's environmental policy:
1) Bash Alberta;
2) Do nothing; then
3 Bash Alberta 'cause you didn't accomplish anything.
Until Dion engages Canadians in an honest conversation on the personal sacrifices they are going to have to make to reduce GHG emissions, it's all the usual lies.
And yes, it will require personal sacrifices.
Anonymous - Dion is actually willing to work with Alberta to ensure they can succeed in having a green economy. Even many in the oil companies support greener technologies and I should note both Dinning and Stelmach ran on platforms of reducing GHGs. The only one who took Harper's approach was Morton who thankfully lost. In fact Alberta is already a leader in wind power. In addition even Preston Manning noted Albertans are quite environmentally conscious and argued the Tories should champion the cause rather than oppose it as they have.
Again, you miss the point.
The truth is that the scale of GHG reductions promised by the Liberals cannot be achieved by "taxing the oil industry."
Personal sacrifices will be required. Canadians will have to drive, fly and eat less imported fresh food, for starters.
It is also true, and I looked it up, that in only one year out of the last fifteen did Canada's greenhouse-gas emissions fall...and that was a function of lowered economic activity and an increase in unemployment.
Fossil fuel consumption and standard of living are economically linked. To meet our Kyoto targets, Canadians simply must use less fossil fuel and that means they must lower their standard of living.
And, there are many people willing to do just that. But are you? And are Canadians who don't yet know that meeting Kyoto will require losing their livleyhood willing?
Have they been given the facts - and the truth.
Fear not, you won't hear these truths being told by citizen of France, M Dion.
No, he will engage in lengthy and nation-dividing Alberta bashing instead. Because, in the end, that's what all Liberals eventually do.
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