More best and worst

I had stopped blogging on political issues because of the potential for a conflict. I think now that B is blogging it would be great for us to blog fa/da.

OK. But it may take a while to find anything to say.

Archive

Thank you for the response to my farewell. Some objected to me taking down this blog. I felt that I now owe you the reader and co-writer one last duty: i will leave the blog up (unless for some reason i am required to take it down) in the spirit of the blogosphere.

If a day should come when i can contribute again, I will.

As a friend of mine always says, be good everyone.

The Faithful Tribune.

Farewell

It's been a unique opportunity to write a blog and my hat is off to those who have mastered this form.

Nevertheless, because of my new position and the need for discretion, I have voluntarily decided to close my blog down.

I have not been asked to shut down, but increasingly my level of self-censorship had really prevented me from writing anything just in case it could be interpreted one way or another to indicate bias or indiscretion.

So, thank you, everyone, for reading.

I will be deleting the blog for the same reasons that I am discontinuing it.

Greg McGillis
"The Faithful Tribune"

Thanks -- and Top five List

That's right: I've gotta thank the unfortunate souls who, according to the usage reports that I have on this page, keep coming back and looking for material that I simply haven't been generating.

Thank you for your patience and interest. I'm sorely tempted to pull a bill shatner on you and blurt out "get a life," but I think that you know that blogging is life and love and so much more.

So, I'm supplying a bonus topic in addition to my thanks for all of you reading.

If you've read this far, you're going to benefit with the kind of incisive political comment that you usually find on other blogs, but today you will find here.

My top five no-surprise-surprises of the Liberal leadership campaign, from home office in Moose Creek, Ontario.

5. Is it really such a big surprise that most of the candidates aren't able to raise any money? With a big field, the tournament aspect to leadership campaigns kick in. I'm speaking of course of the economic theory of tournament progression. In tournaments, there is a huge prize to those who stand out, for good and bad. Take Joe Volpe. Or Ruby Dhalla. Please.

4. Ignatieff's good showing shouldn't be surprising, but the fact that Rae is still within spitting distance of upsettign the newest juggernaut is, in news terms, a plane that didn't crash.

3. That Ken Dryden has struggled more than some people expected should only be an indicator that you shouldn't listen to or read those people.

2. That the right-of-centre and extreme right media have jumped on Ignatieff as their guy is no surprise. He's closer to Stephen Harper on most issues than he is to Pierre Trudeau or Lester B. Pearson (and forget about Chretien).

And the number one non-surprise surprise has to be

1. That Bob Rae is outperforming most of the field in money, memberships, ex-officios and organisation and that his performance in Ontario has been roughly the same as Ignatieff.

There it is. Aren't you glad you kept the faith?

It's about time someone said so!

This -- Rae rallies Liberals against softwood deal -- is what experienced leadership looks like, folks.

Stephen Harper isn't going to wake up one day and realize he either needs to give us a fair chance of winning back power or really got mixed up and now realizes his views are too right-wing to be of any good except in opposition.


No. Stephen Harper is going to throw the ball at our heads every time.

We need a leader who has the ability to challenge him.

Let them eat cake -- Quebec not a nation

Stephen Harper has made a deal with the devil that wil not only come to haunt him, but the rest of us. By wooing separatists and involving himself in la Fête Nationale, he finds himself
denying the obvious, or just avoiding it.

He says that he "respects the National Assembly's declaration that Quebec is a nation, but that Ottawa has no need to enter the debate."

This is trying to have your cake and eat it too. He is in bed with the separatists and hopes to exploit nationalist sentiment while at the same time he can't acknowledge one of the most fundamental facts of Quebec politics: of course it's a nation, dummy!

Ignatieff "Current"-ly unavailable

In this entry, Cowboys for Social Responsibility reveals that Ignatieff ducked an interview with The Current on Afghanistan that would have included Bob Rae. After all the inside baseball theorizing, I have to admit that I'm disappointed in Ignatieff.

Yes, disappointed.

I think that there would have been no better opportunity for the Iggster to clarify what is a puzzling position, i.e., that we should vote for an unspecified mission with unspecified consequences and unspecified limitations.

Come on, Iggy.

A lot of people are looking at you as someone who has not been tested. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you've got the royal jelly.

I can't imagine Trudeau, to whom you've compared yourself, turning down a chance to engage in what would have been a seminal debate on the wisdom of committing combat troops to harm's way in an agressive mission that will lead to asymmetrical, low-intensity, high-risk operations.

The arm of honour

Well, John Baird and Pierre Poilievre have certainly had the expected effect on decorum in the house as we see here.

CTV gets marks for showing just how offensive this behaviour was and showing Baird and Poilievre enjoying it while taunting the opposition.

This is a problem and one that has become more serious as the Neo-cons have taken over the conservative party and began behaving like republican politicians.

You can't hold the institution in contempt and not expect contempt in turn.

Shameful.

clement and oda all wet

We all agree that government and ministers particularly should act ethically. And if you as a candidate run on a platform that the other guys are corrupt while you know they aren't, you better have your p's and q's in order and prepare for some close examination or you will get this kind of headline: globeandmail.com : Clement resists conflict claims.

Look: you got stock that will almost assuredly be affected by your decisions as a minister. Give your head a shake and divest or put it in a blind trust... for everyone's sake... but especially your own.

Sheesh!

Bashing Harper

No need to link to the story: Stephen Harper is at it again. Harper has decided to take on the media.

Yes, we should all take some pleasure in the fact that after almost fawning coverage, Harper thinks the media is out to get him, thus demonstrating that this guys just doesn't get it.

But .. not so fast.

Ironically, the very thing that Stephen Harper says the Parliamentary Press Gallery doesn't have is what strongly prevents most of these folks from really giving him what he deserves.

If anything, Harper figures he has nothing to lose and everything to gain by going at it with the Hill media. They are the toughest crowd he's ever going to face, and if he doesn't have to answer their questions, he can't make very many forced errors.

Perhaps if the Liberal caucus wasn't in disarray, the Bloc worried about another election and the NDP just hoping to hang on, perhaps he would pay a price for this.

But Harper is making hay while the sun shines. He's got a free hand and all he wants is a majority. The hill hacks can't make that happen.

Bob RAe at the Gallery

Well, it's over. The Ottawa Team put together a fantastic event at the Gallery on Sussex and Bob spoke with the passion and conviction that only he among the leadership contenders can, in both French and English.

As one of the organisers, I am tired but in a good way.

We managed to fill the gallery's fashionable cafeteria with roughly 250 attendees, many of whom joined up on the spot to support Bob.

Well done, Clayton, Greg F, HannaPaul, Kim, James, Sheila, Joseph, Dan and many, many others.

Cauchon

Martin Cauchon endorses and offers his full organisational support to Bob Rae tonight at the Montreal launch.

globeandmail.com : Six Liberal contenders don't pass as bilingual

Dommage. Comment expliquer presque 6 candidats pour leader du parti liberal qui ne peux pas s'expliquer en français. J'ai honte. Ce n'est pas seulement un embarras pour le que Six Liberal contenders don't pass as bilingual.

My problem with this whole situation is that several of these candidates are in such denial over their own skills.

Look, my French was a little rough and I went for lessons to bring up to scratch at my own expense. After a few months and a few thousand dollars, I was able to perform at the highest level under the federal public service exams. Some people have difficulty learnin French, so you would think that they especially would consider whether they had to get started early or just not run for the leadership.

The Liberal Party needs a bilingual leader, because of history and because it's a job requirement.

Other than RAe, Ignatieff, Findley and Dion, the rest don't even have this specific qualifications for the job.

What other qualifications are they fudging?

Condemned inmate asked guards to find other way to execute him - Yahoo! News

Apparently, failing to administer a lethal injection after at least two tries is not a flaw in the process. A Condemned inmate asked guards to find other way to execute him when attempts to kill him failed. Collapsed veins the first time. SEcond time, they got the wrong arm.

Third times the charm.

Nothing cruel. Nothing unusual.

There is no flaw in the process.

And, as Chris Rock would say, there is no sex in the champagne room.

blograe.com

As pointed out here, and elsewhere, Bob Rae has become the second registered candidate for the Liberal leadership.

In related news, yesterday I joined the Rae team as Eastern Ontario Co-Chair.

I think that we have to declare any time that we get off the fence and stand for what we believe.

And I believe in Bob Rae.

He has the ideas, the skills and the experience that can be put to work now for the Liberal party of Canada in the House of Commons as leader.

Bob may be one of the strongest canididates for anything that I've ever supported.

And as for luggage (does anyone carry baggage anymore?), Bob Rae's luggage has been everywhere and done things that most of us only contemplate and wish for in a leader.

I like Bob Rae's luggage. It's a sign he's been somewhere.

And he knows where he's going.

If you're going to lead, that should be a pre-requisite.

Second act

Someone once said that in american lives there are no second acts.

Canadians believe fundamentally in second acts. In redemption and return. Robert Bourrassa, Pierre Trudeau, Terry Fox, Réné Levesque.... All returned from their tribulations of various shapes and sizes, somehow smaller yet greater. Time in the wilderness is a cliché requirement for prime minister, as Mulroney, Chretien, and Martin all illustrate.

Bob Rae's second act is just beginning. His good cheer and easygoing clarity of purpose belies the myths of the mishandling of the economy and the supposed concern about Rae days. Look, if it wasn't for Rae's effort to deal with the deficit, 40,000 civil servants would have lost their jobs. As it was, the tories found an excuse to get ri of 20,000. Given the choice in a difficult situation, I would choose Bob Rae's approach over Mike the knife's any day.

But Bob made mistakes. One was that, in retrospect, having found a deficit when assuming power, he didn't cut spending to signal restraint to markets and stakeholders.

There were others.

But if the tories want to campaign on Rae days in Ontario, I will look forward to a very successful election for liberals in ontario.
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Graham speech part deux

Bill graham finishes of with a standing ovation as he thanks the party for the honour and privilege of leading at this critical time.

An authentic moment of honour paid to public service in the highest tradition.
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Graham speaaking

At the lpco agm, and rae pulled off a great speech last night. Best line? My government didn't take over a 10 billion dollar surplus.

Graham says "ndp voters, when they see what jack has done to support this conservative agenda, will want their votes."
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A View Or Two: Will Be Meeting Bob Rae This Morning

I think that Vincent forgot to come up for air from his meeting with Bob Rae This Morning. I don't know about the entire country, but the organisational muscle recruited to the Rae cause has impressed me.

I had a great opportunity to see Bob in action. I have to admit that I was very impressed, but the best part was seeing him with his wife talking to people about the real difficulties that they were having in their lives. Arlene Perly is engaging and outgoing. So help me, I think that she is actually enjoying the experience of meeting all these people and touching their lives. There were as many questions about Arlene as about Bob among the mostly male group that was there.

Authentically inspiring.

Plus ça change, plus ca reste pareil.

Well, two weeks and still no forms.

I think I've tracked down 8 with the previous membership secretary in Ottawa Centre, but this is an inauspicious beginning to a new era.

The president doesn't have any. The membership secretary has none, though he said he would next week (and that was last week), and when I call Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario) to ask for forms, they are going to charge me $25 for 25 forms. OK.

I point out that if my riding were following the rules, it wouldnt' cost me anything. They say that's not their problem.

Not their problem.

That's exactly their problem.

So, in a riding with less than 100 members that is dying to recruit new people supposedly, I am going to pay $25 for the privilege of getting more people involved in the party.

O brave new world, / That has such people in't!

Warren Kinsella

Kinsella's new firm has its shingle out. Sounds like a great concept. Wish I had thought of it, frankly.

globeandmail.com : Style, sure, but where's Mr. Kennedy's substance?

I have always like Gerard Kennedy, even when he would roll my eyes when, as a teacher leader, I would corner him on some of the more salient aspects of the funding formula.

Two nights ago i attended the Griffin reception where Kennedy spoke and some of his supporters gather. I say some of his supporters because quite a few of the people were, like me, either from other campaigns or there to keep open their options having attended every other event thus far.

I note the article Style, sure, but where's Mr. Kennedy's substance?. I'm not sure I know where the substance is. I was late so i didn't hear the speech. I also have to admit that I contacted the Kennedy people to find out who I could talk to about what a Kennedy campaign would and they said they would get back. I never heard back and moved on.

I went to wish Gerard well. He was friendly. Too friendly, as they say in the movies. Then he said he read the blog. I thought he was referring to the earlier posts and pointed out that the posts on Kennedy were among the most popular. He did not smile, so clearly he was referring to the more recent posts where I suggested that he was said to already be micro-managing his campaign. Pretty mild stuff, but clearly he didn't like it.

I tried to say a few words as he left, but he sped past me.

I used to like Gerard Kennedy.

I still do.

But my appreciation has long been sorely tested and unrequited.

Good luck, Gerard. I'm supporting Rae because I think he will do a better job. I respect and even admire you, but I'm worried that you aren't yet ready. The Rae people were quick to return calls and stay in touch. They had good reasons to support Rae and all seemed to know why they were supporting him and why he is running.

I am sure that Bob Rae is the best candidate.

I might be wrong. I don't think I am.

Rae's announcement at Ryerson

Bob Rae will announce his candidacy tomorrow at 5 pm, 265 Church Street in Toronto.

Natural questions should leap to mind about a man with this kind of experience, broad support across the country and charisma. What does Bob Rae want to see happen? How would Rae position the Liberals as a party, in contrast to Harper's iron fist well cloaked in a velvet glove? Given that Liberal leaders have historically become Prime Ministers, what kind of Prime Minister would Bob Rae make?

I want to asnwer these questions.

But, first, I want to personally address some points I've read posted in the blogosphere. The mythology and mythmaking surrounding Bob Rae are a good example of bad reporting and a public mind with a short memory.

Let's look at one, and we'll come back to others in further posts:

1. Bob Rae "mismanaged" Ontario's economy.

Fact: The Rae government was careful to avoid either massive cutbacks or massive over-spending that came about as a result of the 1991-1993 recession. In a world-wide recession, one that many economists refer to as a depression, the smart thing to do was to stay the course, do a little stimulative spending and hope the recession was brief.

Well, the recession lasted longer and was deeper than most expected, but Rae's prudent policies kept Ontario from experiencing the kind of deflation and depression that the rest of the country and much of the world experienced during this world-wide event.

Nevertheless, revenues kept dropping as the recession kept biting. Finally, the turnaround was in sight, but the deficit continued to grow and Rae did the responsible thing: he looked for ways to cut back while the economy continued to recover to keep the deficit manageable and to keep the debt down.

The Social Contract was innovative, required people to look past the politics of their own constituencies to do what was right for everyone.

And it was deeply unpopular with many of the people that elected Rae. It didn't practice the Bush-like politics of appealing only to the core. It expressed a fervent belief in the real social sontract between government, stakeholders, business and citizens.

As one of the players at the time, I can tell you that there was a lot of blame to go around. But Bob Rae's effort to get unions to agree to some way to reduce the budget cooperatively was a daring, caring and reasonable reaction. He failed, and they had to do without input from the union leaders who feared for their own jobs but challenged Rae to take away other people's jobs by walking out of the talks.

The government went ahead with the legislation, forcing the unions to the table in the end, when it was too late.

There were ways that various groups could avoid the worst effects of the Social Contract. One was early exit. My local union refused to negotiate early exit and it cost me $30,000 in terms of life-time earnings. I organised teachers and ultimately ran for president in response to that decision.

I don't blame Bob Rae. I do blame the shortsightedness of the people that led my local union.

If Rae had been re-elected, the cuts would have been temporary. The new Tory government made them permanent and made restoration on the grid a rallying cry to young teachers across the province.

Did our unions shoot themselves in the foot? There is no doubt. Can we blame Bob Rae. In the opinion of someone who lived through the worst of it and who did what he could to make things better, I can expertly say that Bob Rae tried to do the right thing.

Remember that. You're going to hear it a lot from Rae. I believe it's what makes him a Liberal.

Some will argue with the details, but having lived through this critical period, I can remember every detail of our social contract negotiations.

There are many people i may never forgive.

Bob Rae is not one of them.

Next time: did Bob Rae open the door to the Common Sense Revolution?

Conservatives to fly flags full-staff despite deaths

Of course, you can't fly the flag at half mast every time if you expect a lot of casualties. You would be flying the flag every day. And that would not send a good message. So, in a smart move the Conservatives say they are going to fly flags full-staff despite deaths.

Yes. A Liberal government, Paul Martin's, was the first to support increasing our involvement in Afghanistan. My question is whether that decision itself was wise an whether the specific decision to take on the Kandahar misssion was wise. Further, what other foreign adventures are the Conservatives planning that would prove embarrassing should the Canadian flag be flying every day at half mast on every roof top.

I shudder.

Rae locking down resources

Bob Rae has quietly, without fanfare, locked down some of major money and organisational talent in Ontario.

Watch in the coming weeks as more major figures from throughout the party begin appearing with Rae's support.

Far from having momentum, Kennedy is already trying to micromanage his campaign. That kind of momentum is deadly.

Bob Rae Announcement

Well, you heard it here first.

Bob Rae will announce on Monday.

This is a guy who has the gravitas, skill and political wisdom you can only gain from experience. At this point, I think he is close to being a frontrunner.

His campaign theme will be "Prosperity with a Purpose", emphasizing his experience, knowledge of the country, and strong commitment to a public policy which combines a focus on innovation and change in the economy as well a call for "shared opportunity for all Canadians".

You wanted vision, Mr. Cherniak? I think that Rae is going to bring a lot of it into this race.

Battle of the Grits: Is Volpe a serious candidate?

It's the wild, wild west out there, and everyone is gunning for the top spot. Is Volpe a serious candidate? Well it appears that it comes down to what you think serious is.

Can he win? No.

That would normally be the end of it.

But for the price of a really, really interesting convention and enough democracy to fill Quaker meeting in Pennsylvania, we are treated to the spectacle of several candidates who are either a) doing it to prove something, b) (and closely related) have Something to Say (capitals required) or c) hope to get a cabinet post and positioning out of the experience.

I loved the response of one well known possible candidate when I suggested he run: Show me $3 million and 60 members of caucus, and I'm there.

I pointed out that his threshold for running was a bit tall for me at that moment, but that I had fifty bucks and an OC Transpo ticket to get him started.

I also said that if I had $3 million and 30 members of caucus behind anything, I was going to run.

I don't think he's going to run, after. He was even a bit cool after that. But then, I think he might be the sane one.

Strangely, the one person among the long-shots that I have to admire amongst all is Martha Hall Findlay.

I've been a candidate in an election and started out way behind. It was tough to delude myself into thinking I was going to win. And I couldnt' admit that it was delusion or that would be a problem on my motivation.

Anyway, she is clearly running on chutzpah. Anyone who has ever run for a paying job will recognize her courage.

But that's not a lot better than $50 and an OC Transpo ticket.

Fight Global Warming - Environmental Defense

Most of us don't know what kind of effect we are having or could have on global warming. This site from the Ad council,
Fight Global Warming - Environmental Defense, puts the problem in perspective. I apparently produce 39.5 tonnes of carbon effluent into the atmosphere per year.

And I live downtown, in a townhouse, only use my car now and then and fly only for business.

Have a try. Click on the link and see what effect you're having and how to reduce your output quickly and easily. The one-tonne challenge may be gone, but it can live on in you and me.

Tories 'oversell' integrity legislation

Simple solutions explained simplistically. Is that Peace, Order and Good Government? Well, a professor of public administration has just thrown cold water on that recipe saying, Tories 'oversell' integrity legislation. Most public servants and informed observers don't believe that the integrity legislation as the Tories said they would impose during the election campaign will solve anything.

I know this is not popular, but one could point out that, ultimately, the system here worked fine. The Auditor General and the RCMP have managed to track down everyone who needed to be tracked down. People are going to jail and the politicians responsible have all lost jobs, fortunes and reputations.

In the meantime, we are going to create yet another level of bureaucracy to watch the bureaucracy.

It may well seem like a good idea politically, but as public policy it is the tail wagging the dog.

The one issue that has obsessed the Tories has been Allan Cutler. The best thing to do in this case is deal with the specific issue of how Cutler's superiors tried to silence him, if they did.

Cherniak on Politics: The new Liberal leader must articulate a vision

Jason, Jason, Jason. I appreciate your effort but must condemn the results of: The new Liberal leader must articulate a vision. I don't think that a vision sufficiently sweeping, engaging or effective can be successfully or completely conveyed in a few months of a leadership campaign. I don't really think that we are going to be able to say with confidence, "this is the Canada we have chosen."

No, just as every Liberal Prime MInister before, successful and less so, we will have to do what you do when you hire someone: choose someone who has the capacity and ambition to achieve at the level that we fervently desire, then give them the available support and tools they need to achieve it.

On the other hand, I wouldn't vote for certain visions. A more conteninentalist vision would be one. More privatization of health care and social programs would be another. A further would be some aspects of the Trudeau vision.

Rather than calling for vision, let's discuss the vision we are calling for. And let's consider how our leader conforms to that vision.

RE: [Best/worst of times] 4/17/2006 01:53:24 PM

He was a police officer arriving at a crime scene where they guy had threatened to kill someone. He had threatened to kill people before and had a record of violence and mental illness.

 

In those days, the procedure was to go into the house and search for the individual. Things have changed. Nevertheless, my father was a changed man by the time I was old enough to know him.

 

That shotgun, under the registry, would have been confiscated. You can go to the registry site to see the number of confiscations.

-----Original Message-----
From: EX-NDIP [mailto:noreply-comment@blogger.com]
Sent: April 17, 2006 1:53 PM
To: mcgreg@rogers.com
Subject: [Best/worst of times] 4/17/2006 01:53:24 PM

How many people had this person shot before he shot your father, you said . . .

If the registry had existed, the individual would have had his license for his shotgun revoked for previous offenses.

why would he go hunting with this person with a criminal record?

How many people have had their guns confiscated by the Gun Registry? I would bet very few.

Its not about the guns, its about people, people kill people, people do crimes . . . guns will just lie there dormant, they are inannimate objects. Prosecute criminals, long jail times for gun crimes, deport illegals and replace liberal judges now!

--
Posted by EX-NDIP to Best/worst of times at 4/17/2006 01:53:24 PM

Canadian Firearms Program Statistics

According to the Canadian Firearms Program Statistics, the program has achieved numerous milestones. Just one statistic:

16,554 firearms licenses have been refused or revoked for the following reasons -- history of violence, mental illness, applicant is a risk to himself, herself or others, unsafe firearm use and storage, drug offences and providing false information.

One little thing that I should admit: my father was shot with a hunting shotgun at point blank range when I was only 2 years old. He lost most of his ribs on one side, one lung, his chest muscles and his heart stopped on the operating table requiring one of the first manual open chest heart massages outside of battlefield use in the world.


Incredibly he lived. If the registry had existed, the individual would have had his license for his shotgun revoked for previous offenses.

'Nuff said.

Tory MPs face pressure from constituents on promise to scrap gun registry - Yahoo! Canada News

Forgive me for being cynical. For a second I thought that Stephen Harper might be manipulating his minority status to avoid looking like he is the guy who killed the gun registry. In urban centres, particularly in Ontario where large cities are the places that see the most gun violence, the registry is seen as a necesary evil... and not really that evil for that matter.

But now we see Tory MPs face pressure from constituents on promise to scrap gun registry. They're looking for a back door to avoid killing a program that has taken thousands of illegal, otherwise untraceable guns off the streets of our cities. That's right, it's often forgotten that the gun registry is a modest but growing success at what it set out to do.

Of course, the Liberal government took a shellacking over the registry and non-compliance combined with lack of cooperation among many stakeholders increased its cost. But now it's up and running. What do you do about something that is deeply unpopular, but saving people's lives every day.

According to Harper, you punt. It's everyone else's fault.

Well that's some toughminded leadership.

All I can say is that Canada deserves a leader who makes the best decisions with the best information at hand, and doesn't try to pass the buck..

Take your medicine, Steve-o-boy-o. You wanted to catch the tiger. Now you have.

"A Bad Leak"

Someone else on liblogs and various other aggregators has pointed out that the Washington Post gets hammered, rightfully, in a NY Times editorial. But in Daily Kos: "A Bad Leak" and a Responsible Editorial, kos regular contributor mcjoan does a great job of bringing the two together and showing that the facts in the WAPO simply don't matter to that paper if it's ombudsman's policy is any indication.

TheWashington Post has fallen far and hard when it has become more enthusiastic about defending the indefensible when it comes from the White House than even the paid White House flacks and right-wing fruitcake that seem to dominate talk radio in the states.

While the Times has had it's own problems, especailly with Maureen O'Dowd, this goes some way to re-establishing its reputation with its readers.

I will note, as well, the White House obsession with secrecy, rage over leaks and love of pre-emptive military action. Sound like anyone you know?

globeandmail.com : PM wants to see more missions like Afghanistan

Most of us who support a much stronger and more agile military in Canada do so because in order to make your point in international affiars you need armed forces .

The great reason that many internationalists will hesitate, they will sometimes tell you, is that there is a nasty tendency to use armed forces in ways that are politically motivated.

Enter Stephen Harper. The following article, globeandmail.com : PM wants to see more missions like Afghanistan, is a good example of a politician putting the lives of soldiers on the line to score political points. The Harper Doctrine, if I understand it well, would require the building of a significant military capability with one goal in mind: to be the critical force in some, as yet undefined, region.

I gotta tell you, as a former member of the militia and a soldier who was known to gripe more than was traditional when sent on pointless missions, I get all excited when I think of endangering myself and my buddies, perhaps watching someone die, just so Steve-O-boy-O can say that we were the dominant presence in somewhere like afghanistan.

That's the problem with building good armies: some day, politicians get to use them.

globeandmail.com : Liberal hopefuls hindered by past

The poll on globeandmail.com : Liberal hopefuls hindered by past is better news for almost everyone in the federal race. At this stage, I don't think that it is surprising that baggage is a drag on campaigns like RAe, Ignatieff and Dion. HOwever, the vast majority of voters aren't really expressing a strong opinion. It's really the inside baseball people who are paying any attention to baggage. It will be up to the campaigns to articulate messages and visions that move beyond issues of the past into what they are going to do in the future.

"Backseat Strategists" by Mark Schmitt

In "Backseat Strategists" by Mark Schmitt, the author reviews the emerging literature of U.S. Democratic Party Renewal Angst. It is going to seem surprisingly similar to anyone who has been watching liblogs, read about the leadership campaign federally or voted Liberal in the last 50 years.

A lot of the solutions can be summed up in this general way: say something, say it often and really mean it.

Good advice any time, but the gentle reader may ask, Dr. Greg, isn't there more to winning.

Well they also look at the subgenre that is a kind of kunstler-roman and bildungsroman for political types. I suppose you could say they are like Joyce's Portrait of the Artist without the religion or the whoring.

Anyway, among these is redoubtable Take it Back, by James "it's the economy stupid" Carville and Paul "Crossfire" Begala. This is of the kunslerroman variety, the story of the artist/apprentice and the perfection of his work in a biographical context. Lovely book and one of the really "how-to" oriented titles that Carville has been involved with.

In the same league, surprisingly, is Crashing the Gate by Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas Zuniga or the DAily Kos, perhaps the most liberal of blog sites that was ever created in the U.S. This is more of a bildungsroman, or novel of growth and growing up: the story of two boys who went to look for the techniques that would support and make electable their ideas and found that the ideas themselves were or could be inspiring themselves.

Both seem to stumble upon the apparently not-so-self-evident truth that when you tell voters what good government, what proper health care, what helping kids learn can do, they will vote for you.

It's not, it would seem, either staying on message and honing that message, though that's a good idea. It's not, according to these books, about the latest social media or web 2.0 application. It's not even about avoiding fights on issues with which you are losing.

No. It's pretty simple. Tell people what's wrong about the conservative agenda and tell them what is good about our agenda. Don't be afraid to go toe-to-toe on issues that we are worried the other side owns.

Finally, interest groups and single-issue organisations are the opposite of a winning formula. The Democrats -- the Liberals too? -- have to be the party of community. We need to expand our base, insist internally on improving our position on each issue and speak truth to power boldly.

Have a look at link and see if this doesn't seem like food for thought.

There is worse than dictatorship

This article in le Figaro (French), lists the five paradoxes of the U.S. intervention in Iraq. "The Pentagon ideologues thought that, dictatorship being the worst of regimes, things would have to go better after [the liberation]. They were wrong. There is worse than dictatorship: it's anarchy. And there is worse than anarchy: it's civil war."

Prior to the invasion, Baghdad, and Iraq in general, was one of the safest places on the earth for foreigners, women and the general population. Since the invasion, it is now the most dangerous. It will remain so for decades. Hundreds of people die every day, most of them innocent. What hath Bush wrought?

Michael Ignatieff had better explain how he thought that a nation with no discernable democratic tradition, no democratic institutions and no common sense of nationhood was a good candidate for invasion. Then he had better explain why Canada's foreign policy was served by the invasion and why he thought Canadian troops should be sent there.

Finally, he had better explain what he would do about a similar situation when the U.S. called for help with regime change.

HarperBizarro™: Pollsters never learn

The Dippers are starting to worry already. A re-invigourated Liberal Party with and experienced and effective Bob Rae at the helm has scared them enough to run a poll saying that Rae would not be a problem for them.

George Lakoff has effectively explained the role of framing in communications, especially in a communications context in his various books, in particular the brief Don't Think of an Elephant.

Rae has a unique ability to speak directly to that part of us that wants to make sense of the issues based on our fundamental beliefs. At the same time, he work on post-secondary education and the Air India disaster shows that he is capable of a pragmatism that is both Canadian and inherently Liberal.

I'm not endorsing Rae, but I must say that I've been impressed with what I've seen so far, and now that he is out of the woods on his Air India appointment, I expect that we will see him operating with a free hand.

globeandmail.com : Let the sunshine in, Baird tells public servants

Hypocrisy comes in many forms. John Baird has established that he's good at keeping a straight face if he thinks the government now has credibility on openness.

If Stephen Harper thinks that MInisters speaking about their portfolios is a problem, then I want to see what he thinks the first time he's sandbagged in question period based on an ATIP release.

Pool: My Mission, My Troops, Myself

Here is a Canadian soldier who has it right. I'm amazed that the support for the war in Afghanistan misses one fundamental fact: it's not about security, religion, governments or weapons. It's about narcotics.

Afghanistan has been in an almost unremitting state of civil war for a hundred years.

There are no real good or bad guys here. We previously supported the very people who gave birth to the Taliban movement.

We are now supporting drug lords and thugs.

I think that, as our troops die over there, we should keep in mind that we are an occupying force in a country that has swallowed whole armies in slow motion, including the British, Russian and others.

Why, why, why

The more we learn, the more it's clear that the PMO was too busy settling scores and leaving people to hang out to dry. If you wait for the audit report on Dingwall, act prudently at worst, perhaps even indicate that the government is doing everything it can to make sure that no one spent a cent that they shouldn't have, then you look good when it comes out that the whole thing was a Conservative canard.

If, on the other hand, you use the opportunity to clean house and Dingwall ends up having to defend, awkwardly, his severance, his expenditures and his existence on earth, then the only sound bite is likely to be a bad one. Of course, who could have expected the one we got. You know, "I'm entitled...", oh forget it.

As it turned out here, the arbitrator more than agreed with Mr. Dingwall. And it wasn't a Conservative plot that managed to embarrass anyone, it was a Liberal plot.

Bowie's Call and Dion event at Cornerstone

Actually, James, James Bowie, I thought you got picked up by the OPP when I read that heading.

I went to the Cornerstone event and saw that a large crowd had come out to welcome M. Dion back to Ennuie on the Rideau.

I should admit up front that I am a fan of Dion's.

He spoke well, and I think that, if anything, his strong but heavily accented English is proudly warn and sits well on him.

There were a lot of people window shopping at this event, and even those who were probably trolling for potential jobs some day were a trifle reserved.

Nevertheless, I was really inspired to believe that Dion is at the very least the kind of leader we need. He is officially on my shortlist. Of course, my shortlist is similar to everyone else's, except that I'm really tempted by Rae. And Kennedy. I missed the Kennedy event, which is too bad. The Dion people were very good at pressing the flesh and making the ask.

Increasingly, for me, Iggy is off the list. But never say never.

Dewar apologizes: Mahoney comments were overboard

In this report in the Ottawa Citizen, Paul Dewar, he of the sterling NDP reputation and ethical outrage, admits Ottawa Centre Liberal Candidate Richard Mahoney did nothing wrong and apologizes for suggesting that he did as a lobbyist for a satellite radio company.

Richard Mahoney is as ethical as they come. Dewar thought things were dicey and got down into the very gutter that he decries.

I frankly don't know what I would do if I were Richard. Do you accept a an apology that is three months late and half-hearted or do you proceed for the very real damages to your reputation.

While I suspect that Mahoney may well decide not to proceed, I wouldn't blame him at all for proceeding against Dewar and taking the opportunity to highlight the hypocrisy that seems to have descended on our friendly little town on the Rideau.

Blah, blahg, blog...

The interesting thing about Gaining a Top Google Ranking in Two Weeks - Blog Case Study: ProBlogger Blog Tips is not by any means that attracting large numbers of eyeballs to your site is so easy and, apparently, lucrative, it is the self-referential (self-reverential) approach to getting more eyeballs.

Really, his technique is to talk about blogging with a new angle every time.

I think if newspapers wrote articles about how many people still buy newspapers more than one every few years, the MSM would be in much bigger trouble.

Luckily enough for the MSM, blogging about blogs is the sexiest thing you can do in the blogosphere. Don't pack 'er in yet boys and girls at the Ottawa Citizen and Sun. While blogs keep talking about blogs and the quality of most posts even on the leading bloggers is woeful at best, you should have no fear of blogging, because if it doesn't change it will be going the way of CB radios and pet rocks -- the original social media.

It should be OK to change your mind - Yahoo! News

I completely disagree with this, and I've changed my mind about it several times.

When did we get to the point when it wasn't OK to change your mind? Was it the Reagan era? The Trudeau years? When did flip-flop on an issue, which at one time meant that you were trying to have it both ways by appealing to different constituencies or being intellectually dishonest, become an accusation that you simply couldn't make up your mind. Why isn't it OK for a candidate to say they might have doubts, have had doubts, have changed their minds or be prepared to allow for contingencies and then to formulate policy based in part on rigourous examination of those doubts or contingencies?

We want our society and our children to learn, but learning means changing your perception of reality to something more nuanced, developed and robust in the face of acquired knowledge or even knowledge yet to be acquired.

I want a politician who can change her mind. I think we know what one looks like who can't.

I'm also going to say that, if anyone has learned, grown, changed his outlook and accepted the ironies and nuances that come with experience, I'm going to bet it's going to be Bob Rae.

Whether he wins or not, or even if I don't end up supporting him, I think a short seminar on learning from your mistakes would be a welcome training session for everyone in the Liberal Party of Canada.

globeandmail.com : Stronach won't seek Liberal leadership

Sometimes it takes courage to run. Sometimes it takes courage to lead.

And sometimes, it is far more courageous to stand aside, contribute positively and support your party. When I read Stronach won't seek Liberal leadership, I saw in it a different courage.

Belinda Stronach has made the right decision, though I think from the beginning she was a contender and may well have further helped her career, win or lose.

Nevertheless, I couldn't support her. Many others felt the same way.

But I hope that, like me, everyone recognizes the courage that it sometimes takes to say, "Not this time."

Bowie's Call: I Will Not Be Quitting The Liberal Party

I think James Bowie is onto something here in the post,
Bowie's Call: I Will Not Be Quitting The Liberal Party. The fact is that some people really thought he would be quitting the Liberal party even though the Montreal lawyer whose right to run for leadership would finally not run.

I agree with James, and admire him for his courage to cover a story that no one else had given the time of day. That's what a good blog should do.

On the other hand, I think James is onto something, as I said earlier.

Why stop there. There are a lot of things I've been tempted to do by the stupidy and cupidity of others but have finally decided not to do after a significant amount of soul searching and a pint or two at my local pub.

So, here is my list of things I'm not going to do in reverse order from the home office in Moose Creek, Ontario, population 450 when the fishing derby is on and the Raisin River isn't dried up.

4. I'm not going to run for leader. I know this should be higher on the list, but hear my out. Frankly, I said that I might run for leader when I was 9 and just getting interested in politics, but with all that's happened -- and not happened since -- and since no one seems to recognize as I do my unique leadership abilities, I'm pulling out of the race to replace Lester P... I mean Paul Martin, and nothing you can say is going to change my mind.

3. I'm not going to sign up for weight watchers. I know I said I would if I didn't lose more weight more quickly, but I'm just getting the heng of this "chocolate and wine" diet that I read about in US magazine. I can feel it workin'.

2. I'm not going to learn to speak Esperanto. I spent some time learning the language back in the 90's when it looked like the internet was going to bring about a renaissance in the language. I therfore committed to learning the language. However, it is clear that the Internet has headed, wrongly in my view, with another fairly easy-to-learn language: English. If this keeps up, I will consider signing up for English lessons if my degree in English Literature and teaching degree start to look like they're not going to cut it on the increasingly intellectually driven web.

1. I'm not going to have lunch with Warren Kinsella, or any other famous person who doesn't return my calls. I know, Warren and I have been playing phone tag for a while so why the sudden change. Well, actually, it's been pretty one-sided on the phone tag thing. I'm sensing the Warren is tied up and, though he desperately wants my advice, I think that the leadership situation has him distracted. I'm not saying never. I'm just saying, the restraining order that Warren threatened has cooled my ardour and I'm looking at stalking someone more willing who hasn't hired a security guard and secretary to screen my calls.


Well there's a lot more I'm not going to do, and I could talk about them.

But I'm not going to do that.

McGuinty to shuffle 3 ministers, replace leadership hopeful Kennedy - Yahoo! News

Well, this is good news for the federal leadership race and unfortunate news for the provincial government given Kennedy's strength as a Minister and popularity among the various stakeholders.

Unlike some of the other candidates for the leadersihp, Kennedy needs some buzz and playing coy has create some, but not enough.

This change clearly send the message of his intent, without pre-empting his announcement -- let's hope. He now gets another news cycle to make a splash after the initial move out of cabinet is no longer news and people need a reminder of his strength.

Some have claimed, in this space in fact, that Kennedy is the likeliest competitor for the Rae faction of the party. I'm not sure. Sorbara is hardly the Rae faction and he clearly is supporting Rae. I don't think that their overlap in support is even that large.

globeandmail.com : Bob Rae just might be the government's worst nightmare

Once again, a cogent and thoughtful analysis of a Rae candidacy. Spector has made the quintessential argument for Rae:

1. He has the gravitas. No one can take that away.
2. He is even more skilful and effective than he ever was -- and people forget that he was extremely skilful to bring an NDP government to Ontario in the early 90's.
3. He would be more than a match for Stephen Harper.
4. His leadership would elevate the debate.

I'm not sure that all of these are true of any candidate. Ignatieff wants us to believe, and maybe in five years we all will, but he has a lot of work to do before December.

Only Kennedy can match Rae for experience, but it is not clear that he can beat him in a fair fight of political skills.

Where was Frank McKenna, by the way?...

CBC News: 'There will have to be constitutional changes,' Harper says

Because I don't have enough of my own ideas to write about, i sometimes visit people like Calgary Grit. Over at his blog he uncovers a big breaking story: CBC News: 'There will have to be constitutional changes,' Harper says.

Far from discouraging this kind of far-reaching change and suggesting that it might result in a one-term Harper government, I think Liberal should recognize the genius behind this proposal.

I have a few more ideas for Mr. Harper. I don't think that any of them require the kind of vision and political capital that changing the constitution might involve, but I do think that any of these could contribute to making the Harper conservative government as successful and popular as they deserve to be.

It's time to put party differences aside and help Stephen Harper to make the kinds of changes that will earn him a place in history with other great Conservative Prime Ministers like Sir Charles Tupper, R.B. Bennett, John Diefenbaker, Brian Mulroney and Joe Clark. They were giants of history remembered for their quick deaths (Tupper), economic genius (Depression maestro Bennett), effective government (Dief), ethical consistency (Mulroney) and ability to count (Clark).

Here are some suggestions for Stephen Harper to ensure that the Tory tradition does not die with him, but lives on.

Suggestions for Stephen Harper:

1. Endorse Ralph Klein's third way for health care (whatever that means). You will have the luxury of sounding original without actually having to commit to real initiatives. Any degradation in publicly-funded health care can be easily explained as part of the Third Way. The sick and dying will thank you if it kills them.

2. Old age pension hardly cover anything any more. You'd be crazy to think that the government really cares. It's a two-legged stool. Time to chop the last two legs out from under all those old ladies reaching for cookies to give the grandchildren. Let's do away with OAS. Hell, while we're at it, CPP is starting to look like it's getting awfully complicated. And EI. Did I mention Health Care? Oh yes.

3. A draft. Yes. I know. Not everyone wants to spend two years of their lives digging holes and marching. That's why Harper should do it. If there is one thing that Conservatism has proven with George W. Bush it's that you don't need a good reason to go to war. And imagine the photo ops.

Well, there it is. I've done my bit for the Conservative government, and a lot more than most Liberals would dare to do.

Don't thank me. If you take even one of my suggestions, it will be thanks enough.

globeandmail.com : Conservative MP retracts remarks about jailing media

Colin Mayes points out that he made a rookie mistake, according to the story: Conservative MP retracts remarks about jailing media.
As he makes clear, it's not the fact but that analogy that he is apologizing for. Which analogy is that?

I've scoured the entire text of his remarks and cannot find any analogies. A couple of hyperboles, one or two innuendoes and a comma splice mysteriously on the edge of a dangling participle. I think there may have been some absolutely accidental alliteration. Or was that assonance? I can never remember.

Every possible rhetorical device one would expect in a crazy as a skunk letter to a conservative MP's constituents was there to be pored over.

But no analogy.

I can only conclude that the missing analogy was entirely meant to distract literate readers into thinking that Mr. Mayes had apologized for saying that the media should go to jail.

I think everyone knows how Stephen Harper feels about the media. We can't be fooled on that.

But Mr. Mayes almost had us.

The Prime Minister is far more clever than we give him credit for. He knows that there isn't an analogy in that letter. And so does Mr. Mayes.

I can only conclude that without so much as a metaphor or a simile, let alone a full blown analogy, that the government has had its cake and eaten it too.

They haven't apologized for squat.

And they have cleverly remained mum on the whole "jailing journalists" gambit.

Aha, Luke...

Luke said:

"Owed" an answer? He's been providing you with his insights for free. Why does he owe you anything?

Well, that goes to the heart of what blogging is. What is it exactly that Warren -- perhaps in your version of the blogosphere I should call him Mr. Kinsella or the sage on the stage -- is doing or anyone is doing when they blog.

Is blogging a community or an indulgence? Is it a collection of vanity pages, like the early web sites we all started, or a dialogue between millions. Are there any rules? Expectations? Loyalties? Bonds? Or are the only bonds the Barry Bonds kind? Has Warren been corking his bat? Is he taking political steroids? Is every home run now in doubt?

Perhaps i bought into the hype. Perhaps all this egalitarian and community-minded activity is all one big hoax. Nevertheless, I thought that Warren (if you will) believed that he was part of a community just like the rest of us. He may have been a leader in that community, but in my book that means he has a higher duty to those whom he would lead.

As a first among equals and someone who has held some pretty strong beliefs and stated strongly, at the very least Warren could shed some light. I don't think we all need the blow-by-blow. But if this is being done because he is being welcomed with open arms into the belly of the beast, if this means that he will no longer be playing punk music but is on the lookout for some good Carpenters circa 1971, if this means that it was all really a dream just like the episode of Dallas where Patrick Ewing emerges from the shower, then I think those of us who've defended Warren, joined him in his causes and believed in his authenticity, probably need some 'splainin'.

--
Posted by Luke to Best/worst of times at 4/02/2006 10:07:06 AM

TheStar.com - Bright spots for Liberals in by-election losses

According to this report, Gerard Kennedy will announce in the coming week. I may have missed other articles and speculation, but at least this indicates direction from Gerard on his final decision: it's made.

Gerard has a fighting chance to win this. But he begins, organisationally and in terms of profile, behind Ignatieff, Stronach, Dryden and Rae outside of Ontario.

I'm surprised that he hasn't generated a little more buzz with his intended announcement. I'm also surprised that he hasnt' done some of the normal things you do to create buzz.

Message to Gerard: sit your communications guys down now and have a serious talk about the value of media coverage in a national race.

As Oscar Wilde said, the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.

Warren Kinsella

Well, Warren Kinsella has zigged when everyone expected him to zag. Now, he is gone from Navigator. Word on a new firm is, to my knowledge, not available but on its way.

I think that an April Fool's joke is not out of the question. In fact, what is a little strange is the fact that this is plausible in light of Kinsella's previous reference to a positive discussion he had a the Sheila event.

Given not many Martin-types were there (I hear John Duffy was the exception that proved the rule), one could also try to intuit what is going on if indeed this is not a hoax.

Perhaps loyal readers of Warren are owed an answer.

TheStar.com - Why child care matters

We didn't do it. We just didn't do it. We didn't make the case even at its most basic level.

But we have another chance. This article in the Star.com - Why child care matters, really summarizes the problem beautifully. It's not about the money. It's about our communities, our children's safety and the desperation of parents with nowhere to go.

Time to get serious. Let's make the case.

As pointed out here, blogs are the medium of choice for early adopters. But it isn't enough just to have a blog, like a corporate leader who wants to show he is hip and knows the blogosphere, we are all made into cultural anthropologists as we work through the subcultures, alleyways and byways of an increasingly complex and uknowable blogworld.

I've had nightmares recently with candidates who wanted to blog as an end itself. I think the most effective, though certainly far from cutting edge use of blogging, has been the posting by activists on others' blogs.

Blogs will be, shortly, akin to canvassing and signs as a part of what you do to convince people. The effort would be wasted if we don't begin with the understanding that bloggers, especially heavy bloggers and those bloggers who post and link to each other, can help to coalesce opinion and can also provide an impetus that the MSM isn't following because of their status as early adopters and opinion leaders.

Bloggers are not just an audience, we have to regard bloggers as a complex set of stakeholders who have a heightened interest in the topic at hand. Moreover, the personal aspect of blogging means that, at least to this point, it is effectively self-policing and normative socially.

One of the more interesting developments has been the rise elsewhere of political blog communities where readers assess the quality and relevance of bloggers (sometimes each other of course), and successful bloggers are given pride of place. Not all blogger are created truly equal, and not everyone wants to read a 1000 explanation of why the Liberal party needs renewal (after a few hundred posts on the same topic have already appeared.)

So, how can we make blogs more relevant and useful to each other and to the lurkers? How can we brand and give pride of place to some blogs and still retain the egalitarianism that we see on the frontier of political blogging in Canada?

What does the Liberal Party think of voters?

As some of you know, I work in communications after a varied career in education, music, union leadership and even some time playing soldier in the militia.

I have some abiding interests in the area of communications and one is Cause Marketing and Branding the intangible. My work tends to focus on ways to create a strong, positive response in people to organisations and ideas as opposed to products. It's very similar to political campaigning, but I have to admit that my ideas aren't necessarily of interest to the candidates for whom I've worked.

As a party we should be looking at our brand. I know that some people don't like us to talk about the Liberal brand, but a brand is just the emotional, cultural and social connection that people feel to a person, place, thing or group that would or could call them to action.

No less than people think of Montreal as a french language city, which most Quebecois would mildly disagree with, or Americans think of Toronto as a clean, safe city, the Liberal party lives up or down to its brand in various ways.

In this post, a Harvard marketing professor that we need to think not about what people think of our brand, but of what our brand thinks of people.

If we have damaged our brand, you can see it the minute you look at it that way. Does our brand perceive Canadians as basically good? Bad? Indifferent? Did the Liberal Party at any point look like it took voters for granted to voters? Do we look responsive and modern towards our voter? What emotional connections does our brand attempt to make to people.

Some of the answers are meant to make us uncomfortable and see ourselves in a new way. Our brand has to think highly of Canadians. It has to appear open and welcoming. It should have disagreements that feel like discussions between family members who ultimately value our relationships with each other.

What does our brand think of you? Of voters in your riding?

TheStar.com - Incredibly, McGuinty has done relatively less for poor than reviled Mike Harris, says Linda McQuaig

I like reading Linda McQuaig as much as the next guy, but she commits the same error as most of her fellow NDPer's on budgets and fiscal prudence: she doesn't know the difference between a one-time expenditure and a permanent commitment.

Prudently, the McGuinty government has put money into something that will help the economy but that will not entail any further commitment. In fact, if the economy drops a little, as it could, it is likely that the infrastructure plan proposed by the McGuinty government will help to keep the economy humming a little better if macroeconomic theory holds true at all.

We all want a strong economy and more jobs and infrastructure investments create significant economic activity for those who are not highly skilled knoweldge workers.

As well, the government has put more money into social programs, education and health care to solve looming problems in those areas and repair some of the damage done by Mike Harris.

Dwight Duncan's budget is a balancing of priorities that carefully avoids spending that could prevent a balanced budget in this decade. The Tories will say we've spend too much, the NDP too little.

YOu don't have to be Goldilocks to figure out that the path the Liberals in Ontario have chosen is just right.

Elect Gerard Kennedy

I' ve been following referral clicks to my blog and note that, more than any other source, my short post about Gerard as an outstanding candidate (and I still think he is) has been getting a lot of traffic. One such referral is from Elect Gerard Kennedy, the site that advocates for Kennedy because he doesn't really want it.

I find that concept humourous in the way that it was probably meant. It turns the Groucho Marx via Woody Allen aphorism on its head: We can't elect any leader that would want us as a party.

I'm like most people in that hard to get is great until I start to think that maybe you not only haven't made up your mind, but that you have grave misgivings.

Kennedy brings qualities to the race that we all want to see. But that presumes he's coming to the race and that his hesitancy is prudence and not fear.

The aggressiveness of his followers in his run for the Ontario Liberal leadership backfired. Was it the result of simple inexperience, or something else?

shoshana: my pen is coarse and I am not polite

We live in difficult times where extremists of religion from varying faiths declaim and attack each other in the name of expiating evil. The world has been convulsed by these false prophets of fanaticism before, as this this blogger ably demonstrates in her description of the apparently latent but nevertheless extant anti-witch movements which seem to parallel the growth of fanaticism and threats to religious and secular reform.

Stephen Harper, Stockwell Day and others from the Conservative caucus believe that they are doing God's will in a way that, perhaps, most Canadians would shudder at.

Internet surges as source for news in US - Yahoo! News

No one is likely that surprised. Still, ten years ago, I know that the clunky Internet didn't look like it would create a headline like Internet surges as source for news in US, since there just wasn't much on it.

I don't even think that this is the big news. The big news hasn't bee well report in MSM: the Internet is changing what we consider to be news, or rather, it is part of a trend away from the maginot line of public information and toward a highly mobile, fluid and organic system of information that maybe will make Marshall McLuhan look smart again.

Brian Ford

This blogger was the beneficiary of a visit from one of the Ford campaign star canvassers.

Ford is an extremely strong, thoughtful and experienced candidate who should be able to beat Lisa MacLeod with his eyes closed. But politics is a funny game.

Anyone who has a chance to help Brian beat back the neo-con hordes, please consider giving a hand.

The office number is 226-1469.

chapters.indigo.ca: Books: American Theocracy

I heard Kevin Phillips, author of American Theocracy, on Vermont Public Radio this evening on my way into Montreal. I was early for my meeting, so I sat in the parking lot (with the engine off -- don't worry) and listened as he explained the connection between debt, consumerism, theocracy and conservative politics. After him came another guy, a former Republican and still an avowed conservative, who pointed out that neo-cons and religious fanatics had taken leadership of his party through Nixon's effort to court Texas and oil money. The first step had been fostering the career of one George Herbert Walker Bush.

Like anyone feeling the tail of a destructive hurricane, we are right to feel that perhaps the tail seems much worse than the body at times. A little flick here or there and Hurrican Harper could easily blow by us and leave nothing of what matters standing. I think, ironically, that the worst thing they could do would be to lay a claim to our souls. Not in the maniacal Christian sense, but in the sense of our willingness to make share not just as neighbours on a street but neighbours in a country.

Someone asked me today (someone who reads this blog) whether I was supporting Bob Rae. I gotta tell you that he looks like the one guy who could look Harper in the eye and never blink. He has the soul. He's got the gravitas of a boxed set of Mahler crossed with early 60's Sinatra. He has the skills of a Kennedy (and i don't mean Gerard) and the knowledge of a Churchill (yes, that Churchill), and I think that someone like him is what we need.

Ok folks: let loose. But let me warn you, the louder you get, the more you know I'm right.

RCMP on a witch hunt

The RCMP, in a turf war with Justice, put the kaibosh on any resolution in the Sorbara standoff. The prosecutor appeared prepared to make an announcement that Sorbara had been cleared, but the RCMP wasn't in on the talks and refused to cooperate.

The suspicion that there is a rogue element on an anti-Liberal witch-hunt isn't now so far-fetched. Goodale, Sorbara and others have felt the cold hand of the RCMP on their careers, as has Paul Martin.

Something should and ought to be done to restore the RCMP's reputation and bona fides as something other than the paramilitary wing of the CPC.

I say more

Just read the interesting View Or Two: The Importance Of Us. I think that the role of the blogosphere has changed even in the short time that I've been reading about it, which is only about two years. Blogs began as versions of the free vanity pages that have disappeared but with perhaps more of an explicit understanding between blogger and the small readership that they had.

That has changed. Outstanding blogs can have the effect that poetry and strong polemical writing has on me: it inspires me, it explodes the possibilities, assumes a reader and a bond and beckons me to respond. Anyone who is familiar with the epistoliary novel or the history of the sonnet will recognize that blogs serve much the same function, if perhaps more ephemerally, that writing served in the great golden ages of renaissance personal writing that saw Shakespear, Decameron, Chaucer, Petrarch and others who gave birth to Milton, Woolf, Joyce, Munro and Updike.

In politics, they are both public discourse and rumination. They provoke, divert and entertain interactively.

They will become strong orgnisational tools, if always organic ones. And it is their very social networking function that will make this inevitable.

Zerb and Kinsella can have their tiffs and threaten each other across the blogosphere, but, at least at this very minute, this belongs to us and it's evolution is as important as almost any other aspect of the web because it is essentially a simple application of technology to support a natural human social impulse.

Godfrey and Bowie

Thanks for the news, Bowie. Your account of his positions on various issues provides an interesting insight, and I would respect your opinion greatly should you throw your support one way or another.

I saw Godfrey when he came to Ottawa to do some fundraising and he was very good. We appreciated the help. Belinda also dropped by with him, but he had committed first.

I think that when we know the rules for the leadership, an important phase will arrive where the leadership candidates are doing more of this kind of polling of support with strong commitments to run.

At this point, everyone wants the speculation to continue and that is understandable. But everyone's patience will be stretched and critical organisational resources will already be committed if they move too late.

I think Godfrey saying he would like to run is refreshing. It sounds to me like his

Spring Training

OK, folks. You've noticed I'm torn. Yes. Torn. Just like Natalie Imbruglia, but without the Aussie accent and high cheekbones.

It's like Spring Training. We get to dream. I've got to admit that Gerard Kennedy, David McGuinty, Bob Rae, or even Ken Dryden (he would have to take charisma lessons) have all been cited by me at one time or another for Leader. And short of a phenomenon such as the one where Captain Kirk gets split into two, or the operation where we can graft Kennedy's charisma onto Dryden's star power, add genetic material from Bob Rae and implant the skills of a David McGuinty, yes, short of a successful human experiement demonstrating that this is possible, or even probable, we aree going to have to choose one. Only one. No cheating.

Embarrassment of riches. Despite what everyone says, any one of these guys (and yes, they are all gentlemen -- and Ruby Dhalla or Belinda just aren't in the same class I'm afraid) could be a good leader and perhaps a great Prime Minister.

Now most of you bloggers would hold a survey in this case. But this is an election! It's not a popularity contest. Oh. Wait. Yes, I'm told it is a popularity contest.

Well, fellow progressive bloggers, and that includes you crazy Dippers out there and red tories with hearts of gold, I want to hear some compelling arguments over the next thirty days.

After that, the faithful tribune will announce the vaunted "Tribune's choice award" for the one leadership candidate most likely to succeed at succeeding. The vote for Mr. congeniality will be held separately.

And, oh, by the way: no wagering.

TheStar.com - Harper has forgotten the election lesson

Jim Travers, in a victory of undertstatement over insight, writes that Harper has forgotten the election lesson. Apparently, Jim Travesty thinks that Paul Martin actually earned the right to lose the recent election because he inherited the culture of entitlement from 12 years of Liberal rule.

I may not think that the Martin-ites ran a good campaign, that Paul Martin was a decisive hero for Liberal values in the mold of Pearson or Trudeau, or that he even understood why Chretien had been so successful with three majorities.

No. He really didn't see the train coming and probably people like Scott Reid, Karl Littler and David Herle only now recognize the magnitude of their errors.

But one of them wasn't inheriting the 12 years of Liberal rule.

These guys cleaned house. They got rid of some strong performers who would have worked with them instead of against them. They angered voters by rejecting the history of big-tent Liberalism, repudiating it in such a way as to create sympathy for, of all people, Sheila Copps. Let's remember the story about Sheila calling back the Journal to complain that the interviewer had not called her by her title, "Minister".

Now that takes balls. And a modicum of stupidity that can only be earned after too many years living off your reputation.

Travesty, er Travers, confuses the public perception with what was really going on. Yes, the RCMP blew its cover as a non-partisan, arms-length orgnisation when it decided to announce its investigation of the improbably honest and hardworking Goodale.

One could make the case that what the Tories couldn't do with their ridiculous effort to re-position Stephen Harper as cuddly, the RCMP did by re-positioning Goodale as corrupt.

But Travesty gives Harper way too much credit. He's not decisive, he's arrogant. No Liberal could get away with what he is doing. We are so used to the careful avoidance of arrogance among most Liberals that we have forgotten what it really looks like.

Behold, people, I give you Stephen "Backdoor" Harper.

There is a not-so-fine line between decisive and wreckless, between bold and stupid. Mr. Harper began his government on the bad side of that line.

I think that a pro like Bill Graham may remind us of just what an amateur Stephen Harper really is in the game of politics.

As one chess master once said upon arriving at the table for a world championship, "There it is: all the mistakes are waiting to be made."

FW: [Best/worst of times] 3/11/2006 08:15:44 PM

That's one of the smoothest non-conspiracy conspiracy theories I've heard on a blog.

 

I suspect that they both realize that this is a little ironic, but i didn't marry my college roommates at McGill and a couple now practice communications in the same field.

 

Is that a conspiracy?  According to you, it is.

 

I say it's just life.

 

[snip] 
Do you not find it strange that two former roommates may be running for leadership of the federal Liberals at the same time? And even more so, since one has been out of the country for quite a while and the other was most recently an NDP provincial leader.

Ignatieff and Rae are close friends. I would not ever run against one of my university roommates. I would support them or they would support me. Unless of course...

This is no conspiracy theory. If both run, there is a conspiracy.

There, I did not attack either Rae or Ignatieff. I raised a question. Someone, please help me understand.

Comedy Central - Shows - The Daily Show - Videos - Headlines

Well, what could be funnier than Stephen Harper making a cabinet? George Bush closing a prison. Abu Ghraib, to be more precise. John Stewart's Comedy Central reminds us that it's not all beer and popcorn over in Iraq, where Stephen Harper would have sent troops. No, there's sadness.

Watch the show to see the passing of an Error.

John Profumo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The death of John Profumo highlights the change that the Profumo scandal made to the body politic in the Western Hemisphere. In the prior to the profumo scandal, the private behaviour of politicians wasn't seen as critical to the public discharge of their political duties.

When Profumo's ongoing relationship with Christine Keeler was exposed, it became clear that there could indeed be a link. Like pandora's box, we entered a virtueuless spiral that resulted in the impeachment of Bill Clinton, among other sordid affairs that had little to do with public policy but a lot to do with the media's taste for the salacious and an increasingly vulgar view of politics as a blood sport.

It hasn't all been good. Probably most of it hasn't been good. In Canada, as usual, we've avoided the wretched excess of our puritanical cousins to the South, but private scandal and the imputation of any kind of wrongdoing has brought down some good men and women who served our country well, but were flawed.

Profumo showed what a class act he really was by continuing good works the rest of this life to atone for his mistakes, as much as they were ones of the flesh.

Let a thousand flowers bloom...

Aside from my hope that down the line, Blue Grit and others like him will start to look at some of these bold choices very seriously, at the same time, I think that the process question that he raises is just as important: let a hundred flowers bloom, let a thousand thoughts contend.

Bob Rae sets stage for likely Liberal leadership run with powerful support - Yahoo! News

According to this CP report,
Bob Rae sets stage for likely Liberal leadership run with powerful support - Yahoo! News, Bob Rae is honing in on a decision. You want gravitas? You want intensity? You want leadership? You want strong, liberal, Liberal values?

You have to take a long look at Rae.

I'm going to come out of the closet and say that if he does go, he will galvanize the centre left of this party. What people don't realize is just how skilful, inspiring and effective he can be.

I oughta know: i was one of the people who worked so hard as a teacher to bring him down, knowing that it wasn't him but the times and an inexperienced government.

He has more to offer this race than almost any other candidate, perhaps except Kennedy, since he is actually qualified for the job according to the way we now see leadership in this party.

C'mon, Bob. I dare you....

Best/worst of times: Best/worst of times: The Washington Monthly

I was referring to the recent blog on health care and the need in the U.S. for a health care system that serves rich and poor alike. I think that Canadians should understand that our system has been a successful one and that looking at others that have innovated, like France, helps us understand how we can improve it.

Thank you for your post and let me say that this reference, Best/worst of times: Best/worst of times: The Washington Monthly, is meant to be, if anything, admiring of the article.

Cherniak on Politics: Liblogs, the non-profit corporation

Jason Cherniak has embarked on an important new stage for the Liberal blogging community, and I intend to support him in the plans he outlines here on Cherniak on Politics: Liblogs, the non-profit corporation.

Seeing the Conservative grumps who came to his web site to complain, it is clear that he is on to something.

Well done, Jason. Long live the blog.

Best/worst of times: The Washington Monthly

I'll give you that Best/worst of times: The Washington Monthly she is impressive, and I think she would enter the field a contender with the resumé if -- and this is a big if -- she can demonstrate that she is keen to do it, has the tough hide required and the political skills.

Problem is that she is coming very late to a very crowded field.

The Washington Monthly

I read this kind of story The Washington Monthly from time to time and am reminded that if we weren't starving our system for money and constantly seeing privatization options as attractive, we might focus on supporting our system better and making the small changes, such as more effective and available home care, that would keep our system affordable.

We just can't win for losing.

Harper's ethics stonewalling breaks law, worthy of censure: opposition MPs - Yahoo! News

Watch for this issue, Harper's ethics stonewalling breaks law, worthy of censure: opposition MPs - Yahoo! News, to become a critical factor in the ultimate destruction of what is clearly a bait and switch Conservative government.

Conservatives in this country, outside Alberta, have trouble getting elected if they tell you what they really stand for. Now we see what Mr. Harper means by accountability and ethics. And it ain't pretty people.

Canada - Canadian Press on Yahoo! News

I'm not sure what the RCMP are smoking these days, between baselessly implying that Ralph Goodale had even the remotest connection to leaking anything on the income trust decision, and now, some months later they still have made no movement on the Greg Sorbara issue.

I think the Sorbara has shown great strength and courage in the face of a horrible miscarriage of justice, as is clear from this: Canada - Canadian Press on Yahoo! News.

I've never met a more generous and gregarious man than Sorbara, and I don't think for a second that he deserves this cloud over his head.

Who investigates the mounties, I wonder?

I presume it's possible to file a complaint. Both situations are ridiculous and I think they call into question the RCMP's impartiality, professionalism and accountability.

Majority of provinces crying wolf when it comes to finances, Flaherty says - Yahoo! News

OK. So Flaherty now says that the fiscal imbalance that Harper agreed existed and promised to fix doesn't really exist in this story:
Majority of provinces crying wolf when it comes to finances, Flaherty says - Yahoo! News.

That's a pretty neat way of solving problems and keeping your promises at the same time.

Next on the agenda: most gay weddings are simply transvestite women marrying kinky men -- something the Tories consider much more acceptable and reasonable than protecting people's charter rights.

This just in: The whole Quebec thing about them speaking French? Not true say Flaherty and Harper.

Do you think George Bush has heard about this?

Bowie's Call

Way to go, James of Bowie's Call.

I think that it is the very act of people walking out there and owning the night that makes it safe for all of us.

If you or I fear for our safety, then what is left for others who could not protect themselves as easily: women, the young and the elderly.

Crescent Canuck (Politics)

You know, I agree with Crescent Canuck (Politics) that the posts saying Brison and Stronach aren't real Liberals are not only off-base, I think they are irrelevant and a little insulting.

Look, these people, unlike Emerson, did have as at least a factor in their decisions that they disagreed fundamentally with the new Conservative Party.

But I also don't think either one should lead the Liberal party, for different reasons. I have been impressed with STronach, but she is going to have to demonstrate that she has a reason for wanting to be Prime Minister other than ambition. And like much of the current field, she also is low on the kind of experience that I would like to see in our new leader.

Brison is a little more difficult for me. I'm just not in any way impressed with him after having seen him at work for the last while. He has the gravitas, the street cred and some skill, but I think I would still take Dryden over him - and i don't want Dryden either.

Brian Ford and Nepean-Carleton

The Ford campaign had a visit from the Premier today, right after he made an announcement of a new cancer treatment centre at the Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH for short).

Brian Ford spoke well and clearly the campaign is firing on most if not all cylinders. More than 60 people showed up for the event and others were disappointed to find out that they missed it.

Good work to Kirsten Fraser, daughter of John Fraser, who is presiding over the campaign, along with Molly and the gang.

The Premier clearly had a good time meeting the diverse group of campaigners at the office.

Best/worst of times: FW: [Best/worst of times] 3/05/2006 06:31:03 PM

I'm reminded by James's posts of the spirit of friendship that is created by people who work on a campaign or two. There is nothing like working against the odds, sometimes in a hopeless or at least hopeful cause, to achieve the right thing. I find the idea that we don't want to make Canada a better place, that we only want power for power's sake, repugnant.

To all the Mahoney supporters that I got to know and like, thank you for your passion and enthusiasm. Our time will come again.
Best/worst of times: FW: [Best/worst of times] 3/05/2006 06:31:03 PM

FW: [Best/worst of times] 3/05/2006 06:31:03 PM

 I am that fellow from the Mahoney campaign. Love your blog. Thanks for reading! 
[snip]

Hey man, thanks for the kind words. 
[snip]

 I don't suppose you're one of my buddies from the Richard Mahoney campaign are you?

--
Posted by James Bowie to Best/worst of times at 3/05/2006 06:31:03 PM

Best/worst of times: Bowie's Call

Paula's comment really struck a chord. Best/worst of times: Bowie's Call has been getting some comments. I will go further:

I never drank the koolaid. I didn't think that Paul Martin would automatically govern well. I really didn't know. The experience of the nomination did not augur well. It indicated a ruthlessness and carelessness with the tradition of big-tent Liberalism that might create problems. The cult of personality that Martinites created seemed out of place with the open, inclusive and modern party that had been evolving over the last fifty years.

I remember that quite a few people discussed this at the time, but we were on the outside looking in and watching as some of the best (and crankiest--often the same thing) found themselves cast out.

The takeover of the party was very clever and will go down in history as the most successful insider takeover of a national governing party, especially the Liberal Party, ever.

But it was the very lack of an open process with genuine debate that contributed to the outcome. Paul Martin appears to have arrived at the helm of the Liberal Party and the Government of Canada not knowing why he wanted to be there and what he thought needed to be done.

Campaigns are one of the ways that we challenge candidates to formulate their agendas. They are an excellent, if imperfect, creator and guarantor of policy discipline.

Paula, James, it's not just about power. That's what we've learned, if nothing else.

Bowie's Call

I have some words for you. That's right you. You believed in this party. You knew that you belonged here. You knew that if social, economic and racial justice were worth fighting for, they were worth fighting smart. You're just like my friend Bowie of Bowie's Call and you have a right to feel angry. This party lost its way. It's happened before. It could happen again.

You're the one I'm talking to.

You have a right to be angry, but you don't have a right to give up. You don't have the right to waste that idealism on the backroom hacks who nearly drove this party into the ground only months ago.

You have the right to own this party with me and thousands of others like me.

No one can take this party from unless we let them. If we are divided. If we begin to seek expediency and cult of personality over our prinicples. If we give up or give in.

James, take your anger and focus it in laser-like precision and point it at the future.

Harpies and Hypocrisy

Clearly, Emerson somehow knew that he was crossing the floor for a cabinet seat. His appointment was no surprise and, if he was offered something for crossing the floor, it is a violation of federal law, as he well remembers from the infamous Grewal case.

The story could be a blow to any credibility Harper had on the ethical and accountability in government issue.

A strong candidate like Rae or Kennedy whose credibility is beyond question, could begin to restore confidence in Canadians.

Harpies on Hotseat

This just in:

"Federal Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro has launched an investigation into conflict of interest allegations against Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The allegations involve B.C. MP David Emerson's decision to switch from the Liberals to the Conservatives shortly after the Jan. 23 election. " -- CBC News Alert

I think everyone assumed that the deal was unethical, but now it appears that someone actually cares!

CalgaryGrit: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You...

Well, I'm gratified by the whoosh of support for Kennedy. The fact that a Tory like Chris, on CalgaryGrit: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You..., has steadfastly maintained that he can't see anything good about Kennedy tells me that we're on to something.

Calgary Grit is starting an e-mail campaign to convince Kennedy that he needs to take up the challenge. If Kennedy needs persuading, then let's persuade him. If he needs more time, let's use that time to build a social network of people who support him.

You can e-mail him at: gkennedy.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org Or, if you prefer, fill out an online e-mail here.

Furthermore, you can contact me at mcgreg@rogers.com if you would like put your name on a list of Kennedy supporters in Eastern Ontario ready to take up the challenge of getting delegates elected and raising money for Kennedy.

Consider the campaign started.

Volpe announces -- pace Kennedy enthusiasts

OK. Someone who has held a senior job in the a Canadian federal or provincial parliament actually has said he would like to, all things being equal, be leader of the Party of Laurier, King, Pearson and Trudeau.

Frankly, if we don't get more candidates by the end of March, I'll take a run.

In fact, I've actually learned a little from these blogs. You've helped me, people. Amazing.

No, really.

Top Five Things I've Learned From All This idle blogulation (Speculation and Blogging together)

1. The main reason most people are reticent is the sheer uncertainty of both timing and soft support. Kennedy, Rae or Marchi -- to take some examples of people I've advocated for -- probably would be buying a pig in a poke at this point. The rules and opinion have not begun to coalesce because we are, not surprisingly, adrift a little, trying to take stock and getting ready to figure things out in a few weeks.

2. We are all hoping for someone who will, a) confirm our own politics, b) hold out hope that Harper will be a short one-term wonder, c) make politics exciting again d) wash away the bad taste, or the ever-popular e) none of the above -- not saying. Pity the nation that needs heros. Pity even more the nation that has none.

3. Blogs seem to be having a small impact on the MSM, and vice versa. Some of the people on these blogs know things. I know a couple things I've said are based on discussions with actual decision-makers and some of the posts I've seen from others sounds like real information that I've been able to verify. Most of this is not reported in the MSM. I'm new to blogs, but this seems to bear out the power of the social network when expressed through a tool like a blog aggregator.

4. Having gotten calls from some people or seen their disguised posts, I also note that some blogs are being used for trial balloons and others are being monitored like you would scuttlebutt from delegations at a convention.

5. That some people are trying to use blogs to encourage some candidates to run -- and it is probably the least effective use of a blog, though perhaps not entirely useless.

Conservatives break another promise

A Hill Times letter from Duff Conacher at Democracy Watch reveals a huge gap in Harper's commitment to a five-year ban on post-hill staffer lobbying.

Among the loopholes, staffers are not banned unless their bossees put them on a list not to lobby, and no Minister has to put anyone on the list.

The worst part of the whole thing is the fact that the Harpies have not introduced legislation but appear only to have issued an internal ethic code that is unenforceable and pretty close to irrelevant in the real world.

Shame, Harpies. Shame.

The Dan Report: Another Conservative Communications Gaffe?

The Dan Report: Another Conservative Communications Gaffe?, reveals those masters of the Uni-worse are at it again. I'm not sure these guys realize that they won the election yet.

Yes, not long ago the Conservatives would have to say something really big to get a media hit and it just didn't have to have much substance to it.

There is a different standard in government.

1. You better watch what you say because you are the decision-maker.

2. It is easy to get a hit on nearly anything because everyone is interested in what the government is about to do on important files like Air India and visits to Afghanistan.

3. The tendency to comment off-the-cuff should be inversely proportional to the seriousness and importance of the potential story that would result.

Once again, the Conservatives have demonstrated that they just weren't ready to govern.

Brault Pleads guilty

This story in the Globe talks about a harsh sentence for Brault that is nevertheless unlikely given his cooperation. Guité, however, comes of as perhaps a little unhunged.

[With apologies to T.S. Eliot]

This is how sponsorship ends. This is how sponsorship ends. This is how sponsorship ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.

Top ten Candidates Who We Should not Support

In scientifically reverse order, arrived at through analysis of a terrabyte of information on microsoft.com and a couple obscure references in The Da Vinci Code, I have here for your consideration the top ten candidates who should not run, no matter who asks or how often:

10. Michael Ignatieff: Iggy, as he is affectionately known, simply lacks the experience for the job. He might indeed be a public intellectual of the first rank, a highly talented politician and a singular thinker, but that and $50 won't get you into a fundraiser. Let's just see how Ignatieff works out and let's not risk a Kim-Campbell fiasco and say we did.

9. Martha Hall Findlay: Yeah, I know, she's already running. But, I ask you, what's the point? Last time I heard you needed some actual profile to win,..... and money, and organisation, and supporters....

8. Belinda Stronach: Get some French. Better yet, get some gravitas. In fact, get both. Add a sprinkle of achievement, a soupçon of sage and a fistful of thyme. Stir. Bake in the House of Commons under extreme pressure for two years or longer. Voilà! You will have a candidate.

7. Joe Volpe: Anyone who gets written up on stories about David Dingwall is not with the programme. I think he is entitled to his entitlements, but none of those entitlements includes winning the leadership.

6. Brian Tobin: Already dropped out. Liked you until then. No walks in the snow, plllllease!

5. Frank McKenna: Once again tempting... But after your comments in today's Globe about how we hurt the feelings of those nice American boys George 'body bag' Bush and Dick 'sureshot' Cheney, you've earned a special place in the pantheon of people who should not run.

4. Martin Cauchon: He is naive if he thinks that giving the provinces more money will do confederation any good. Mulroney tried that. So did Clark. Naive is not good. Mr. Cauchon: you are the weakest link. Goodbye.

3. Paul Zed: Paul who?

2. Sheila Copps: I am convinced that Sheila is not this dumb, but I thought she would never work for the other side, write a column critical of the government or get really, really arrogant. I was wrong on all counts. Consider this very low cost insurance against her thinking she has a remote chance.


And the number one person who should not run for the leadership. Drumroll please:

1. Hedy Fry: I love her politics, but I'm not sure politics loves her. Can you say "credibility gap?"

FW: [Best/worst of times] 3/02/2006 08:53:07 AM

Extremely well said, misspete!

 

Gerard would undoubtedly make a major splash, and your explanations, misspete, for his not jumping in right now with both feet are both on point and redundant since hardly anyone else has declared yet and we don't even know when the convention will be.

 

Nevertheless, unlike the others, Gerard indeed is very much focused on his current job and as desirable a candidate as he is, his desirability drops with each day that his supporters fail to reach out and send the messages that they have to send to give him the troops on the ground when the time comes.

 

 <snip> 
Gerard is making a difference now as Minister of Education. I know it, you know it, and Ontario parents, teachers and students know it.

Gerard was not waiting for Paul Martin to step down so he could run for the Leadership of the Federal Liberal Party. He has been thrust into this position by thousands of people from all walks of life who believe he would make a difference.

PLESAE NOTE: People questioning his burning desire to lead need to consider a few things:

1. Gerard was not waiting for Paul Martin to step down as Federal Liberal leader.
2. Gerard is already in a position that allows him to make a positive difference in the lives of millions of people.
3. Gerard will not necessarily do what you and I would do.
4. IF GERARD DECIDES TO RUN, YOU WILL SEE HIM "ROLL UP HIS SLEEVES" AND SEE A POSITIVE CAMPAIGN UNLIKE ANY YOU HAVE SEEN.

--
Posted by MississaugaPeter to Best/worst of times at 3/02/2006 08:53:07 AM

Warren practically bursting...

You can hear the pain in the voice on Warren's blog as he turns over in his mind the idea of a Gerard Kennedy run. Kinsella and Kennedy.. has a good ring to it, doesn't it? The irish Connection. Kris Kringle. Krispy Kreme....

Anyway, I'm with the blogger on my site that quotes Toby Ziegler saying that the candidate should want to run with every fibre of his being. But realistically, Kennedy has more to lose than most in declaring and he actually has enough to lose in terms of constituency and access to organisation that he might have to wait until practically all the organisers are committed.

It's hard to imagine why we would wait until 2007 except that the party hasn't notice how poorly Harper is doing. I suppose that the late March meeting will be the key moment for a lot of these people in terms of timing. And in politics, timing is everything..... Oh, and money..... Right, and volunteers...

Well, timing is among the many significant factors that will work against Kennedy should he seem to be lollygagging.

Draft Kennedy

Who needs a willing candidate when the convention is so far off!

The Draft Kennedy campaign has un-officially been kicked off. The fact is that Canadians are a country of Woody Allens, so of course we want a leader who doesn't want to join a race that would have him as a member.

Already, the Kennedy campaign is showing promise in its deft use of symbolism and resolute disinterest in the actual job!

Kennedy ignites media excitement

Yet again, Kennedy gets a hit for his non-denial denial.

Tomorrow's story will be that Gerard Kennedy still isn't running.

The day after, he will announce that he is also not organizing a team, nor is he raising money, nor does he want your vote.

And that's non-final!

Kennedy Considering Run

Gerard Kennedy is has come a little more into the light with his comment that he has spoken "to party officials."

That's several hits in a few days. Pretty good for a guy who's not campaigning.....

Fwd: [Best/worst of times] 3/01/2006 09:21:40 AM

Thank you, Mississaugapeter, for this update. Kennedy would
be a poor man's/thinking woman's JFKennedy for this party.

While I have heard the complaints (grousing) about
micro-managing, his achievements are singular and he would
command the enthusiasm of a whole lot of soft Liberal
support in Ontario and beyond.

Kennedy delivered on a promise of labour peace in
education.

He fought for more money and made the government live up to
its pledges on education.

He has reached out and made great contacts with all sectors
in education.

He is a strong Minister who has been dogged in his pursuit
of consensus and cooperation in education and who has
rolled back and then turned around the worst of the
Harris/Snobelen Education reforms.

He may be a micromanager, but he will likely micromanage
his way to becoming Prime Minister if given half a chance.

I know him well and have known him for a long time. I know
his flaws. And I would jump at a chance to help him if only
because he is a real Liberal in politics for all the right
reasons with the skills and star power to put a highly
effective Liberal government in place on Parliament Hill.

If he runs, other Toronto candidates lose their charm
pretty quickly. His entry would be a tectonic shift.

And yet I still wonder: Will he run given that he hasn't
finished what he started in the Education Ministry?

---------------------------------
MSM (The Toronto Star) confirms what Liblogs have known
for over a month

That Gerard may run. The only faults you are going to hear
about Gerard were exposed:

Perreault interview

I just happened to be channel surfing last night when I saw an interview on Radio-Canada last night with François Perreault. The line of questioning, especially for Radio-Canada, was interesting. They focused for quite a while on the implications of Justice Gomery's frequent references to his animus for Chrétien. Gomery apparently made some very telling comments that demonstrated a real resentment of Chrétien and his testimony at the Commission's hearings.

I had the thought only yesterday that perhaps there would be some retrenchment on the entire approach and politicization of the Gomery Commission. This has made it clear that while we may believe that Gomery got the testimony of some very bad people, he may have crossed the line in a number of ways into politics and personalities.

The lack of political context and the view of the sponsorship program as entirely an evil thing conceived in some evil plot which Gomery strongly suggests goes too far. Chrétien was right in saying that, having nearly lost Québec, his government felt compelled to do something decisive to keep Québec in Canada.

Now we also have the very accountability expert calling Gomery to task for putting words in her mouth.

I'm starting to wonder to whom Justice Gomery is accountable for spending $20 million on what would turn out to be an inappropriate foray by a Commission of Inquiry into political waters.

FW: [Best/worst of times] 2/28/2006 10:45:46 PM

Impressive. Thanks Dan. I also note that you are in Manitoba and outside the hothouse of our provincial politics.

 

Kennedy will change the race. announcing alone may make him the frontrunner.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan McKenzie [mailto:ummcke09@cc.umanitoba.ca]
Sent: February 28, 2006 10:43 PM
To: mcgreg@rogers.com
Subject: [Best/worst of times] 2/28/2006 10:45:46 PM

To my knowledge he has made calls.

--
Posted by Dan McKenzie to Best/worst of times at 2/28/2006 10:45:46 PM

FW: [Best/worst of times] 2/28/2006 09:54:08 PM

It depends, of course. Others  haven't made many calls yet either according to the call-o-rama machine that tracks that sort of thing....

 

I'm kidding of course. Who knows? The guy could have his own network. In fact, i'm sure he does. My only question would be "why would he run?"

-----Original Message-----
From: Anonymous [mailto:anonymous-comment@blogger.com]
Sent: February 28, 2006 10:05 PM
To: mcgreg@rogers.com
Subject: [Best/worst of times] 2/28/2006 09:54:08 PM

To the best of my knowledge Kennedy hasn't made many calls yet. While it's great to see anonymous posters so sure he will run, I'm not so confident.

The guy needs to jump in soon, or he'll miss his chance.

--
Posted by Anonymous to Best/worst of times at 2/28/2006 09:54:08 PM

FW: [Best/worst of times] 2/28/2006 09:09:38 PM

Kennedy will shake up the race. He is a strong, charismatic politician. Can he play in the big leagues? Of all the potential leadership candidates, is he the only one playing in the big leagues?

 

What will he do about his portfolio while he runs?

 

For these and other questions..... stay tuned.....

-----Original Message-----
From: Anonymous [mailto:anonymous-comment@blogger.com]
Sent: February 28, 2006 9:17 PM
To: mcgreg@rogers.com
Subject: [Best/worst of times] 2/28/2006 09:09:38 PM

Kennedy is going to run. Announcement is not too far off.

--
Posted by Anonymous to Best/worst of times at 2/28/2006 09:09:38 PM

Kennedy and Policy Conference

No potentials except that ones that were expected --
Kennedy, McGuinty -- showed.

Kennedy did not look like a guy giving it a go, though he
gets better every time I see him and should probably
consider it. And if he is running, he has a funny way of
going about it. On other hand, there was a fair amount of
buzz that he might run and it came up at a meeting that he
chaired for his LEAP (Learning and Education Advisory
Panel) initiative. Someone asked him not to run for
leadership and he just smiled.

On the other hand, LEAP would be a great network for a
potential leadership candidate.

****
Did any one attend the OLP Policy Provincial Council last
weekend? How many of the "potentials" showed up or had
suites? What was the buzz in the hallways? Is it true that
Kennedy continues to mover closer to giving it a go?
Is Don Guy an unhappy camper over this?...

--
Posted by North of French River to Best/worst of times at
2/28/2006 03:12:36 PM
*****

The Liberal Leadership Campaign

My friend at The Liberal Leadership Campaign is so off-base when he dismisses Bob Rae's candidacy.

Rae is perhaps one of the most skilled politicians. While his government struggled due to massive inxperience in the cabinet ranks, the one thing that it had going for it was very, very strong: Bob Rae.

I think that Rae is indeed a longshot to get into the race, but he has certainly done nothing to discourage the speculation. I think that Bob Rae is leaning and the Globe story could clinch it.

Strong speaker, experienced leader, pragmatic and a skilful legislator. We could do worse. It would be hard to do better.

All the talk of Rae's Ontario popularity is inside baseball to most Canadians. I want to see what Bob Rae has to show us at a convention and I"m willing to say now: "Run, Bobby, Run!"

Harpies and Bushies

Antonia Zerbesias writes that the Harpies seem to be taking a lesson from the Bushies. It's interesting that the media is now realizing that it takes some courage and a willingness to face the music in order to go every day and take a grilling from people who often have bad things to say about you.

Of course, I think that whether you like it or not you have a duty to explain yourself and be accountable. What the media seems to be missing is that Harper, for all his talk of accountability, has already walked away from the most fundamental of accountabilities: to take questions from the parliamentary press gallery.

Let's understand that compared to thirty years ago, the press cadre is a mere rump. A lot of people take their basic news stories from the wires or pools, and Ottawa bureaus, where they do exist, are small.

Having fewer reporters, less space for hard news and a cynical public isn't good, but that is where we are.

A compliant washington press corps has been a key reason for the success of the Bushies. We'll see if Canadian political reporters are made of sterner stuff or if selective access begins to drive the reporting of the Harpies that does occur.

Top ten changes that have to happen

Here, in scientifically precise reverse order determined using advanced stochastic projection techniques and an old copy of the farmer's almanac, are the top ten things that have to happen and already are happening whether we like it or not, to the Liberal Party of Canada:

10. It's a party, not a club, and especially not a club for the powerful and wealthy, so we should look askance at anyone who wants to shut people out who legitimately want to be involved. Too much exclusivity going on. It's as if we really don't like people sometimes.

9. Small donations and high tech campaigning are the wave of the future and we need to get better at it. WE don't need to pull a Dean necessarily, but intensive organising is much more effective when you use the technology the way god and Bill Gates intended.

8. We need to get hungry. I mean HUNGRY, people! When we think we have the luxury of asking perfectly good candidates to step aside so that longshots can crash and burn, we are not hungry enough.

7. Someone said earlier we don't need a debate at the convention, we need a leader. That is so 2003! We need debate. We need intensity! We need excitement and passiona and belief that we have a job to do that the others can't. It's latent right now. Let's stir up shit!

6. End the cult of leadership! Even Trudeau was at his best when he had strong cabinets and backbenches clamouring for his job. Chretien appointed Paul Martin Minister of Finance. Now the brain's trust has left us in the position of having no bench and we are in a close game. They had fear that someone might someday want to replace their boss. I say: Get over it!

5. First thing we do: let's kill the lawyers. That's right. Shakespeare knew nothing about Roman history, but he the lawyers down pat. We need more variety, fewer pros and less stentorian prose.

4. Competence was a problem for the recently demised government, but we are seeing that Harper's Conservative Cabinet makes them look like organisational and political masterminds. A theme for us has to be that when we get our leadership issues solved, we will already be a government in waiting. That will happen because we have prepared ourselves rigourously and assembled the strongest team possible to support whoever the leader is.

3. We will need to say what WE will do when we are saying what THEY shouldn't do. What would a rejuvenated Liberal government look like? WE need to answer that questions beyond saying who will get to live at Stornoway until the next election.

2. Know who our friends are. If someone is a Liberal, why piss them off? They are not Conservatives or NDP. They already pretty much agree with us on most things. Let's cut each other some slack.

And the number one change that has to happen:

1. Everything above board. Open and transparent. If someone can't live by that credo, we don't want his help because he's not really a Liberal, he is a grenade about to go off.

Nanos: Election came down to the last day

Niki Nanos' poll speaks volumes about there being a missed chance. But one should interpret this carefully: while most people made up their minds, the voting decision was made in the frame that had been set weeks earlier.

I firmly believe that people, and in the case "The Board", misinterpreted what this statistic meant.

It means that if you can change the frame, you have a fighting chance of changing their minds one way or another. But The issues people cite for voting Conservative are the same issues that dogged us the entire election.

CUPE and organised labour

It is good news for everyone that CUPE and the Ontario Liberal Provincial government have found common ground and that CUPE has cancelled what would have been a wildcat strike.

 

Pensions and labour relations are, as I know from personal experience, one of the most explosive areas of public policy and suspicion is good for no one.

 

This can't help but be seen as a victory for the McGuinty government that they are more than happy to share with Sid Ryan.

Sergio Marchi, Lang Michener and Leadership

Former Minister of Citizen and Immigration, Environment and International Trade Sergio Marchi is being pressed to run for the leadership of the Liberal Party by a cross-section of Liberal veterans who think he brings experience to the race.

Word from those close to him now is that he will run.

Now, we find that Marchi told that Post that we is considering a run and has moved to uber-political firm Lang Michener.

Principal reason why Marchi is a superior candidate:

1. Strong, successful minister.
2. Good speaker.
3. Fluently bilingual (tri-lingual?).
4. Been out of the incessant bickering and final debacle that characterized recent events.
5. Could bring together disaffected Chretien supporters and Martin supporters as someone who has allies in both camps.
6. Hard worker who knows the party and has good conections throughout Canada.
7. A son of new Canadians and first generation Canadian who has credibility on the International stage and with diverse communities.

Downside:
1. He is late to the speculation, though not to the race.
2. He has been out of the bickering which also means that he is not a household name at this point.

Consider this the opening salvo in that "Draft Sergio" campaign.

Frankly, Sergio Marchi is a candidate for leadership who could unite the party and bring some real experience to the job. He is not already on most lists because he has been reticent... but I would now count him in.

The Third Man

At this point I'll believe anything. And I mean anything. But I think that there is a real possibility that Stairs did something much worse than bungle the communication of what already was a poor product. The leak of what was legally and operationally a military secret would certainly qualify.

But we should not resign ourselves to not knowing. Our Prime Minister owes us an explanation as to whether one of his staffers leaked a state secret to a journalist, just like you know who. The connection seems plausible. Someone in the media should ask whether this was the reason or were there other reasons more serious?

Bob taking it to the streets

Despite the Ottawa Citizen's story that Alex Munter is garnering Liberal support, the plane that didn't crash is the fact that almost all Liberals, some NDP and a whole lot of Tories are supporting Bobby C.

In fact, hizzonour has appointed Aldege Bellefeuille as campaign manager and a large number of Watson, Mahoney and Patten supporters are lining up to support the little guy in the big chair.

You heard it here first.

I may have news shortly about Federal Leadership aspirants, so stay tuned.

Best/worst of times

I think that Kinsella is the kind of guy who calls 'em like he sees them and has earned respect for his work that has few parallels in politics today. And his heart is in the right place. i loved web of hate and found it also revolting as a testament to the dark side of the political Force

I wanted to talk to Kinsella, and still do, because he is one of the best practitioners in politics today. I am a consultant who takes money for a living to argue people's points and engage the public. He does the same thing and includes in the list governments.

I would be as interested in meeting him as i would be interested in meeting anyone who has successfully worked at his level of the profession (and i don't mean lawyer).

Do I have questions? Yup.

Do I wonder why he blew me off? Yup.

Do I think he could have taken less joy at the fall of the Martin-ites? Perhaps. I would like to hear his side.

.

Kinsella disclaimer

I forgot to make my declaration of a strange backhanded conflict of interest.

I knew some people who knew Kinsella, including sevearl MPP's and MP's and one or two highly controversial friends whom we had in common. They encouraged me to give him a call for some advice and to network and I did, without trying to use names to seem like I was a big shot.

I might as well have tried to call Madonna. If I had a bone to pick about Warren, who is something of a hero to me still, I would be very hardpressed to talk to him. In my case, I had some strange hope of buying him a drink and getting his advice on some issues that have since now become the stuff of history.

At his height of anger with the party and Paul Martin, I frankly was working on election campaign for people he did not approve of, so that could be it.

Just to say: Fellow LIberals, tear down this wall!

Warren, if you're out there, I'm still sitting by the phone, man. I'm not feeling the love. I'm coping surprisingly well, but love by you a drink and let bygones be bygones just like I have with everone else.

Zerb straddles Kinsella and Ottawa Watch -- awkwardly

The blogosphere and bloggers must police themselves as best as they can. Bullshit should be roundly criticized, and when one blogger abuses his rights to free speech, we should support the right to sue and access to process against someone who, maliciously, does something.

Just because you have a right to do something, it does'nt mean it is without limits. That includes the right to speak and the right to sue. It's not censorship when someone's reputation is injured by irresponsible acts, if that is what has happened, and that person answers with a subpoena.

Sheila Bash '06

As difficult and prickly as Sheila can be, as much as she shouldn't have said all those things, but no one should have treated her that way either, as much as it's very difficult, it is so much more important for us to gather over our most controversial figure and raise a cup or two.

No one's making you smile, but I suspect seeing everyone again will really be worth it. I'm going to try to go, if I can get info on it.

CalgaryGrit

My blogger colleague, CalgaryGrit, makes some good points in response to Jason jay-jay-son-son Cherniak.

But I would put a finer point on the fact the reason the NDP exists: it's because people vote for them.

If, as Liberals, we can't start to be more voter-centred, it's going to be a long cold winter in the wilderness, and I don't mean the weather in Smiths Falls. Politics is changing and blogs are only one aspect. That voters are becoming less tolerant of folly and more demanding (some would say fickle or less loyal) is a truism.

The NDP, IN SPITE of not being able to form a government, in spite of its wacky extreme left wing (which indeed includes the kind of lefties your mother warned you about), continues to get support from voters in every region of the country and is the most successful third or fourth party in the history of this country. It has formed governments in half the provinces at one point or another and many soft Liberals are some-time NDP voters and vice versa.

The least of our worries should be what the NDP stands for and why people vote for them, IMO. Right now, our focus should be what we as Liberals stand for and why people will vote for us.

Andrew Coyne Talks But Brain Doesn't Move

Well... I'm breathless. I'm reading not only Coyne's post on his blog, but the most insipid bunch of self-congrulatory tripe that has been committed to blogosphere since... Well, it happens all the time, but it's still not right.

I hate to break up this conservative love-in, but parties don't just fall apart from one close election. Stephen Harper's Conservatives picked up a 3-4% increase in their popular vote outside Quebec. I think that no one should underestimate Stephen Harper on the Liberal side, but I invite everyone who has posted to continue to underestimate the Liberal Party of Canada.

I think the amazing thing in this Harper/Andrew Coyne love-in is the tremendous arrogance of CPC supporters who've been out power more tha 75% of a century and who think that after perhaps the rockiest first week of a government since Joe Clark was Prime Minister that they can start talking about an easy majority within the next two years!

Believe me, that's entertainment!

Friends, as Liberals, one thing is certain: it is our duty to ask ourselves the tough questions, to look at the abuse of the party apparatus that got us here, to bind up our wounds and comfort the estranged and to find it in ourselves to prepare with workmanlike efficiency to speak to and for all Canadians on whatever side of the House we find ourselves.

We have to be hungry again. We have to know what we want to do and why we want to do it. And then we act with the passion, determination and force of Laurier, Pearson, Trudeau and Chretien.

I swear that I am channeling Jeffrey Simpson -- or he has my phone bugged -- or maybe he's reading my blog -- now that would be really evil!

Jeff (now that we're mentally connected, I feel I can call him Jeff) has pointed out, just as I have been saying to anyone who will listen, my French teacher, including certain high-placed Liberals and former Ontario desks in the DPMO for previous governments, that a lot of the Conservative mindset simply comes from being in opposition.

Who would object to appointing Gordon O'Connor as Shadow Cabinet Defence critic? No one. He was in that very post. So why now all the controversy?

Well, it's obvious to you and me strangely because WE ARE LIBERALS and used to getting shot at by even our friends, let alone the media.

But Conservatives, the poor-benighted children, don't realize that they now contol a G8 country. They are still criticizing the Liberals (who are, let's admit it, in disarray until this whole leadership thing is worke dout).

There are some lessons for us as Liberals. Don't think like a conservative, but remember that we are now, at least until we propose something that the country wants to get behind, Her Majesty's Loyal Oppostion.

Rae will run... you'll see

For anyone familiar with Governor-in-Council appointments, Bob Rae's non-denial denial and his clear interest in the job (if you know how these things work you'll know that Rae could end the speculation in a second by making a few well-placed calls), speaks volumes about the former premier of Ontario.

Now, some are going to say (and have said in this very space) that Premier's never win (yes you, Mr. Anonymous -- you thought the Greek name fooled me?), or that Rae is still unpopular (hell, he has a head start on being Prime Minister then).

I have strong evidence that Bob Rae will announce that he is running in the coming months, and will share that evidence right here.

Stay posted.

How you do you justify using a taser twelve times? "We couldn't hear him with all the screaming.."

The Main Dish

I always had a crush on Elaine from Seinfeld. Why should Jerry get all the girls, and still he hogs Elaine.

Well I think I just found her real-life blog: The Main Dish

Bowie's Call: Emerson Might Quit. This Might Be Good.

My friend, Jim Bowie (calls himself James so he can run some day -- dont' worry my brother -- you've got the best people in politics on your side -- including me -- but I digress) says:
Bowie's Call: Emerson Might Quit. This Might Be Good.

I don't know what is better right now: Emerson quits / Emerson stays on an fights and is a living, breathing symbol of Conservative perfidy.

Wait. I think I just answered my question.

Bowie's Call

My buddy at Bowie's Call as usual has a tragicomic sense of humour. He misses the interesting fact that in Canada we put our friends in the Senate as Public Works Minister or make him a defence minister when he clearly has more conflicts of interest than a hillbilly pig farmer.

In the US, they just don't have the patience: they shoot their friends.

Rae of sunshine?

Could Bob Rae now look like a serious candidate? My memories of Rae, even as I was working hard to kick his ass, were of an incredibly skilled politician who didn't so much leave his principles behind as stick to them to the bitter end.

Simpson obviously has information on Rae that is more than a trial balloon. Some of you will know that I initially came to lead my local union in protest of the Rae government and our local leadership that seemed to accept the Rae days so easily.

Do we need Bob Rae? I think we need a great convention with a lot of strong candidates. Let them all make a speech and let the delegates decide. I say, the more the merrier. Let's have a good, healthy Liberal dose of democracy.

Tory relieved: Francophonie not his job

In the Prague Spring/Montreal Winter that was Ted Menzies' time at in charge of the Francophonie file, many of us basked in the genius of Stephen Harper's choices.

Really, not being able to speak French is no more an obstacle to holding the Official Languages file in a Harper government than, say, getting elected as a Tory in an actual riding is to becoming a member of the Cabinet. Neither need you be from Atlantic Canada to know anything about the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to be Harper's point man on the file, as Deepak Obhrai of Calgary found out.

Here, from a source deep inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Harper bunker, er PMO, are some other plans that were ultimately shelved, but could be revived given the success of the first Harper Cabinet:

1. Pierre Poilievre for chief of diplomacy under Foreign Affairs
2. Stockwell Day for Fisheries, with special responsibility for the Coast Guard
3. Cheryl Gallant for Multiculturalism and Tolerance Training
4. Art Hanger for Solicitor General (Spanking)
5. Jason Kenny for Science and Technology
6. Gordon O'Connor for Ethics

See Rick Mercer's roundup of the Conservative Cabinet.

Audacious Ontology

My left coast friend at Audacious Ontology tells us that rather than abating and even subsiding, the Emerson imbroglio is growing. I don't think this is a question of piling on as my eminent and esteemed friend Aldege suggests. To begin with, if this were a campaign and Aldege were running it, he would use this for his benefit.

Luckily for Emerson, this is not a campaign. i don't think this is just about politics as usual. Peter McKay also doesn't get it when he says:

he has done this early after the election in hopes of continuing the important work that he was doing inside a government which he was obviously very disillusioned with. Unlike other
moves, it didn't happen at a critical juncture that propped the government up. There wasn't that sense that there was strict reward or leadership ambition. (Globe and Mail Feb. 11 Online edition also newsworld)

The comparison is pointless, even if it doesn't hold up. Emerson ran as a Liberal. What principle or purpose could possibly make him think that, in a fairly ndp/liberal riding he wasn't pulling a bait and switch on voters of historic proportions.

Aldege, buddy, it's not about piling on. Emerson should, in his last act of honour and courage and to save himself from becoming a laughing stock, resign and face voters.

Sacrifice on every doorstep

Having drunk from the intoxicating liquors of the muses, I find I can't resist a midnight sip. Just finished reading Nathaniel Fick's One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer. A whole bunch of ideas, thoughts, feelings and experiences came together at the same time as I read the final 40 or 50 pages at one cut. I think nothing so clearly stands out as the moment when he receives a phone call from a college where he had applied to go to graduate school. Someone on the staff had read his article in Rolling Stone, and they noted the part where he said that one of the few comforts that he took was that he would get to kill.

As it happens, the book itself is a powerful testament to the struggle to remain human in war, especially when you have overwhelming firepower and are utterly convinced, at least initially, of the justness of your country's wars.

The lady on the other end of the line from the college wonders if he still enjoys killing people. You would have to read the book to see just how sad that question can make you feel. But one thing that Fick says is interesting in political context. No one can ever really know who has not worked a campaign how hard people work and how passionate they are, how true the motives are and how strong the sense of being part of a local campaign can be. People put themselves out there for an idea, often a very vague idea, about the kind of society they want to help make.

And then someone comes along and calls that wonderful, hopeful, idealistic person a crook. I see them take it and go back and continue, because that's what the really good ones do. But I really do want to go back sometimes and ask "what right do you have?" The people knocking on your door are trying to make a difference. There is nothing bad about it.

These are the best and worst of times.

More about how Stephen Harper is a good example of what makes these the worst of times.