Stéphane Dion Win's Liberal Leadership Race

[Teddy Ruxpin]

My initial reaction was one of fear and loathing, much for the same reasons Peaches has articulated.  Dion appears to be the Liberal "machine's" boy, preaching the same tired anti-military dogma that's plagued the party since Trudeau's time.  Dion might not have the same arrogance, but he has the same tired ideas; if the Liberals are elected again, we may be in big trouble.

Frankly, the smug look on Chrétien's face after the final ballot said it all to me.

 

[Petard]

Catching bits of the liberal convention, to me, was in a way like watching a flat, boring, and non violent "Soprano's" type of power settling. Once Chretien, still a power behind the scenes, said his "I like clarity"  bit (Stephane Dion being one of the main authors of the clarity act) I think that was the turning point and told their party which way he wanted them to go. Chretien is a crafty ole bugger, very wise to the Canadian political game, and I suspect still yields a lot of influence in the party, so probably most of the votes got swung by his implied direction.

From the news and polls (yeah I know about the 3 lies) I get the sense that the country is looking inward again, and maybe heading back to the same old same old Liberal way of thinking, and depending on the breaks in the next few months, a signifcant part of the Canadian public will want to change the guard on the hill, so to speak, once again to one they see as being more domestic focused in their agenda. Dion's arrogance might be the only wild card that could leave the outcome in doubt. Time will tell if the old fox, Chretien, called it right or not.

 

[wannabe SF member]

I'm from Quebec so i don't know,in the rest of Canada, is it badly perceived that Dion is Francophone?

 

[George Wallace]

I'm from Quebec so i don't know,in the rest of Canada, is it badly perceived that Dion is Francophone?

I am sure that you can perceive quite well how Dion is perceived by the rest of Canadians, by reading the thread.

 

[peaches]

Dion, and old Jean, same guy as far as I am concerned, but I can understand what Dion is saying ;D.  Dion as PM will didvide this country even more.  Quebecers even madder, westerners futher alienated, just wonderful!!!

We need a big change in Canada, and I believe Harper can do it.  He is more a statesman that these lib clowns, but Ontario will not see that.  Retreat to the comfort zones. 

Was it just me or did "Lenningard Lloyd Robertson" & "Pyongyang Peter Mansbridge" seem almost giddy during this whole monstrousity. 

I bet we see an election called within 3 months, Dion gets minority, goodbye A-Stan, goodbye Gen Hillier, and goodbye Canada.  I am born & raised in Alberta, can't see many folks out there putting up with this lib nonsense much longer, especially if they go after oil $$.  God I hope I am wrong.....

 

[Sheerin]

I am sure that you can perceive quite well how Dion is perceived by the rest of Canadians, by reading the thread.

Yeah, because this thread is a representative sample of the Canadian population.  :

 

[wannabe SF member]

Is it me or have all the liberal party leaders been francophone up to now? ???

 

[peaches]

Yes, you are correct, all quebecers, not sure about Turner though.  Nothing against QB, but it is time that we had leadership in this country from someweher else, a different perspective.  Not all US Presidents come from the same state, we need change.  I like Harper, a real statesman. 

 

[Old Sweat]

Before we all start counting the Liberal eggs, remember that Dion was not the pick of the litter by the elites of the Liberal power establishment. That group split between Iggy and Rae, while the delegates ended up splitting between Dion and Rae, with the very loyal Kennedy delegates following their candidate to the former. Dion also was the longest serving Liberal of the top four, with Iggy in second place with only a year or so time on the ground.

Some commentators have suggested that Kennedy is poised to take the top job the next time round. I am not sure, as his deal could not have made him many friends in the power establishment, who spent a lot of money for no avail.

A lot can happen in an election campaign, but the Liberals spent a lot of money on this campaign and convention, do not have a lot in the bank and stand to be hurt most by the amendments of the financing rules. I know Dion is making noises about a Spring election, but I have my doubts, especially if the Tories bring down a budget full of tax cuts and other goodies.

 

[canadianblue]

The only two candidates that were preaching party renewal, and I think had any chance to be able to bring about a more positive view of the country both lose. Martha Hall Findlay and Gerard Kennedy I think were the two best choices in the leadership race. However, Liberal decision making doesn't have to make sense.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Call me cynical but you won't see an election untill Feb. 2008, that way all the "second-timers" from all parties will have the 6 year pension safely in hand.......

 

[observor 69]

For those who think this web site reflects the opinions of the Canadian public.....

The name is  "ARMY.ca"

 

[armyvern]

For those who think this web site reflects the opinions of the Canadian public.....

The name is  "ARMY.ca"

And we currently have the Right Honourable Steven Harper as Prime Minister of this fine country. I think that, with the last election, the silent majority, spoke their minds no?

 

[warspite]

Stéphane Dion...not Steve   :

:-[ :brickwall:
Oop's.....
Will change thread title accordingly..

Will leave first post unchanged though as a testament to the powers of proofreading ;D

 

[observor 69]

Hey "Librarian" I just used Goggle to translate your Arabic tag line,.....you devil you!

 

[George Wallace]

For those who think this web site reflects the opinions of the Canadian public.....

The name is  "ARMY.ca"

Just wondering what you think "ca" in the above stands for?  Are you a resident of Quebec?

 

[armyvern]

Hey "Librarian" I just used Goggle to translate your Arabic tag line,.....you devil you!

> Alas, I admit. It is true.

 

[spud]

Is it me or have all the liberal party leaders been francophone up to now? ???

No.

 

[warspite]

Did you see how cocky the libs were at the election: "And the winner and the next prime minister of Canada­­" or " This is a bad day for Stephen Harper and not calling by his designations"
Seriously this is major little kid taunting.

Oh they were rude all right... Chretien took time out of his busy schedule to throw a few barbs at The Rt. Hon. Stephen Joseph Harper..
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/12/02/chretien-liberal.html

 

[spud]

Did you see how cocky the libs were at the election: "And the winner and the next prime minister of Canada­­" or " This is a bad day for Stephen Harper and not calling by his designations"

Have you ever watched a political convention before? This is done at ALL conventions, it's simple, jingoistic political rhetoric that all parties resort to. Put on the brave face and fire up the troops. The Tories did the exact same thing.


potato