Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff understands and respects representative democracy. He has shown those qualities of character by the way he consulted and enabled those Newfoundland and Labrador members of his Caucus to take a stand and vote against the Harper budget. The wanted to take such a stand because the Harper budget serves to single out and punish their region and their constituents. Good for him and good for them.
Old line partisans who think political leadership is about dictating to Caucus in all circumstances and punishing transgressors will call this enlightened approach a mistake and a sign of weakness on Iggy’s part. Nothing could be further from the truth. The ultimate consequences of those 6 members taking a stand and representing the interests of their constituencies are insignificant in the large scheme of things but symbolically important to them and their people.
Politics is all about perception and the Harper cons will mule and mock as is their wont about this action shows Iggy can’t control his Caucus. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The overarching perception that needs to be appreciated here is the flexibility and wisdom of Iggy in accepting the principled position of those 6 disgruntled Liberal MPs. These PMs are supposed to represent the best interests of their region, an area of Canada that is being screwed by the Harper government – yet again.
The luxury of opposition is that the same level of party solidarity is not as necessary for the governing party. The risk in a minority government situation is too much of this self-actualization of MPs could actually unwittingly topple a government. Well that was undoubtedly considered at the MPS met face to face with their leader to discuss the situation and work out a solution. No fear of an inadvertent election happening in this case. This situation shows us Ignatieff’s superior wisdom, judgment and leadership qualities, not to mention his demonstrable personal respect for representative democracy.
You sure can’t say anything close to that about Mr. Harper. Last time Harper had a dissident MP was Bill Casey. His principled stand was to vote against the Harper position on the Atlantic Accord that screwed Nova Scotia where his riding is. Casey was drummed out of the Harper Party Caucus but got his revenge in the last election when he ran as an Independent and won his seat again.
Now the shameless Harper Cons have filed a bogus complaint to the RCMP against Casey making unfounded allegations of election spending irregularities. Bush-league Rovarian tactics are still alive and well in the bosom of the Harper Cons.
Compare the leadership qualities of Harper and Ignatieff in these two parallel circumstances and ask yourself why you ever voted for Harper in the first place. Don’t make the same mistake next time!
Did you give Iggy a big Hug and a Kiss after writing this?
ReplyDeleteActually I was hopping for a hug and a kiss FROM Iggy.
ReplyDeleteAh how soon the Libs' apologists forget. No one was stronger on a central strong man and rigid party discipline than when the Libs actually had power, backstopped and operated by one Jean Chretien. It was the Party line or else back then, so anyone talking about Party discipline, democracy and the Federal Liberals all in one sentence need to give their head a shake over this dichotemy.
ReplyDeleteI know that the Liberal Media - everybody but the National Post and sometimes Macleans in other words - have already annointed our good American friend Iggy as both the new Prime Minister and Obama North, but let's not wax poetic about our new undemocratically elected Official Leader of the Opposition as the bastion of democratic self-righteousness, waiting in the wings to favour us with his rule.
'They' can do anything when not in power - it is what 'they' do when 'they' get into power that is the true test of the ideal.
Whoa there Crackers. Were do you get off saying Iggy is undemocratically elected. He has run and won 2 elections as an MP. He is as Canadian as you are and you know it. That is the kind of lying rhetoric that is so characteristic of Harper's henchmen. I know you too well to put you in that category...so don't go there - it is beneath you.
ReplyDeleteAs for the internal arragements of the Liberal Party that is their business. He had support of the Caucus and the party apparatus across the country. Be sides they had to do something quickly because Emperor Harper was out to bankrupt them and destroy and semblance of opposition to his government. That is the really scary thing about Harper - he is after power like Putin.
When I say that Iggy was undemocratically elected, I was merely paraphrasing the famous Liberal Bob Rae who said he was undemocratically elected. You heard him say that, as did the rest of the country - he did a cross-country public stomp to make that point over and over. Harper et al has nothing to do with this.
ReplyDeleteSo are you suggesting that Bob Rae is full of lying rhetoric and is one of Harper's henchmen? Which Liberals are right, and which are lying?
I DO NOT consider Iggy to be as Canadian as you or I. Iggy chose to live in Bush's America and elsewhere for so long that he is ineligible for a Canadian pension to date. You and I both have and had the option and wherewithal to live wherever we want, and we both chose to live here in this great country. I want my leaders that represent my interests to know something of my interests by at least living in the country they purport to lead.
The sad thing about today's moribund Liberals that were so trashed by the departing Chretien, that the best leaders they can find is a guy (Dion) who couldn't communicate in the native language of 80% of Canadians, and now a guy who didn't want to live here for most of his adult life.
I want a Canadian who loves this country so much that, when given the option, chose to live here most of his life.
Why would I expect anything less?
btw - did it escape your notice that Dion was so desperate and hungry for power that he made a deal with the devil the fight against whom was his only monkey trick? If you are going to promote discussions about Harper's quest for power, the only deal with the devil he has made is the abandonment of some very Conservative ideals. Dion's was total capitulation, imho.
Why is that when people criticize Dion, the first place they go is to his ostensibly poor English skills. I never had a problem understanding him. I mean, have you ever heard one of our Anglophone politicians try to speak French? It ain't pretty.
ReplyDeleteNeo-Tory supporters kept after Dion on his English...and these are the guys who want to make inroads in Quebec and with our ethnic communities!
Give me a break.
Besides, it never hurts for anyone, regardless of mother language, to learn an additional one or two new languages.
Sean