Categories: Capital Read, Inside the Queensway

UPDATED: Feel the McCallumania!

by kadyomalley on Sunday, October 19, 2008 10:01am - 45 Comments

Well, if CTV is right, I guess we know what issue will top the Liberals’ QP to-do list when the House gets back to business later this fall – that is, the ones not totally preoccupied by the leadership race. (ITQ, by the way, is predicting November 17th as the date for the Speech from the Throne.)

Probably best to leave Ralph Goodale as House Leader, all things considered.

UPDATE: Then again, not everyone seems to be ready to move on to the post-Dion era – not without a fight. Or, this being Canada and all, a peaceful, yet resolute rally on the front lawn of Stornoway. There’s even a Facebook group for “grassroots Liberal members who are opposed to Stéphane Dion’s removal as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada”, which also welcomes “Greens, NDPers, Conservatives, and any other Canadians who respect and admire Mr. Dion and want to continue hearing his voice in our political discourse”.

Tags: in the interim, it's all gone melty, John McCallum, leadershipshape, let him entertain you, liberals

More by kadyomalley

hosertohoosier

“The Libs aren’t angry with CTV anymore? Or was their ‘anger’ just for show and were actually quite happy that CTV showed clip of Dion at his worst.”

I can think of two Liberals that weren’t angry – Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae. That ultimately is the problem of the Liberal party – it attracts people primarily interested in wielding power, rather than ideas (Dion is a Quebec Liberal and different – for him the LPC is about a strong Canada). As a result, a large camp of Liberals is actually somewhat happy Dion lost. Sure – they want Harper kept to a minority, but they want their chance at the top spot.

Forcing Dion out, if he didn’t want out (and if he did, nobody could blame him) would only demonstrate that this sort of stuff works in the Liberal party – it would only set up the next Liberal leadership runners up to dig the knife in a little deeper. So unless you want the Trudeau-Turner divide (which begat the Chretien-Turner divide, the Chretien-Martin divide, the Rae-Ignatieff-Dion divide) to become the Dhalla-Trudeau divide, something has to change.
Jean Proulx

hosertohoosier – exactly. which is why we’re facebooking like crazy here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=40161095228
spicydoc

Better idea–

Let the Deputy PM (Ignatieff) be acting leader until May. Rae has to step aside.

In May, the first pint of order would be a ‘confidence vote’ on Iggy’s leadership. If he ‘passes’, he stays on as leader (Rae can lick his wounds elsewhere–maybe brother John can find him a job in the mailroom).

If Iggy ‘fails’, he leaves for good, and the bloodbath begins (with Iggy disqualified).

This scenario allows a contender rather than a pretender act as leader. and offers the chance to save bundles of cash if a bloodbath is averted.
d. andy jette

I be another one of them facebook dionmaniacs. To the point above, it’s unlikely we’ll just go away. I think it’s worth noting that Dion – and the Green Shift – actually did bring new people into Canada’s political discussion, even if – judging from the voter turnout stats – the shallow personality politics of some of our other political leaders apparently chased more people away. I was personally inspired by Dion’s grace under 2 months of incredible, at times indecent, adversity and pressure.

But just as importantly, having had the opportunity, for the first time in my life (having voted for the first time in the ’97 federal election) to vote for a mainstream party and leader that had made serious reconiliation of environment and economy a centrepiece of its platform, that I liked having that opportunity and would strongly prefer to have that opportunity again in the next election.

And I can say (for myself and likely on behalf of at least a few others among my generation) my future voting patterns and donation practices and vounteering efforts will be affected by how things play out in the coming days and weeks.
Sophie

Exactly, d. andy jette.
This was the first federal election I could vote in, and not only did I vote, I volunteered for my local candidate because I admire Dion as a person. I’ve never been one for any specific political party, and particularly not one for the Liberals. Once I had heard him speak, though, I was struck by how intelligent he was and is. Personally, I think that if he leaves, its Canada who suffers for it.
But what do I know.
keith by the Bruce

Maybe liberals should get with the program ? Lots of defeated cons in ‘merica . They have a Council of CEOs looking for a party to support ? Free trade with EU , private medicine and continuing brian’s AECL saga ?”Cyberwanderer’s BlogJanuary 19, 2008
Buck does not stop with AECL”
“Ottawa may sell stake in Atomic Energy: Source
Oct 19, 2008 04:01 PM ”
Ont. & TO in particular need a reactor plucken ? (plagiarized from …)
keith by the Bruce

Maybe they could use the proceeds to enrich the flourishing truce with Danny Williams ? AECL assets even at fire sale discount would string wires from Labrador to Ontario ?
http://deleted Sandi

I think people who just don’t know what they’re talking about should just wait and see what happens.

What’s with our journalists? It’s not enough to spend day after day trying to destroy Dion and being too lazy to talk about anything else, now they have to grind their boots into his face.

Remember – Harper disappeared for a few days when he lost in 2004.

Give the guy a break. When you put your heart and soul and beliefs into something and you are facing a fact that it wasn’t what Canadians wanted and you’ve been attacked personally and endlessly – you deserve a little seclusion.

I’m ashamed of our media and our press. Pitiful bunch they are.

Get off your asses and start doing some journalism.
keith by the Bruce

comment by Sandi on Monday, October 20, 2008 at 9:07 am: I think people who just don’t know what they’re talking about should just wait and see what happens.

Cycle needs news . Not like record #’s imported from Mexico then EU to fuel the wage employement spiral is important eh jack ? Not like privatization would lift the yoke of deficit from drained taxpayers eh jack ?
Wascally Wabbit

To Jean Proulx – hate Facebook – but will be signing up.
Sitting here in the former riding of Lester B. Pearson – where a Liberal run of 70+ years was broken last Tuesday…I think that (with a few exceptions like Kyriagianis and Volpy) the old wood has been largely trimmed – which creates one of the opportunities to clean house and renew.
I’d like to see Dion stay on as caretaker purely because – when you hold the traces – you have the oportunity to steer the agenda – play the old game – you have nothing to lose – in order that the newcomers – currently outsiders – have a chance to orgnaize – and most important – show how they can sign members and raise money.
I just hope that Gerard Kennedy – and Justin Trudeau are in touch with the Obama team to get some fast track advice on how to build from the ground up!
Jenn

I also hate Facebook, but opened an account to sign up for this thing. But apparently Facebook hates me right back, because I have no idea how to find the group.
Wascally Wabbit

Jenn – Kady gave you the link above…

There’s even a Facebook group XXXXXXXX for “grassroots Liberal members who are opposed to Stéphane Dion’s removal as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada”, which also welcomes “Greens, NDPers, Conservatives, and any other Canadians who respect and admire Mr. Dion and want to continue hearing his voice in our political discourse”.
JMR

Jenn,
I had the same problem I don’t do Facebook because it doesn’t like me. Still I will shout loud and clear that I think Rae and Ignatiff and their ilk are way to quick out of the gate and I will not support any one who has already thrown their hat into the ring. I will wait until my leader has made up his mind and if he decides to stay I will continue to support him. I also have difficulties in getting into some of the blogs so will take this opportunity to thank the people who went to Stornaway yesterday taking with them our voice. From what I have read Mr Dion the ever gracious man actually spoke to the organizer of that rally. Thank You Jim Curran!
Jenn

Yes, Wabbit, and once I got there I had to sign in. But once I signed in I was no longer on the page, and–oh it was just one of those circular things that makes me a fool. I shall try again.

JMR, well said. I won’t support either of Rae or Ignatieff for the same reason, and also because they sort of cancel each other out (i.e., a large part of the party can never rally around the other guy). And thirdly, they’ve both got major baggage. According to Paul in my shiny new magazine subscription, the Conservatives have had ads ready to go to destroy them for a long time.
Bazoo

It seems to me this story, of Dion’s immanent resignation, isn’t based upon anything more than the gripes of a few alienated and disaffected elements in the Liberal party. But the story of Dion’s immanent resignation has been repeated, over and over, and now it seems that this fact is conditioning what will follow. I find it depressing how this has happened. Anonymous sources: the media’s excuse for leading the story. I think CTV went to new extremes in this election, in terms of partisan reporting. It appears to me that they are emboldened now.
Perhaps what we need, with the bullshit piling up so heavily in our media, and with the partisan toxicity of CTV, is more political parody. No, not air farce. Something more contemporary like Quebec’s Laflaque or like the states has with Colbert and Stewart. These shows draw out the absurdity and it is perhaps because Quebec has a far more healthy and vital popular culture of parody that it was less susceptible to the messaging that now extends from the CPC to MSM and CTV in particular.
http://whatdoiknowgrit.blogspot.com James Curran

You’re welcome.
Bazoo

If Mr Dion were a monty python character: I fart in your general direction.
keith by the Bruce

I would like to see the gentle thinking python rabbits rip the throats out of the attacking hordes ? 5 or 6 point economic plan ?
Dee

Jean Proulx:

I am a staunch Dion supporter although not a Liberal party member. If the ‘old boys’ continue with their pot stirring neither I or my family members will be supporting the Liberals in the next election.

I was angry about the way Chretien was ousted and it seems the same story in this case. A handful of Libs don’t get their own way and they act like 3 year olds. Makes Harper seem like an angel in comparison.

Keep it up and they’ll lose even more seats in the next election which is exactly what Harper wants.
KRB

Kady, didn’t Harper set the recall of Parliament to Nov. 12th already? SftT then, no?