Are you there Iggy?
It's me - Grit.
The rumours of coalitions didn't end with your very forceful statement to the otherwise. How to fight this?
Try this:
1) Once again rule out a merger - ABSOLUTELY
2) Laugh about the "anonymous party insiders"
3) Walk over to Jack's office (yes, YOU walk over to Jack) and work out a "non-aggression pact" for Parliament AND the election ahead. Come out with a strong joint press conference indicating that cooperation between parties is essentail to Canada and Canadians. Let Jack do a LOT of the talking. Indicate again that there will be no merger between the two proud parties, but that we need to rise above the current state of the House (created by Harper) and work for the MAJORITY of Canadians who would like to see him removed.
4) If it's about not having enough funds to fight an election right now, or every two years, introduce a private members bill that would support a spending cap and a ban on "off-season/non-election" advertising. This is CRUCIAL to our democracy. There will never be a level playing field if Conservative interest groups continue to fuel that attack ad machine.
5) Get out to Kelowna BC for the "Stock Car Experience", where - instead of sticking a logo on a CASCAR car, you can actually pilot a real stock car, and partake in your favorite sport. A real spectacle for ordinary Canadians, and a great way to divert from all this talk. More policy news conferences will get you nowhere at this point. You need to pull the "piano trick". Now.
13 comments:
The Cat supports your suggestion 100%
It is the only sure road to a new and more progressive government instead of the Harper right wing, regressive minority government.
And it is the option a large majority of LPC and NDP members who want a change of government, support.
Looks like he had Bob Rae break the news and followed up himself. I hope they now get an "official" group of folks together and talk about being more co-operative with each other.
There's an idea that'll not send another 5% of Canadians to the polls. But your right; better we pretend ideology is what separates us.
Ya, all of that or just resign and let us actually have a leadership race.
Ignatieff just basically called Warren Kinsella a liar this morning.
He also stated that he has NO relationship with Kinsella.
So, whoever Kinsella is consorting with as "serious high level people" having merger talks must be either:
1. A lie or
2. Between people who have no communications with Ignatieff.
I place my bets on 2- Chretien and Ed Broadbent have both stated they have been talking.
What do you think?
I have a better idea. Just ignore this bullshit and get on with being an effective opposition and winning the next election.
This is what happens to political parties that find themselves in Opposition and not doing well. The "anonymous sources" come out of the woodwork and make a bad situation worse.
This happened to Mr. Harper between 2003 and 2006 and it happened to Mr. Chretien between 1990 and 1993.
In both cases they ignored it and focused on their main goal. In both cases they were successful.
Mr. Ignatieff made his statement. He should leave it at that and get on with achieving the reason why he decided to become the leader of the Liberal Party in the first place.
Before I put in my two cents, I should say that I'm a guy that voted Conservative last time around, (not impressed by Dion or Green Shift), but I REALLY don't want the Liberal party to implode because then I'm stuck voting Conservative no matter what they do. (My election night choices are Liberal, Conservative or stay home.)
Having said that.
1) Absolutely.
2) Absolutely.
3) Abso... wait what? That's just going to encourage people to think you're talking merger. That's the exact opposite of what you want.
4) Interesting, but basically unworkable without violating free speech left right and centre.
5) How is it that I live in Peachland and I haven't heard of this?
Seriously, Mr. Ignatieff has to kill this quick-fix mentality (new leader! coalition! merger! flavour of the week!) and actually build a party platform.
Did you worry about a level playing field when Chretien had his majority and the right was splintered?
Yes, for real. Stock car rides in Kelowna. It's new. Saw an ad in the Georgia Straight, of all places. I forget the exact name of the business, but it does exist.
Ps... A spending cap on all parties would not have anything to do with free speech. It would be very similar to existing laws against election campaign signage before/after the writ... or individual candidate spending caps during elections.
MPs/candidates can "speechify" all they want - at their own party events. They just need to watch how they advertise it.
I don't want to drag this off topic, but what does a spending cap on all parties accomplish?
Any party attack machine worth their salt would immediately start arms length organizations to promote "issues". Make sure they're stacked with party faithful and you're off to the races. They wouldn't be funded by the taxpayer, but that's not exactly a big restriction on the Conservatives at the moment is it?
It might actually make things worse because the farther these organizations get from the political parties, the less answerable they are as the groups get more and more unsavoury in their methods.
And I'll have to look into the stock car thing. Thanks.
I’m not sure I agree with all your points, however I like your third point that outlines the need for the Liberals and N.D.P. to co-operate and work together as effective opposition parties and hold Harper and his band of Conservatives to account. I do have to agree with Ottlib when he says that Mr. Ignatieff and the Liberal party needs to just get on with doing the job he was chosen to do and that is being the most effective party leader he can be. Every opposition leader takes criticism and the party themselves are usually behind in the polls, so what. These Conservative clowns will eventually hang themselves just like Malroney hung himself (and his party), the Liberals just need to be there to offer a better and smarter alternative and if you ask me that time is approaching quicker then most people think. Oh and by the way we would love to see Mr. Ignatieff return to the Okanogan but to ride around in a cascar, I am not sure about that one either. Incidentally they race cascar out of Vernon B.C. at Sun Valley Speedway and yes you can take the course for about six hundred bucks and drive at around 100mph, you can also go down to Vegas and take the Richard Petty driving school and race around the track at 140mph for about twelve hundred bucks. Just thought you might like to know
Correction... Yes, I believe it was "the Okanagan" listed in the ad, and not Kelowna (sorry Vernon folks). At any rate, a wicked opportunity for anyone wishing to have such an experience.
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