Policy - and a REAL policy convention MUST come before a leadership election. We need to define the rules for that leadership, but more importantly, strike out bold policy fronts which separate us from the crowd.
We must also ensure that we start educating the Canadian public on "left", "right", and "center". Harper schooled us on Marketing 101 this campaign - and the two before it. As someone who spends a lot of his time marketing small businesses, I see a dearth of talent in our Marketing Dept.
First off, we need to accept the new idea of year-round off-writ advertising. As a party we must resolve to start influencing the vote starting now, with such a tact. Don't be negative (the public won't accept that - only use when necessary)... Advertise what it means to be a Liberal (we take the BEST points of right and left, and combine them in a fiscally responsible manner). Simple 15 sec spots run YEAR-ROUND. Any party that wants to compete with the Cons (or any left/right ideologically driven party) needs to do this. Funds will come, and continue to, as more people hear our message. The PRESS/MEDIA WILL NOT DO THIS FOR US. We need to do it alone.
Canadians need to re-gain the sense of what "liberal" means. This has to be a grassroots movement, that won't be easy, but it WILL win votes.
As Liberals, we have two choices:
1) Give Harper what he wants (merger with NDP, so he can enjoy a constant left-right dialectic which a corporate elite and media continue to sway in the right's favor - as in the USA).
2) Rebuild, sensibly. Idea-driven re-birth, with POLICY FIRST. We can appoint an interim leader (Quebec please) that can begin the ground work in the biggest potential growth area, work on REAL policy that is clearly different from the rest (while explaining clearly how we can pay for it), then choose a leader at a convention that would define a generation.
ps: Don't poo-poo YLC for having BOLD ideas... EMBRACE YLC, and let them lead the way!
3 comments:
Unfortunately, now that Ignatieff has publicly resigned, a leadership convention must be held within 6 months and there is no way to organize both a policy convention and a leadership convention within that timeframe.
It's a chicken and egg process, but I do believe a policy convention without a leader is not workable.
But you can have both at the same time.
I definitely agree with you that we need to build this movement from the ground up with real policy. I think the best starting point is changing the way in which we elect a leader. I can't see a better way than doing primaries as they do in the US. It would put our best mp's on the ground dealing with regional issues across Canada. To run in the primaries you'd need to sign up X number of members and raise $X in each region or you would be excluded from that primary.
In regards to an interim leader I say Ralph Goodale (I'm not sure how strong his french is). I give you that Quebec is our area for most likely growth, but our next leader is likely going to come from Quebec or the Maritimes. Lets have a strong western leader until a new leader is chosen.
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