So with no elected Liberal MPs and now with no Liberal Senators, when the Liberal caucus gathers together to discuss issues or formulate policy etc, Albertans will no longer have anyone in the room to represent or speak for them.
So with no elected Liberal MPs and now with no Liberal Senators, when the Liberal caucus gathers together to discuss issues or formulate policy etc, Albertans will no longer have anyone in the room to represent or speak for them.
One possible explanation, also bold:
OTTAWA — Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, who has surged into first place in opinion polls, was hammered by opponents Sunday for arguing Canada should keep the Senate because it gives Quebec a big advantage over B.C. and Alberta.
“We have 24 senators from Quebec and there are just six from Alberta and six from British Columbia. That’s to our advantage,” Trudeau said in response to the new NDP push to have the scandal-plagued $91.5-million-a-year upper chamber abolished….
He also said it’s not a “big deal” that a national leader would refer to Quebec’s interests as “our” interests while speaking to a Quebec newspaper.
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Justin+Trudeau+blasted+defending+senate/8437606/story.html
or this, even bolder:
OTTAWA – In the wake of Liberal MP David McGuinty’s anti-Alberta comments this week, a 2010 interview with Liberal leadership hopeful Justin Trudeau raises the issue about whether that attitude is baked into the DNA of the federal Liberal party In November 2010, Trudeau told a Quebec television show that he was tired of Albertans running the country and that, whether it was Jean Chretien or Brian Mulroney, Canada is better off when Quebecers are running the country.
“Canada isn’t doing well right now because it’s Albertans who control our community and socio-democratic agenda. It doesn’t work,” Trudeau said in French to interviewer Patrick Lagace on the Tele-Quebec program Les francs-tireurs (The Straight Shooters).
Lagace then asked Trudeau if he thought Canada was “better served when there are more Quebecers in charge than Albertans?”
Trudeau replied: “I’m a Liberal, so of course I think so, yes. Certainly when we look at the great prime ministers of the 20th century, those that really stood the test of time, they were MPs from Quebec… This country – Canada – it belongs to us.”
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/11/22/trudeau-would-rather-have-quebecers-than-albertans-in-charge
Trudeau betrays his elitist attitude with this top-down approach to governance. If, as some predict, there will be an adverse report on Senators by the AG, nothing will change because the abuses will have happened on his watch and the media, when this obvious fact comes to light, will be, of course, typically perplexed.
In fact, this top-down decision is an attempt to whitewash Grit Senator malfeasance, IMHO.
Anybody who thinks this represents Senate reform, rather than elitist retrenchment, should give up whatever habit they have.
As with most top down decisions, the unintended(?) consequences, such as removing Liberal influence from their caucus, come long after the self-congratulation on their “bold” moves.
“By asking questions, I was gently informed, I had delayed Trudeau’s arrival at the microphone. These days in Ottawa, delaying Justin Trudeau’s arrival somewhere is not a way to become popular.”
http://www2.macleans.ca/2014/01/31/why-we-should-listen-to-elizabeth-may/
Wonder if Justin’s brains behind the Liberal curtain have given him any answers as to where the country’s economy would be without Alberta? Where would his beloved Quebec be without their handouts? Where would his fans in Atlantic Canada?
Apparently Trudeau and his brain trust haven’t heard the old proverb “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”.
Cutting lose the senate may be pre-emptive damage control on Le Dauphin’s part. Apparently Liberal Senators have been inappropriately using their staff and funds to do work for the Liberal MPs.
http://www.hilltimes.com/news/politics/2014/01/30/libs-say-mps-stopped-sharing-senate-resources-after-trudeaus-announcement/37261
and some lefty-on-lefty conflict
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-asks-for-audit-of-liberal-conservative-use-of-senate-resources-1.2517793
Why would the Liberals need Alberta representation? Should milk cows get a say in how a dairy farm is run?
Being cynical about politics, I have to wonder if there is a financial/liability issue at play. Are the Liberal senators being given the bum’s rush to protect LPC finances from whatever is in the AG reeport. I didn’t occur to me until I read this:
OTTAWA — Federal Liberal members of Parliament are seeking to formally sever ties with the Senate by removing all references to senators in the party’s constitution…
“The Constitution does identify clear roles and responsibilities for caucus which need to be adjusted to reflect our new caucus reality,” reads the letter, which was obtained from Liberal leader Justin Trudeau’s office.
“We urge the National Board to develop a process for amending the LPC Constitution to remove references to Senators and to operate immediately in a manner that is consistent with only elected Members of Parliament being part of the LPC National Caucus.”
http://o.canada.com/news/liberal-mps-seek-to-remove-senators-from-party-constitution/
They seem to almost be in a panic to cut these people loose.
Since when did Lieberals ever care about the opinions of Western Canadians in the first place? Situation normal, all f–ked up…Ah Justin you’re such a little douche bag.
The first time you get in between JT and the media it’s a gentle rebuke. The next time it’ll be a knee in the groin. After that…well, let’s just say that you don’t want to find out what happens after that. 🙂
There is, IMO, but it may not be the one people have been focusing on. There’s been a lot of speculation about Trudeau and the Liberals trying to distance themselves from an upcoming audit of the Senate – which is possible, although it wouldn’t really fool anyone – but the recalcitrance of the Liberal senators, which is a big part of the ongoing story, has a different financial angle that hasn’t been widely reported. Here’s Global News’ Tom Clark:
That, to me, best explains the Liberal senators’ refusal to follow Trudeau’s marching orders. Taking $3,000 a month from a Liberal – which is what Trudeau is in effect doing, or trying to do – is like poking a hornet’s nest.
Removing money from any politician is like taking food away from a hyena. But, still, the immediate removal of senators from the Liberal constitution seems over the top. Rushed. $30,000 is small potatoes compared to the damage that is likely to occur from “friendly” fire (see Duffy, Brazeau)
The west hasn’t had a Liberal speak for them or stand up for them in Ottawa for a very, very long time and as for the author of the column, if you don’t have a Liberal to speak for you now then congratulate yourself because you had the sense not to vote one of them in.
There you go, robw. I had a similar, but, more crass and frivolous thought.
Ralph Goodale represents Saskatchewan. We Albertans with no voice in the Libs caucus room, may actually be better off than our provincial neighbors. We’ll at least be able to say to everyone, “you can’t blame us”.
I’m sure all Albertans will miss those two powerful voices speaking on their behalf. Who were they again?
As a fully qualified substitute drama teacher you’d think he’d be aware of the Bard’s statement regarding roses.
LC, I agree that Trudeau’s “bold new idea” that he can “reform” the senate by magically deeming Liberal senators to be not-Liberal is “over-the-top”, albeit I think it would be more apt to describe it as incredibly dumb and ill-thought-out, and almost childish, inasmuch as everybody and their dog will be fully aware that these Liberal senators will still be Liberal senators. It won’t fool anyone; it’s the sort of “idea” that might occur to someone for a second while he’s “brainstorming”, before being dismissed within one or two seconds as a stupid idea.
I also agree that $36,000 a year is small potatoes compared to the damage that is likely to occur from ‘friendly fire’, but what I’m suggesting is that the prospect of Liberal senators losing $36 grand a year, especially when it’s just collateral damage from one of His Hairness’s “brainstorms”, may go a long way towards explaining that friendly fire. The Liberals dohave long a history of clinging tightly to their entitlements.
Here’s David Akin on one of those PO’d senators:
Now, if you substitute the word “mercenary” for “militant” in Joyal’s statement…
Yes, sabotage from within is almost guaranteed. There’s lots of skeletons in Liberal closets. I also think that initial approval of the reforms will evaporate if the AG report shows massive fraud.
But, assuming JT and his advisers had permission from the old alpha dogs, I still think there’s more to this story. Time will tell.
Thanks for posting this. Trudeau, like Obama, is full of words but bereft of reason.
Paul Well’s column illustrated to me that PM Harper, in incremental steps, is making cuts where it’s logical for them to be made:
“The sum of these cuts is a smaller role for the federal government in the life of the nation.”
Well done, Mr. Harper.
Print materials are digitally archived now.
It is vanity pure and simple.
Just-in can’t handle more than 1 idea at a time, preferably his own dim thought.
The senators, whatever else they are, are experienced political animals.
The advice they give the shiny phoney, is guaranteed to contradict the Buttski wisdom.
Confuses dear leader, so he throws out the old boys.
As for representation from the west, for Just-in and company, thats;” From where?”
One must not forget their western leader is China.
One must give Just-in credit here, for years the Liberal Party of Canada has been an Ontario rump party, this just makes it official.
Doesn’t matter what Justin does. The left loves him and he’s got great hair. The next election will reflect that. The fact that most of his groupies can’t even spell senator will not even come into play. People with a functioning brain will be a minority but thankfully the zombies are evenly split between Liberal and NDP and they can eat each other. All Harper has to do is shut up and let them rip each other apart. Good economic government and logic is no match against good hair and pixie dust. The election battle cry should simply be ” vote if you still have a functioning brain”. The left won’t understand it.
Shamrock;
It could be the AG report that spooked Justin, or, it could be him taking good advice from the Liberal big brains. Clearly he wasn’t the author of this move or he’d be able to articulate it better to the press, wouldn’t he?
Alternatively, what about this wild conjecture: A Liberal Senator gets home to his Ottawa home and his boyfriend who works for Elections Canada or some other law enforcement agency has an ominous warning. Elections Canada or some other law enforcers, with new found evidence from the AG Senate audit now must conduct an investigation into Senators or senate operators who have been involved with certain election campaigns. Trudeau distances himself from Senators he can’t control anyhow — a smart move he has been advised to do but doesn’t really understand. Harper doesn’t and leading up to the next election Harper’s band of operators get all the headlines because he wasn’t prescient enough to distance himself.
The civil service, serves their Liberal masters well.
Justin’s attitude was inculcated by his father. I’m not surprised that he thinks this way, but his lack of discretion in actually SAYING this in PUBLIC exposes himself as a rank amateur without basic political smarts.
Just a guess: a Justin government would institute NEP II, and would
force part of the eventual Muskrat Falls power output to be turned over
to Quebec. That would serve Albertans right, for electing the Red Rat
at the last provincial election. and would serve the d****d Noofs
right in spades. The latter have had the enjoyment of a spectacular
leader in Danny Williams PC, and then the solid if unspectacular
management of Kathy Dunderdale PC, and they are itching for a Liberal.
And all their lady parts (of the “men” as well as the women) looooove
Justin.
I suspect foot in mouth disease may be a problem for JT in the election particularly in debates and scrums where the media can’t always cover for him. Muclair and Harper, experienced and more mature politicians, will definitely have the advantage when it comes to answering spontaneously. Both will be going after JT hard and eventually JT will have to defend any platform that is being written up for him. Pleasing both Quebec and the ROC is not going to be easy. A lot depends on whether Ontario suburban voters are eager to align with Quebec.
I also think that the CPC’s income splitting program will be quite attractive to middle class voters instead of income redistribution and social programs. The wildcard is seniors, a CPP bribe might be too tempting to resist.
Perhaps the Liberal big brains deliberately threw him under the bus by suggesting the Senate move. Current polls notwithstanding, they might have rightly concluded that he is not up for the job and cannot win.
Maybe it just a move to allow the liberal caucus to meet in the back room of an IHOP … with the ultimate goal of just getting a big table at Timmies.
No Liberal representation from Alberta. That’s not a bug it a feature. Yer “pure laine” cred depends on it doncha know.
An excellent point, as always, and completely simpatico with the point about the Liberal Party of Canada constitution I raised last evening, in response to you and Gord Tulk, without so much as ever having read the Liberal Party of Canada constitution, if there is one, or knowing that this would immediately become a knock-on issue for them in the media (I guessed).
If Stephen J. Harper were overwhelmingly smart, which he is, although I’d wager he was rather more concerned than he ought to have been about getting his book out, than attending to the business folks like me voted for him to do, he’d amend his reference to SCOC on Senate reform to include Mr. Trudeau, Jr’s “proposals”.
No, if the PM was smart he would offer to accept the resignations of any the liberal appointed senators.
What if PM Harper offered an olive branch and took them under his wing?
Providing they passed their audits,agreed to a fixed term, etc.
There may be a few that are actually worthwhile.
SV. Unless this is some gambit to get us to an elected Senate (or attrit it to death), this move makes no sense. Emasculating your party’s ability to fundraise, campaign and get out the vote seems rather childish to me and far from visionary. The Senate, flawed as it is, has been around long before either Trudeau’s wise conscience decreed distance in the search for their version of social justice.
Would PM JT fill Senate vacancies? Would he repudiate this “bold” move once safely ensconced in power? Why do Liberal Senators now have less rights and avenues of political participation than other Canadians? IOW who does JT think he’s kidding?
Once the fawning of the mediarazzi fades (very soon) then we will see what the AG thinks. I suspect Harper will throw the book at any Senatorial malfeasance, regardless of party, leaving JT to wax wannabe philosopher king, unencumbered by the cries for support, and summer jobs for their kids, from the exiled Grit Senators, especially the innocent ones.
Fine! Liberals DO NOT represent Alberta anyway.
It will be a truly fine day when this can be said of ALL the provinces.s