Probably best to use this for leadership results post mortems.
Yesterday’s threads – Alberta PC and Liberal Party of Canada are getting so large they’re cumbersome to load.
Request – if someone can track down an audio clip of Mr. Dion’s response to a reporter’s question on squaring Kyoto with the Alberta oilsands;
“If we ken find…. sustenible development…”
I would much appreciate it.
I’ve pointed it out once already – this man has the makings of a “sustenible” drinking game!
Bruce, Dion is not gay. Its Pierre Pettigrew I believe people are confusing him with. I think his wife was with yesterday when he won the leadership.
Mike:
That’s what I thought too, when Odie441 first raised the question. But see his response at 1:07pm.
Frankly, even if Dion is, I don’t think that it’s not much of an issue anyway, especially if he remains “closeted”, so to speak.
I don’t know if anyone watched CTV’s Question Period today….but it was soooo nice to see Jane Taber subdued and quiet. She must know that come the next federal election all her Liberal pals are going to get their ass handed to them in a pretty pink basket. With electing Steph-an Dionne as their broken An-glas leeder, dey will see defeet ‘anded to dem. I can ‘ardly wait! “Parlay vouz da running shoe” Steph-an.
Indeed, we must proceed to examine the ties between the Liberals and Power Corp.
We cannot have big, fat money interests dictating the domestic and foreign policy of Canada. And that is obviously how it works with the Liberals, from what I’ve uncovered and which the MSM shockingly, inexplicably ignored.
The influences exerted upon the Liberals is frightening. We cannot afford to ignore the connections. We must look closely at Maurice Strong as well. If he’s anything like George Soros in the US, who effectively controls the Democratic Party, then he may as well effectively control the Liberal Party. It’s simply too close, too cozy.
Our government must comprise of individuals who genuinely have the best interests of Canada and Canadians at heart, rather than just claim to and not mean it. This means Stephen Harper and his Conservatives. The Liberals will merely say they care about anything if they think it’ll get votes. And, at best, they just throw money around wastefully, claiming that doing so is taking action. Yeah, right.
Does it really matter if Dion is gay? I could care less myself.
Unless he’s one of those one trick pony sexual monomaniacs, who would force everyone to embrace sodomy or child sex, with forced mandated pro-gay school recruters. Or worse one of the force them out of the closet crowd . For there own good of course.
You know the kind of liberal nut, who thinks gay marrage is normal but not hetrosexual unions unatural!
Jimmy Carter was a Christian & the wrost President in my opinion, of the United States.
Labels mean nothing. Its actions. With Dion all roads leed to Power Corp. That is what disturbs me. Hell, I have more against the Peta crowd.
lieberal leadership campaign & convention in a nutshell:
iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy,
iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy,
iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy,
rae
rae
iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy,
iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy, iggy,
iggyrae.
clang clang clang !!! last call !!!
huh ?
dion !!!!!!!!
Tomax,
You said:
“…one thing folks we have to keep in perspective”:
“Secondly, without contradicting myself, it does show the voter apathy is alive and well in Alberta. 133,000 votes does not a province make”.
Speaking of perspective Tomax, how is it that you can criticize only 133,000 Albertan’s voting for a new leader/premier, when only 4800 liberals elect a new national leader.
Talk about democracy!
Erwin
Do you think Stephane Dion and the Liberals can defeat Stephen Harper and the Conservatives in the next federal election?
Yes
6897 votes (52%) 6897 votes
No
6377 votes (48%) 6377 votes
Total votes: 13274
GlobeMail
Maybe the truth as to why Chretain stayed out of Iraq will finally come out. The Demaris clan had huge contracts with Saddam and his oil empire. It was all about oil, oil for profit for Chretains inlaws. Many posted on that a few yrs ago, but the TO elite said it was a lie. Did Martin ever really pay Power Corp for the CSL. How many of you have worked for just a few years and been given a part of the company because ??????.
Dion will be known forever as the “anybody but” leader. Greg Weston says Harper was the real winner yesterday. He said once cartoonists compare you to a rat or a mouse you and done. Those cartoons will soon see the light of day again on some blog. Dion will not win many seats in Que and will be lucky to hold what he has. His inability to speak english will really be imitated and made fun of. When I receive calls for this that or whatever, and the caller has a bad accent, I lead them on and then say, could I please speak to someone who speaks english. It is especially fun when you get called back to verify the call and say, what, no one I could understand called me. I only speak english, american sign language and profanity, and the last too are not great for the telephone.
Re:Dion’s comments on Fort M.and “sustenabul” development..or however he says that..he is on with Rex Murphy now.A woman called in from Fort M.,with her concerns about just that.His response was something about the carbon-buying crap,credits,etc.Didn’t really catch it all..maybe cbc has an audio vault of today’s program.The Libs.must have gotten a heads-up,as it is a big love fest!
Dion is a political animal.
Dion has read The Memoirs of the Marquis de Sade, in particular, the chapters on the whip and its uses.
Dion loves his fellow countrymen’s works. Dion loves you, too. Bien sur. Justice sociale for all; or, else.
Dion says Liberal MPs are like cattle; to be driven by the whip.
Cruel; scary Dion. Cold even.
A taste of what’s to come from Dion, the socialist; scary.
…-
DION READY TO CRACK HIS WHIP ON SSM
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion indicated Sunday he’s ready to crack the whip at his caucus when it comes to this week’s vote on same-sex marriage.
(national newswatch)
The Kim Campbell of the Liberal Party. They’ll bide their time until they can find somebody real – i.e. that’s connected – REALLY CONNECTED to Power Corp. Can’t have a PM who thinks for himself, now can we? A PM and GG both, both citizens of France (yeah, the GG gave it up, I know). Is anybody tired of French(first)-Canadian politicians who’d rather live abroad than here? Does that mean that aside from their generous salary, perqs, etc., they don’t have to pay taxes for the full year because they’re citizens of France as well?
Maz2 I really don’t think Harpers heart is in this same sex thing anyway. He is only doing it as a sop to us social conservatives. I suspect we are stuck with SSM. What will be interesting is to see if Stelmach allows Mortons bill c208 to go through.
“Montreal MP Denis Coderre, one of Michael Ignatieff’s chief organizers, was said to be ruminating about his future after Dion’s victory.”
canada.com
Coderre was hoping to be Iggy’s Ambassador to
Hezbollah….-
Quote of the week – “We want the person that’s best for Canada , so definitely for us that’s Stepane Dion.” said Mousa Qasqas , a young Muslim from Calgary.” Page 11 Calgary Sun .There you have it folks , the all important RoP endorsement . Any one paying any attention ?
I think Harper will bring up SSM as a matter of principle…not so much about the moral issue, but about the way it was not a free presentative vote in parliament.
How do the Alberts people on this sight see Stelmach working with Harper?…Harper has indicated he wants less Ottawa in provincial matters.
vf, Stelmach is an unknown quantity really, and no one knows how he will perform. I doubt whether there will be much chance for any confrontation between now and the next federal election. The test to come will be how he handles equalization.
And I think provincially, how he handles private health care. The make up of his cabinet will give us a huge opportunity to see in which direction he is headed.
Revnant Dream: lots of good posts, but for gawdsake, man …
their: ownership (think of heir) e.g. I saw their leadership convention.
they’re: contraction for they are, e.g., they’re a bunch of crooks.
there: opposite of here, e.g. awfully glad I wasn’t there!
Their I finely said it! 🙂
“KMM, I don’t disagree that it has been mentioned in the media. But I heard a french columnist on CBC one night a few years back say a party leader should be able to speak both languages. I think she was taking Preston Manning to task at the time. I am suggesting that Stephane Dion does not speak English well enough to aspire to Prime Ministership. I wonder what that same columnist would say to that.”
Thats fair enough. I just think Dion has been taken to task on his english sufficiently. More so then the anglophone candidates were being taken to task on their french and I think that Dion’s english was quite good compared to the other candidates french, especially Ignatieffs. It seemed to me like it was structurally and gramatically sound for the most part, but the pronunciation obviously needs work. He’s definitely better than chretien though.
There will be no free vote on SSM if Dionista uses the WHIP. So again the issue will not be settled, and Harper can again rally his base with trying to get a free vote in the HofC. Is the new opposition leader afraid of how his members will vote. That should tell the cdn people the liberals have not changed and will never renew their party and give their MPs freedom. Fewer trained seals elected next time. Layton and Dion are dictators.
Saw in the Herald where Mark Norris (candidate who swung to Stelmach) has been named as the replacement for Elzinga as chief exec. of the AB pc party. Elzinga had resigned before the vote so as to leave the field open. One of the first of many and this strikes me as being a good a good fit.
Now, what happens to Justice Minister (a Dinning man). I sure hope that the pick is not Dave Hancock, lawyer (another swing candidate, probably liberal-lite). I think we need a change from lawyer/politicians in anything remotely dealing with any kind of justice – with the lawyers doing the fine tuning in the background. Time for some good old fashioned common sense. Same holds true for the panel members/chair of the Human Rights Commission. Under Ralph, all things legal have been allowed to move far to much to the left for me.
The same goes for the Minister of Education – this guy has got to go. He never did take a public position on any of the candidates.
Intergovernmental Affairs/liason with Federal Gov’t is key. I hope we don’t have to have bilingual as being the screening filter for this position. Let’s go for competence first and if the person speaks five languages, great.
Then comes immigration – Quebec controls their own so hopefully we will do the same – or at least make some big indents here. This may be an early indicator of just how strong the new gov’t is when it comes to dealing with the feds. Ralph was a lot of bristle but when it came to doing, he basically capitulated far to much.
When the premier takes home about $180k and the chair of the Calgary Health Authority takes home about $1 million – probably the same in Edmonton – this house has to get cleaned pronto. Likewise the Chair of Childhood Services getting bumped from about $160k to about $260k a few weeks ago should be re-bumped. Soooo many things. Unlike the Prime Minister, the premier of AB has a great deal of discretionary power without near the red tape. If there is a will – things can happen.
Even though it’s a push-poll, I’m getting nervous and scared.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061203/libs_poll_061203/20061203?hub=TopStories
Liberal: 37 per cent (+5)
Conservative: 31 per cent (-1)
NDP: 14 per cent (-3)
Bloc Quebecois: 11 per cent (unchanged)
Green: 7 per cent (-2)
In Ontario, the Liberals experienced a 12-point jump, going from 36 per cent to 48 per cent. The Tories dropped a point to 32 per cent. However, in Quebec and the West, the Liberals’ numbers were flat.
The margin of error for the national poll was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The Quebec subset, was plus or minus 6.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Ontario subset was plus or minus 5.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Ace, read the technical a little more closely:
They polled 247 people in Quebec and 379 in Ontario, the balance (274) were the rest of Canada. Much too small a number to really get a good bead on, margins really high for error, yet CTV trumpets from the rooftops!
I know and Strategic Counsel is notoriously unreliable (that 41-25 poll last election). Even CTV admitted that Harper has a very high approval rating – 59%.
But I get the nagging feeling that we’re more likely tied (as that’s what the margin of error suggests). An SES poll had us at 34-32 before the convention.
Also, the West and Quebec numbers were stable as predicted, but the Ontario numbers moved a lot. I’m hoping it’s just the MSM coverage for a week straight with no ads.
Let’s just hope Harper’s keeping the tax-cutting gunpowder dry until the February budget. 😉
Relax Ace. Every party gets a month long bump in the polls after a leadership convention.
Beaker (who I sense is NOT gay) has a certain appeal but is not the guy who is going to do it for the Libs. He has huge English problems and an abrasive manner. He is connected to the Chretien regime and unpopular in Quebec. His green preoccupation will cause vote splitting with the dippers and greenies. He has no clue that a foreign policy doesn not consist of constantly repeating old “Busharper!!” canards.
Harper will take nothing for granted and is even now formulating the basis of a plan for dealing with him.
Relax everyone!! The grownups are in charge.
Ace – from what I understand, there is always a “bump” after a leader is elected, as the “unknown” factor is replaced with a “known” quantity. I wouldn’t sweat it too much just yet, especially with PMSH getting 59% approval (when only what, 31-37%, depending on which poll you look at on any given day, would VOTE for him).
As with any road/lake/ocean, after the crest of the bump comes the “dip” as people realize that maybe this guy isn’t the 2nd coming.
This is so damn funny…
Do you think Stephane Dion and the Liberals can defeat Stephen Harper and the Conservatives in the next federal election?
Yes
6897 votes (52%) 6897 votes
No
6377 votes (48%) 6377 votes
Total votes: 13274
GlobeMail
Quoting that bastion of even-handed reporting…
Like it means something
Bring it on!
Mr. Harper will mop up the floor with Mr. Dion
On stage in front of the whole country…
In English
And the G&M will declare Mr. Dion the winner…
as per usual
Hopefully the Canadian public will not be fooled yet again!!!
Calgary Clipper; The same Mark Norris whose creative financing/consulting was quietly shut down? (http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=0a181d46-2d32-466c-ac84-b3da7f7c792c).
In looking for a link I came across this Rick Bell story regarding the Auditor General, Fred Dunn’s invest. of Lloyd Carr and the rumour of funnelled money into leadership bids. Right towards the bottom – 5th par. I found this interesting tid bit: “Yesterday morning, Dunn’s department also talks to the province about the possible running up of expenses on a government credit card in 2004 by the executive assistant to former economic development minister Mark Norris, who is now running for Tory leader.
Dunn’s department is “quite surprised” they hadn’t heard of the allegations and asks government officials why auditors were not told. The answer? They didn’t think there was anything to be concerned about. Situation normal.
Dunn is now on it. (http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/11/24/2474485-sun.html).
Also there was a teeny column about 1 column X 2″ in the Edmonton Journal just prior to the 1st vote about Mark Norris admitting to a one time gambling problem. It was beyond me why he brought it up.
Kate, making fun of Stephanes Dion’s accent is an ingenious and sophisticated tactic. If his face was, say, paralyzed on one side, you could have used that, too.
His accent is a result of having poor English skills and makes it difficult to understand him – so it’s an issue. The real thing I’m “making fun” of, is his proclivity of throwing the word “sustainable” into every third sentence.
Much like “fundamentally” was used by Paul Martin.
I’m curious as to whether Dion speaks Francais Standard, is it the typical Quebecois French, or is it a blend. Since he has “triple” citizenship, my guess it is the first. If so, this may account for what seems to be an anti-Quebec feeling against him – particularly in uni-lingual P.Q. They may resent his “sophisticated” use of French and may also find it hard to follow him in French.
Agreed – he is difficult to understand because of pronunciation and it is an issue – just as central Canada raised it with attempts by Manning & Day to speak French.
With central Canada it seems it may well not be enough to speak Francais Standard because this is not “real French, it sounds funny”
Cheri –
This business of “thinking there was nothing to be concerned about” isn’t going to cut it any longer. There is a problem in ADAC – get it all out there ard get it cleaned cup.
There is a lot to be concerned about in a whole lot of areas. We need a Shelia Fraser in AB and a premier with the guts to give that person the headway to do what is necessary.
The lines between iffy, not nice, unethical, and illegal are pretty fuzzy and getting less clear all the time in politics. Hopefully new glasses will make a difference but we shall see.
I sure hope this Norris appointment is not a bad step already. The spin by Bell, I think may be ??
Crabgrass prefers the ultimate in “ingenious and sophisticated” au lieberal “looks fat in a vest” test !
Rich, I’m not clear on why you would say that I prefer a crack about someone’s weight problem. You could look forever and you would not find that kind of thing from me anywhere at any time.
Anyway, Kate cleared the air and indicated that she was referring to Mr. Dion’s frequent use of the word “sustainable”. I’d say that’s fair enough – politicians and parties are forever trying to brand themselves using some snippet that they think will appeal. Stand up for Canada, getting things done, don’t cut and run, stay the course, spreading democracy, etc…. they all do it. It’s a sales package.