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Who will be the next Liberal leader?

Re: Dion wins

I've been thinking that Dion's win will definitely open the door for my candidate, Gerard Kennedy to come around with an important cabinet position in Dion's government (if he wins).
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that's what i was thinking. he owe's one to kennedy and hopefully this can mean some good news for toronto.
 
Re: Dion wins

^ he owes more than "one" to Kennedy. He owes it all to him. If kennedy had kept himself on the ballot, Dion might have been dropped from the lineup on the 2nd ballot or wouldn't have the growth to reach 1st place on the 3rd ballot as he did.

Rae would have likely won if Kennedy hadn't made the crucial move to Dion's side.
 
Re: Dion wins

I was just watching his Friday speech:

CBC.ca - Stephane Dion speech

... sounds as if he's running for the Green Party leadership. 99% of his speech dealt with environmental issues. This is going to put a huge dent on the leftist parties' performance in the next election... Layton who?

That all said, I like what Dion is saying, I just feel that he needs to brush up his image and english if he's going to take on a national election. This isn't him running for MP in Quebec, he needs to represent the entire Canadian population.

Being a french Canadian candidate will definitely bring back swarms of Quebec voters to the Liberal party which was the nail in Martin's coffin last time around. Ontario will likely vote Liberal as well. The west? They're probably cursing the likelihood that another french guy will be leading the country in a majority government.
 
Re: Dion wins

Although I was a Rae supporter all the way, I'm not dissapointed about Dion. His environmental bent is so refreshing in a country where 'green' issues are usually tertiary, and as a result he will certainly push hard for a lot of the pet issues of this board--transit, urban renewal, etc. Now we just need him to win that election...
 
Re: Dion wins

Now that I think about it, I think Miller is jumping for joy like a little school girl. :lol

One of Miller's main goals for the next 4 years in office is to lobby for a national transportation plan. Funding from the federal level to ensure environmental principals is likely coming from a Dion government.

I think Stephane Dion will be looking with strong focus on large cities which is where the majority of environmental battles need to be fought. Once his gaze sets on Toronto, I feel that rapid public transit will once again be on the agenda, and with federal government backing ($$$$$), they'll also become viable.

Back to Miller, Stephane Dion is speaking like Miller. Climate Change, Kyoto, Green ... green... green. David and Stephane are insta-best-buddies.
 
Re: Dion wins

I'm not sure I've seen a Canadian Prime Minister with trouble speaking English
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What about Chretien? :p

Seriously, Chretien had trouble speaking English until the 1980s, and he was a cabinet minister under Trudeau in the 70s. Though his facial birth "defect" and eing brought up exclusively in French didn't help.
 
Re: Dion wins

With respect to city issues, the Liberals will have to do more than make promises. That was there failing last time around on this issue: lot's of talk and little action.
 
Re: Dion wins

i find dion to be extremely likable. maybe i just like people who have no "charisma" -- after all, i find that people like bob rae, jack layton and michael ignatieff come across as cloying and insincere.

i mean, seriously guys, anyone who says "countwy" instead of "country" is instantly adorable.
 
Re: Dion wins

as for how dion will actually regain liberal support, i doubt it will be a one-man show. does anyone else think that gerard kennedy will play, once he's elected, a very, very significant role in the dion-led liberals?
 
Re: Dion wins

I agree, Kennedy will probably be the charisma module for a Dion government.... I mean, did you see his speech?? :eek He was excellent! He spoke with determination and had a prime ministerial.. no.. Presidential charisma.

If Dion is smart, he'll sorround himself with fresh faces like Kennedy and use them to regain voters trust and enthusiasm for the party.

Now... what file could Dion give to Kennedy?
 
Re: Dion wins

I don't get this Dion the Environmentalist thing. He was in the Liberal government that signed the Kyoto Agreement in 1998, which the Libs agreed to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to 6 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. By the end of that same Liberal government, Canada's emissions were more worse than ever. This is the legacy the government, that included Dion, gave us on the environment.

Now, the Conservatives will be far worse, but at least they're not claiming to be champions of the environment.
 
Re: Dion wins

... Layton who?
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Layton will no doubt intensify his attacks on the Liberals. The idea is to make the NDP the official opposition, not the Liberals. One way to do that is to distinguish his party from the Liberals. Be prepared to hear more on adscam and the like.

If one wants to look at environmental issues, Abeja is right to point out that there was virtually no movement on that issue during the Liberals time in power. As Dion was a minister, he can't take all the blame for this lack of action. But being that this is politics, he will get nailed.
 
Re: Dion wins

Abeja is right to point out that there was virtually no movement on that issue during the Liberals time in power.
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In a few months, Canadians will get to choose if environmental protection is their priority, as they can vote for the new enviro-champion, Dion. I'm not convinced that that Dion can beat Harper for the top seat, and may not do well in Quebec against the Bloc. Time will tell....
 
Re: Dion wins

Not that they matter all that much, but I was under the impression that some of the most recent polls suggested that environment, particularly climate change, was at the top of the list of concerns to Canadians due to the endless fear-mongering with respect to the latter issue. Of course, the Liberals had a slate of candidates who were calling carbon dioxide a pollutant, so it's no wonder that some people are a bit confused, or in a panic mode.

I don't doubt that Dion is sincere about his platform. The question is whether he can move beyond platitude mode into real, substantive content.

The longer this race went on, the more I liked Kennedy - and the more I disliked Ignatieff. If the Liberals go down to defeat in the next election, one has to wonder if Iggy will take another swing at the leadership. I doubt Rae will try again.
 
Re: Dion wins

Quite refreshing to watch the convention coverage on the CBC. Not one interview with any of the other parties or their flaks. No yelling or screaming from all sides on what was going on. Quite enjoyable compared to the US coverage of events like this.
 
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