The Liberal Leadership Campaign

Bring on the Farce

2006-09-26T14:49:00.000-04:00

While you were wrestling with the idea that had Belinda not dropped out of the Liberal leadership race, Tie Domi could have ended up serving cucumber sandwiches at 24 Sussex drive as the first-spouse, the campaign fell even further into the realm of farce.

As Jumpin' Joe Volpe was about to enter a news conference to defend his ethics-challenged campaign, he was chased down the street by two "ghosts," wearing white sheets and signs reading, "Volpe Has Spirits." This spectacle at least got Joe some national TV. And it's good to see that David Herle has found a work again.

Both Volpe and Igantieff have been accused of bringing out the dead - and signing them up for Liberal Party cards. Now I know what I'm doing for Halloween.

And then there's Eddie Goldenberg. He's packin'. Yeah, you know what we mean. He's packin' a mean grudge against the Martinites and let's er rip with his new tell-all. We say: buy the book.

Finally, there is Hedy Fry, a candidate who was not chosen as first, second or third choice for leader by any of the 1,000 respondents to an EKOS Research poll. "She literally got zero. I have never seen that in over 20 years of polling," said EKOS's Frank Graves. But Rae welcomed her to the lefty fold.

Are you kidding me??

2006-09-21T14:14:00.000-04:00

Bob Rae donated money to NDP candidates this year.

And this guy thinks he should lead the Liberal Party.

People, are we losing our minds? Stop the insanity. Can someone please get the Anyone But Rae movement going.

Is Iggy Fading?

2006-09-20T11:11:00.000-04:00

A new poll from the Globe and Mail shows the Liberal leadership battle is a tighter race than many expected. Although anointed early as the heir to the throne, a gaffe prone Michael Ignatieff has not walked away with the race.

Now the Globe poll puts Iggy only 2 points ahead of Bob Rae and 6 points ahead of Stephane Dion. The second tier candidates are Kennedy and Dryden, both with 9% support among Liberal Party members who will vote to select delegates. The remaining candidates each have less than 3% support.

While the poll is useful, it doesn't reflect the GOTV machine that Iggy and the other candidates have assembled and which may make the difference on a riding by riding basis.

But with conventional wisdom dictating that Ignatieff has little room for growth on second and third ballots, this must be troubling news for the Iggy camp. And it must be great news for Rae and his fellow travelers.

But the dark horse remains Stephane Dion. He's the only candidate who has exceeded expectations in a disappointing and lacklustre race.

SHOCKER! Bennett is Out

2006-09-18T11:46:00.000-04:00

So apparently Carolyn Bennett was running for the Liberal leadership.

Did you hear about this? Anyway, she's dropped out and endorsed Bob Rae. Some of her immediate family members have followed suit while her other supporters left the phone booth they occupied to join Stephane Dion's campaign.

She made the decision after the surprising realization that she had no chance to win. Good-bye Dr. Bennett, we hardly knew ya.

Ignatieff no longer in love with George W. Bush.

Brison's tax policies make sense.

The surprisingly effective Martha Hall Findlay gets the Globe profile treatment. Do you believe in miracles? Well, neither do we but she has set herself up as someone to watch. Rock on Martha.

Iggy at 30% Support?

2006-09-12T11:38:00.000-04:00

Will leadership candidate Michael Ignatieff pull off a convincing win on "Super Weekend"?

Ignatieff has far and away the most caucus support with 35 MPs and seven Senators onside. But has his sometimes faltering campaign truly connected with Liberals at the constituency level? Some pundits say yes, Iggy has the support of 30% of Liberals.

We'll find out the Sept. 29 weekend when close to 5,000 delegates will be elected. If Ignatieff does well on the Super Weekend, we are sure to see some of the second tier candidates make a move. But to who?

Bob Rae differs with his former friends in the NDP. Despite some weasel words about "re-evaluating the mission", Rae says we should stick to our guns in Afghanistan.

"But we can't just snap our fingers and say this week that we lost too many troops and we have to come home," Rae said.

He said he opposes arbitrary deadlines for either curtailing or extending the mission and called the New Democratic Party position that Canada should pull out now "incoherent."

Iggy's Relaunch

2006-09-07T11:37:00.000-04:00

Michael Ignatieff relaunched his floundering campaign last night by unveiling his Agenda for Nation Building: Liberal Leadership for the 21st Century. More policy documents are expected in the run up to the convention. This is an attempt to shore up Iggy's policy credentials and remove the focus from his recent gaffes.

Of course, sucking up to soft nationalists in Quebec by saying Quebec should be called a "nation" won't help on that front. He says he won't offer new powers to Quebec but thinks cheap semantic tricks like this should resolve that pesky separatist problem.

Ignatieff remains steadfast in his support for Canada's role in Afghanistan. At least he's not being spooked by the Great Appeaser with a Mustache, Jack Layton, who wants to sing Kumbaya with the Taliban. While Layton has always been despicable, he's now clearly a coward too.

Speaking of New Democrats, Bob Rae wants to raise taxes and hire more bureaucrats! OK, maybe not. He actually said something about healthcare.

The Globe and Mail continues their profiles of the candidates. Today Roy MacGregor takes a look at Scott Brison. While written like an overwrought "after school special" it does highlight the positive fact that an openly gay MP from rural Nova Scotia is a credible candidate to lead the Liberal Party.

Dryden Goes Big

2006-09-06T11:59:00.000-04:00

Liberal leadership candidate Ken Dryden unveiled his policy platform yesterday, calling for a "Big Canada" defined by peace, love and oooh baby baby...

Dryden is in favour of education, fairness and the environment, in addition to some other bold policy initiatives. Or so we are told, we dozed off part way through the newser. But check it out for yourself. Dryden is a thoughtful guy.

We've said it before and we'll say it again: how can a man so qualified to be leader be so lacking in charisma? Sure, it works for Harper but c'mon...

The Ignatieff bashing continues full bore. The jazz man Paul Wells tackles Iggy's pronoun problem.

Gaffe du jour?

2006-09-01T09:08:00.000-04:00

The Iggy gaffe watch continues. In today's edition, the putative Liberal leader said that he wanted to "avoid civil war" in Quebec.

While this is a noble proposition, and one that echoes another great thinker, Axl Rose, Ignatieff's remarks are viewed through the media Gaffe-watch filter. Every thing he says or does will now be interepreted as either a gaffe or not a gaffe. That will be the extent of the analysis.

The Iggy camp are wisely trying to get off the gaffe train by not "apologizing" for the remark while portraying it in the context of his full comments. This a rational, thoughtful approach which means the media will have none of it.

Ignatieff better not drop a football or wear a funny hat in the next few days. He could be done.

Er, What Ignatieff Meant to Say

2006-08-31T08:12:00.000-04:00

Brison called it.

Ignatieff is an "error prone amateur".

While Ignatieff may feel, or may actually be, two-feet smarter than everyone else in the campaign (except for Dion), he's learning that book-smarts only take you so far in the bizzaro world of party politics. Time and time again, Ignatieff creates problems for himself by wandering off message with throw away comments that land him in trouble.

In a campaign team as slick and experienced as the one Iggy has assembled, this must be a cause for grave concern as the campaign reaches its final act.

And of course, when Ignatieff said "it depends on who's the leader" if he'll run again, he meant that "Let's be clear: I am planning to run in the next election in Etobicoke-Lakeshore. I love being an MP and I've enjoyed it enormously and I'm looking forward to doing it again."

Anyone else having disturbing Paul Martin flashbacks with Iggy's campaign? Is the Board on board?

Iggy May Take His Ball and Go Home

2006-08-30T11:22:00.000-04:00

Michael Ignatieff may not run again as a Liberal if he doesn't win the leadership campaign.

"Depends who's leader," Ignatieff said yesterday when asked at a meeting with the Toronto Star editorial board if he would run for the party in the next election if he loses the leadership vote in early December.

Oh Iggy. Bad idea jeans.

Your credibility as a Liberal is only slightly better than Bob Rae's, so saying you're only here for the top job - although undoubtedly true - doesn't exactly paint you as a loyalist.

Yes, we know you worked on Trudeau's campaign, you've mentioned that several thousand times. It's the intervening 30 plus years that give us trouble.

Valpy on Ignatieff

2006-08-28T07:48:00.000-04:00

You don't have to be a sophisticated shrink to see that the Globe and Mail's Michael Valpy may be projecting his life's disappointments onto Liberal leadership Candidate Michael Ignatieff.

In a very long, sometimes interesting piece, Valpy slips the dagger into Ignatieff again and again. Of course, Iggy opened the door with his "sensitive man" shtick:

“I think there are people who would say I've been very ruthless in my life. I am someone who has worried greatly about the price my ruthlessness has inflicted on others. I have worried about that. I do worry about that."

Suck it up princess. It takes stones to be the leader (regardless of gender). Don't cry in your cappuccino.

But this hatchet job was really about Valpy. Ignatieff was a reporter with Valpy some 40 years ago at the Globe. From there, Ignatieff has gone on to high profile media and academic success as is considered by many, especially those outside of Canada, as one of our country's greatest contemporary intellectuals. Valpy derides his career changes as the mark of a dilettante rather than an active mind. He accuses Ignatieff of “recreating himself” to suit his greedy purposes. The inclusion of the quote on Madonna is no accident.

Not content to limit himself to debunking Ignatieff’s professional achievements, he delves into his family life to come to the shocking conclusion that Iggy was mean to his little brother and that his marriage broke up, with unhappy consequences. Apparently Ignatieff is to be judged a sociopath for this behavior.

So Valpy sees his former peer, lauded as a great mind and author, now on the cusp of becoming leader of the Liberal Party and perhaps prime minister. Meanwhile, Valpy’s potential lies behind him. He’s in the twilight of his career in a fading industry. So he lashes out with a personal attack that offers little to the public debate about who should lead the Liberal Party.

And the Globe and Mail let him.

Ask Valpy why any of this matters today at 1 pm.

Ugly!

2006-08-24T09:49:00.000-04:00

It's been a ugly few days all 'round for the Liberal Party.

Toronto MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj's remarks criticizing Israel cast fresh light on the apparent divisions in the party on Mideast policy. Gerard Kennedy, who Wrzesnewskyj supports, was put on the defensive and forced to issue a statement confirming his opposition to Hezbollah.

Under pressure, Wrzesnewskyj resigned his post as associate foreign affairs critic. But damage has been done - witness the satirical websites that have already sprung up. Expect the Conservatives to exploit this "soft on terrorism" theme at every opportunity. And witness what this perception has done to the Democratic Party in the U.S.

Then there is the Anyone But Iggy movement, complete with its own website and poorly photoshopped images. The Party is scrambling to investigate whether party membership lists were improperly provided to send out anti-Iggy letters. The Igantieff forces are complaining that some candidate has violated an agreement that the lists would not be shared with a third party. So which campaign provided the info? Someone should get busted for this bit of sleaze.

The latest fundraising numbers are in and it appears Bob Rae has extended his financial supporters beyond his immediate family.

Kennedy's Hezbollah Problem

2006-08-23T12:04:00.000-04:00

The Liberal caucus meetings are underscoring divisions about the Party's Mideast policies.

The latest furor over the summer's hot-button issue of the Mideast war came after Toronto MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj, associate foreign affairs critic, said he doesn't understand why the government can't "communicate" with Hezbollah, even though it is on the list of terrorist organizations. On a trip to Lebanon organized by the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke-Centre) also accused Israel of "state terrorism."

Wrzesnewskyj is a supporter of Gerard Kennedy, who refused to criticize him for the remarks.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives compare Hezbollah to the Nazis.

Iggy's Carbon Tax

2006-08-21T12:23:00.000-04:00

Michael Ignatieff releases his environmental plan today in Vancouver. A key plank is what is effectively a carbon tax. Somewhere, Stephen Harper is smiling. OK, probably not smiling, let's not go that far, but he is surely happy. Iggy is also admitting Canada can't meet its Kyoto targets but is offering a new set of targets. Great message discipline. That should clear up that otherwise complex issue...

Iggy was also making friends in the Maritimes. He visited PEI where he donned an Anne of Green Gables wig and sampled the potatoes. Before leaving with a wooden lobster trap on the roof of his Lexus, he also told the Charlottetown Guardian that Upper Canada was through with handouts for the poor cousins on the East Coast. Can you feel the love?

Bearded Mulroney apologist/bag carrier Norman Spector takes a run at explaining why Dion can't win. Maybe these guys are getting scared of Stephane?

Can Dion Win?

2006-08-17T14:43:00.000-04:00

With Michael Ignatieff failing to gain momentum, and, according to some, actually losing it, is mercurial Quebecer Stephane Dion the one to watch?

While Rae scores some buzz points for the Maurizio endorsement, he has not fired up the party's grassroots. Instead, his support is confined to a group of senior citizen party elites, fondly remembering the Trudeau era over mint julips at their summer homes.

Of course, most Liberals don't use "summer" as a verb and it still seems unlikely that Rae can sufficintly demontrate his fealty to the party to assuage their concerns.

Dion, meanwhile, continues to gain credibility. Turns out that being smart, but not arrogant, may actually count for something. Toronto Star typist James Travers labours through his analysis of the Dion factor.

And of course, Dion's faustian deal with David Orchard may deliver key votes from the Saskatchewan tractor driving set. Or it may just be a laughable miscalculation. Or maybe it's just another useless Orchard deal. Time will tell.

Campaign Awakens from Slumber

2006-08-16T16:30:00.000-04:00

Maurizio Bevilacqua's decision to drop out and throw his modest support to Liberal arriveste Bob Rae seems to have awoken the campaigns from their nice summer nap.

So whither Ignatieff? The presumed front-runner has generated recent mindshare largely through a series of gaffes. Surely it's not possible he's losing ground to Rae?
Iggy to Brison: What cabinet post would you like?

Of course, with a large number of candidates meaning a larger number of ballots, anything can happen. That's how Joe Clark became PM...not an encouraging thought.

Bob Rae is a pure opportunist. So what does that make Maurizio?

We're Back! Maurizio's Out!

2006-08-15T12:06:00.000-04:00

Internet service at the LLC's summer family compound is spotty so we took a few weeks off. Not that much happened in the slow moving trainwreck that is the Liberal Leadership race. Yawn.

But wait, there is news. Maurizio Bevilacqua finally saw the handwriting on the wall and withdrew from the race, throwing his "support" to Sideshow Bob Rae. It is surely a tough move for Maurizio who was a loyal Martinite during the tough days, only to be rebuffed when Martin came to power.

So in a summer of no news, Maurizio's move may actually have an impact. And with no fundraising and no public interest in this disastrous campaign, who will be next to bow out somewhat gracefully? We're looking at you Mr. Volpe...

'I was born a Liberal, I just came out a few years ago,' says Brison...um, OK.

Sentaor Michael Kirby is stepping down a decade early. The industrious Senator's hard work on issues like healthcare almost makes up for the complete uselessness of his colleagues in the chamber of Sober Second Thought. We'll miss you Senator Kirby.

New Endorsements

2006-06-22T08:22:00.000-04:00

Nixon loves Rae! Former Ontario Liberal leader Bob Nixon, that is, not the guy pictured above.

Gerard Kennedy has the support of 24 Ontario Liberal MPPs.

Maurizio Bevilacqua finally gets some press.

Wake Up!

2006-06-21T08:31:00.000-04:00

Sorry we haven't posted for a few days, we fell asleep during the Moncton Liberal leadership debate and just woke up.

Sounds like Liberals across the country are in the same doldrums. The Star says Liberals are exhausted and frustrated.

"This isn't an unusual problem for the Liberals. They always tune out the grassroots until they are out of power and need them," said Ottawa consultant Jamie Deacey, who co-chaired Paul Martin's leadership campaign in 2002/03. "What makes it so egregious this time is the problem on the other side of the aisle — Stephen Harper."

Meanwhile, the Globe reports on the abysmal performance of Liberal MPs. They seem to be a dispirited, disinterested bunch who are letting Harper have his way in the Commons. Brutal.

Some of the Young Turks in caucus -- the enthusiastic, newly elected Liberals -- have muttered about interim leader Bill Graham's performance and his lack of passion during the daily Question Period.

Mr. Graham is well liked, but he is a lame duck, admitting in meetings that he cannot make decisions that could tie the hands of the future leader, a senior Liberal said.

The frustration also has MPs feuding among themselves. Recently, behind the curtains in the House of Commons, one Liberal MP accused a colleague of laziness.

Gee, maybe Tobin should have run for the leadership. We hear his next gig is examining municipal pet bylaws in Lethbridge.

Brison Going Back to Hali?

2006-06-16T13:27:00.000-04:00

Phone lines are buzzing between Ottawa and Nova Scotia today with word that federal Liberal leadership candidate Scott Brison may drop out of the race and enter the campaign to be the next Liberal leader in Nova Scotia.

Current Liberal leader Francis Mackenzie, who did not win his own seat in the recent vote, is not expected to make it to the party's first caucus meeting next week, despite, or perhaps because of, some bizarre trial balloons about a coalition government with the Opposition NDP.

Brison seems to enjoy leadership campaigns. The provincial leadership in Nova Scotia would be his third.

One question to Scott: R U Happy?

Liberals Suck - Sun

2006-06-15T11:41:00.000-04:00

Apparently, every single candidate in the Liberal leadership campaign sucks. That's the conclusion of a carefully researched, thoughtfully written editorial in the Edmonton Sun.

You know, the Sun. The newspaper for people who don't read. Oh, and Myron Thompson too. Yabba dabba do.

Read the piece for yourself. As always in the Sun, it won't take long and no words are more than two syllables, so, you know, your finger won't get tired.

Of course, with Iggy raising the specter of a new NEP through some ill-defined carbon tax, the Western antipathy could be expected. Way to shoot yourself in the foot Iggy.

Anyone But Iggy?

2006-06-14T09:01:00.000-04:00

The nascent Anyone-But-Iggy meme got a boost from John "Ibby" Ibbitison in the Globe. He says:

"Michael Ignatieff is the one to beat, and the way to beat him is by tarring him as an American conservative who would hijack the Liberal Party. The question is: Who, if anyone, could do that?"

Who indeed?

With no clear alternative available, the only hope for preventing an Ignatieff victory may be an anyone-but-Iggy contract, in which several candidates agree in advance to support whomever among their number does best in the early ballots at the convention. Such coalitions rarely succeed.

During Saturday's debate, not one candidate was prepared to celebrate and defend the legacies of Jean ChrÃ©tien and Paul Martin. The Liberal Party appears to be ashamed of its own past, or at least of the past five years. It's a dangerous thing for a political party to feel ashamed of itself.

Surprisingly well said. Candidates take note. We can't wear the hairshirt forever and there is much to be proud of.

The Bob Rae caucus support bandwagon continues to roll with the power of an out of control freight train. No fewer than three, yes three, MPs are supportingg the Liberal arriviste.

The Tories and the NDP push forward new campaign financing rules to muck up the Liberal leadership campaign. That's not playing nice.

Farewell to Nova Scotia.

Debatable Results

2006-06-12T08:24:00.000-04:00

The first Liberal leadership campaign debate, held Saturday in Winnipeg, failed to produce any knockout punches but it was clear to all who watched that other candidates view Michael Ignatieff as the frontrunner. They took several tough shots at the Professor including:

Liberals don't want [Stephen] Harper Lite - Bob Rae

and

made in Washington and Republican - Joe Volpe

"I'm flattered by all the attention," Mr. Ignatieff joked in an interview yesterday, although he seemed exasperated by some of the criticism. "They're entitled to any characterization of me that they want. I have a profoundly Liberal approach, and a profoundly Canadian one."

The increasing animosity suggests the battle is, finally, truly joined.

The not-at-all tiresome Chantal Hebert slammed Ignatieff's performance.

Having set the bar at a certain level, Ignatieff then spent the afternoon failing to reach it.

She also went after Ken Dryden, saying:

Ken Dryden's performance confirmed that he can articulate complex ideas, but only in English. Since John Crosbie in 1983, no serious candidate has bid for the leadership of a major national party on the basis of so little knowledge of the other official language. As opposed to Crosbie, Dryden also lacks a gift for repartee in either language.

Birds of a feather (i.e. failed socialist premiers) flock together. Former BC New Democratic Premier Ujjal Dosanjh, and current Liberal defence critic, is throwing his support behind Bob Rae. This doubles Rae's caucus support.

Iggy Ready to Rumble

2006-06-10T15:02:00.000-04:00

Presumed frontrunner in the Liberal leadership campaign Michael Ignatieff took some pointed shots at poor old Joe Volpe.

“I think any candidate for the leadership of this party has to safeguard not only his or her reputation but the reputation of the party,” Ignatieff said in a telephone interview from Winnipeg.

“And there is no way to avoid the fact that Mr. Volpe’s campaign difficulties have caused reputational damage to a party that I’m sure he loves as much as I do. Mr. Volpe must draw his own conclusions.”

Geez, Volpe is toast already. What's to be gained by this unseemly piling on? Or is Ignatieff trying to prove he has the stones to play in the big leagues?

Can the Liberal party re-invent itself? Should it?

Linda Diebel takes a thoughtful look at what is needed to turn the party around after the Martin "government" debacle.

Bob Rae Will Save the Poor

2006-06-07T11:48:00.000-04:00

Liberal arriviste Bob Rae unveiled his platform in Toronto yesterday.

His priorities include focusing on education, spearheading a research and innovation strategy, replacing or refurbishing roads, bridges, sewers and other infrastructure projects, and lowering income taxes for those who most need relief.

Innovative stuff to be sure...Yawn.

Acknowledging the heavy baggage he carries from his disastrous turn as premier of Ontario, Rae said: "I've had high points. I've had low points," he said. "I'm not afraid to say I've learned from experience. I'm not afraid to say that I'm smarter today than I was 20 years ago."

Rae also rebuffed suggestions his campaign is faltering.

"It's not a sprint. It's a marathon. It's a long race," he said.

The fallout from the Volpe fundraising mini-scandal continues. His campaign was rocked by the loss of Liberal MP and personal friend Sukh Dhaliwal.

Dhaliwal, a crucial link to the Indo-Canadian community that plays a major role in Liberal leadership campaigns, said his B.C. constituents don't support his continued involvement in Volpe's bid.

Over at Maclean's, home of last week's news next week, the Jazz man weighs in with his thoughts on Volpegate. Yawn.

It's Not Funny Anymore

2006-06-05T11:48:00.000-04:00

Joe Volpe's fundraising foibles have underscored a weakness in the Liberal leadership race. And yes, it's all about the Benjamins.

While Joe has become a punchline, and his campaign is likely in a permanent death spiral, other candidates are fairing poorly when it comes to raising the mothers milk of politics. A quick review of money raised:

Bob Rae: $0
Gerard Kennedy: $0
Scott Brison: $0
Martha Hall Findlay: $0
Ken Dryden: $5,000
Carolyn Bennett: $5,300
Michael Ignatieff: $17,200
Stephane Dion: $17,500
Maurizio Bevilacqua: $26,650

Excluding Volpe's cash, candidates haven't raised enough combined for a decent downpayment on a 1 bedroom condo in Toronto. Most candidates have received "bridge financing" from deep-pocketed friends (or, in Bob Rae's case, his brother), exposing candidates and the party to more allegations of buying influence.

Most people say it takes a least a $1-million to run a reasonable national leadership campaign. While candidates are only now becoming "official candidates" (i.e. donations eligible for a tax receipts), clearly the new finance rules are having an impact. So when will the real fundraising begin in earnest?

Wilson-mania set to begin? Reserve your seat on the bandwagon now.

Joe Gives It Up

2006-06-02T08:17:00.000-04:00

Joe Volpe has returned the money generated by his surprisingly effective youth campaign. In an interview that was nasty, brutish and short, Volpe spokesperson Corey Hobbs said:

"All donations were in compliance with the law and there were no rules broken here."

"But after statements Mr. Volpe made last night, it was determined that five donations will be returned."

Volpe told CTV's Canada AM on Thursday that he spoke to mother of those children whose donations came into question.

"They're kind of embarrassed about the controversy. "They had made the decision for very positive reasons and someone has turned it into something very negative," he said.

"I gave them an indication that while I appreciated their support, the fact of the matter is that we wanted to set a higher standard than other people were accustomed to, and we were going to return the monies."

A mock web site created a stir yesterday. The youthforvolpe.ca site asked very young Liberals the following:

"Want to support Joe, but don't know if you can? Talk to your parents, you might have already done your part."

Sadly, the Volpe campaign didn't see the humour in the site and had it yanked by CIRA. But the more interesting question is who is behind the site?

The free-spirited Chantal Hebert dedicates 736 words to the obvious. The Liberal leadership campaign is giving Harper a free ride. Nice insight. Stay tuned for her exclusive story tomorrow - sunshine makes the darkness go away.

Should Joe Go?

2006-06-01T08:20:00.000-04:00

The Joe Volpe campaign donations story has legs. The Globe is reporting that Joe took in the maximum possible contribution possible from two eleven year old boys. But perhaps Joe's just that compelling to the next generation?

Good ole James Travers at the Star says Volpe should drop out of the Liberal leadership race.

It's wrong to deny Volpe the benefit of the doubt.

But combined with - again unproven - charges from fellow Liberals that his supporters used an ethnic group to seize control of a riding association, the Apotex allegations are damaging enough to argue that Volpe would be doing the party an enormous favour by stepping aside.

Curiously, Travers seems to think that this move would unleash the full power of the Carolyn Bennett campaign juggernaut.

Finally, MPs and Senators will have their chance to "vent" about the performance of the Liberal war room in the last campaign. A special session was called Liberal caucus chair Raymond Bonin, MP for the Northern Ontario riding of Nickel Belt. He sent a rather injudicious email to caucus saying:

"Former War Room Staff will be in the 'Lions Pit' to address the difficulties faced during the last campaign. This is your chance to 'vent' at what transpired during the election.

Sound more like a Salem witch trial than a truth and reconciliationon committee.

But the last line of the story is the best:

Mr. Herle declined to comment on the meeting, but said he was not invited.

Good times.

New Feature - The Poll

2006-05-30T14:12:00.000-04:00

We will began to offer a random set of polls. We know they don't prove much, but they are entertaining. Vote early and vote often.

Uh-Oh for Joe

2006-05-30T08:31:00.000-04:00

Joe Volpe seems to be in a spot of bother over some curious campaign donations. He's received nearly $110,000 from five current and former executives - as well as their young children - of the generic drug company Apotex. The Apotex donations represent about 70% of the funds raised by the Volpe campaign. Say it ain't so Joe.

New Democrat MP Pat Martin yesterday filed a complaint asking Elections Commissioner Raymond Landry to investigate whether "individuals may be trying to circumvent campaign fundraising limits."

"I suppose it is possible that all six children of two drug company executives would choose to donate their life savings to the Liberal leadership campaign of the member for Eglinton-Lawrence. "It is possible, but it is not likely," Mr. Martin said in the Commons.

Burn.

Perhaps Joe should simply call John Rae. We understand he's personally bankrolling at least one campaign.

The professors (Ignatieff and Dion) talk up the the environment on the campaign trail as Stephen Harper continues with his Mr. Burns impersonation.

And it looks like Dion has realized he will need to do more than hug trees to win the Liberal leadership. He's admitted his reputation as a dour, constitutionally obsessed academic who seeks out fun in order to destroy it is harming his campaign. Alas.

Kennedy and Ignatieff Duel in Ontario

2006-05-29T08:23:00.000-04:00

Michael Ignatieff and Gerard Kennedy are racking up key supporters, particularly in Ontario. Kennedy's campaign claims to have the support of 12 MPs and 24 of the 70 Liberal MPPs at Queen's Park. He picked up the support of BC MP Raymond Chan yesterday.

Ignatieff counts almost a quarter of Liberal MPs as his supporters. The newest arrivals to the Ignatieff bandwagon are Ruby Dhalla and Prince Edward Island MP Wayne Easter, a former solicitor-general.

Liberal arriviste Bob Rae holds his meetings with caucus supporters in the phone booth in the Opposition Lobby of the House of Commons. He has the endorsement of only two Grits, former justice minister Irwin Cotler and former Moncton mayor Brian Murphy.

Rae says "I love the media" and says Harper is running a "Bush Republican" political program.

Maurizio Bevilacqua gets a back rub and a cold beer from CTV. We're not sure why.

And we know she's not a candidate but who can pass this up? Belinda and Bill, together again.

Kennedy Reaches Out to Immigrants

2006-05-26T13:32:00.000-04:00

Liberal leadership hopeful Gerard Kennedy reached out to immigrants in a speech to the Economic Club in Toronto.

He said Canada needs to prepare for an upcoming labour shortage - estimated by the Conference Board of Canada to be at one million unfilled jobs by 2020.

"We can't move forward without successful integration of new immigrants," he told a luncheon audience of about 200 people at the Economic Club of Toronto.

"Everyone in this room has benefited from a previous welcoming Canada."

Earlier in the day Kennedy was in London, where local MP Joe Fontana, one one-time leader wannabe himself, itemized Kennedy's attractions.

London-North-Centre Liberal MP Joe Fontana, Kennedy's Ontario campaign chairperson, said Kennedy is "the strong first choice" of Liberals across Southwestern Ontario and is very competitive in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec.

"He is the total package," said Fontana...

No word on what Fontana had to say about Stephane Dion, who was also in London, espousing a more robust commitment to the environment.

Brison Goes West

2006-05-25T10:12:00.000-04:00

Scott Brison, now an official candidate for the Liberal leadership campaign, is on a western swing where he's trying to co-opt Stephane Dion's position as the race's environmental candidate. Brison is showing he's got some national appeal:

"He's young, he's got the time, he's got the energy, and he comes from a rural riding. He understands our issues and he can reach out to our young people," said Don Ross, a prominent aboriginal Liberal and one of Brison's key supporters in Saskatchewan.

Gerard Kennedy will unveil his economic platform today at the Empire Club in Toronto.

You know what this race needs? Another candidate no one has heard of. Super.

The Permanent Campaign

2006-05-23T11:22:00.000-04:00

One feature of Stephen Harper's fetish for all things American is the arrival of the "permanent campaign". There was a time, not that long ago, when governments made decisions on the basis of policy, only sliding into a more crowd-pleasing role in the run-up to an election. But now, every decision is made through the prism of politics. Everything is designed to poach those voters Harper needs to form his majority.

Witness the vote on the mission to Afghanistan. Rather than hold a meaningful debate on what Canada is trying to achieve, Harper used it as a cudgel to beat Liberal leadership candidates into a corner. Machiavelli would be proud. Our troops, less so.

Would-be Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has been the most outspoken supporter of the Afghan mission. He offered such a contingency-laden continued endorsement of the deal that right-wing waterboy David Frum slithered forth with this:

He has taken a stand on principle, while committing himself to nothing. He has appealed to the patriotic right, while creating new options to swerve to the isolationist left. He can plausibly claim to have backed the mission 100% if it goes well--while ensuring that he can equally accurately have given notice of his intention to bail out if things go badly.

He has promised to flip, if flipping seems called for, and to flop, if a flop looks more appropriate. Afghanistan if necessary--but not necessarily Afghanistan. It is the authentic Mackenzie King touch. Liberals: You have found your rightful leader.

Meanwhile, Gerard Kennedy floats a trial balloon about running in the west.

Why Hedy Fry? Why not?

The Great Globe Goof

2006-05-17T08:57:00.000-04:00

Excusez-moi?

The Globe and Mail is compounding the damage done by its heroically incompetent, front-page assessment of the french language skills of the liberal leadership candidates. First they grudgingly admitted that Maurizio Bevilacqua and Gerard Kennedy are technically bilingual. Now even Scott Brison appears to be bilingual, at least to the folks at the National Post who are surely chuckling over their competitor's misfortune.

It's always entertaining to see the media try to explain away their own sloppy mistakes even as they expect perfection from those in public office.

Bob Rae and Scott Brison will unveil their economic policies today. Rae says higher taxes and Birkenstocks for everyone!

Volpe Finds An Issue

2006-05-16T08:23:00.000-04:00

Joe Volpe is taking a strong position on Canada's role in Afghanistan. The Toronto MP and Liberal leadership contender is calling for Canadian troops to be withdrawn from Kandahar province and says Canada should take a more traditional peacekeeping role.

"That's what we're equipped to do, that's what we're capable of doing and that's where our expertise lies,'' Volpe said. "We can't switch from peacekeeper to peacemaker on the fly just because a Republican government in the United States asks us to. We can't be an extension of American foreign policy."

This position sets Volpe apart from other leadership contenders, particularly Lefty-Hawk Michael Ignatieff who strongly supports the mission in Afghanistan.

"We have got to be a party that stands for human rights everywhere, that does the tough lifting when it has to be done,'' Ignatieff told Ontario Liberals during an all-candidates' forum earlier this month.

"You ask us to do something hard and difficult and we can do it. We're doing it in Afghanistan. It's in the greatest tradition of our country and that's the kind of country we want.''

Other candidates are taking non-positions, supporting the establishment of a functioning democratic state in Afghanistan but not wanting to support it with Canadian lives and resources. It's the old "let's debate the issue" versus true leadership. And it's disappointing.

Does the next leader of the Liberal Party need to be bilingual?

Grits and NDP the Same - Bob Rae

2006-05-15T08:30:00.000-04:00

One month old Liberal Bob Rae continues to defend his entrance in the Liberal race in the face of growing skepticism from Party members.

"My values haven't changed at all. The social values of the NDP are widely shared by Liberals," Rae said, proving he fundamentally doesn't understand the difference between the Grits and the NDP. Liberals are pragmatists who recognize the importance of the free market. And Liberals, at least under the Chretien government, are proven financial managers, unlike, oh, say the Bob Rae NDP government in Ontario.

There is no doubt that Rae is an intelligent, articulate person. But surely it will irritate Liberals to hear him say that there is no real difference from the party he left to the party he wants to lead, except for the possibility of becoming Prime Minister.

Perhaps that explains why Rae's only source of campaign funding so far comes from his wealthy brother John?

There's been a recount in the Globe and Mail's bilingualism test. Bit of an "oops" for the Globe, no? And the Kennedy campaign is pissed.

Are you now, or have you ever been, a Liberal?

2006-05-12T10:02:00.000-04:00

A Tory "smear" campaign has roused the anger of Scott Brison. The lone East Coast candidate for the Liberal leadership is once again offering himself up as a punching bag for accusations of Liberal corruption. At least he's finally getting his name in the media.

The Liberal leadership campaign needs some juicing up according to Don Martin at the National Post.

Canadidates are on the road. Maurizio Bevilacqua was in Nova Scotia. Ken Dryden is heading west. And socialist hero Bob Rae travelled all the way from downtown Toronto to Mississauga.

Ignatieff Rounds Up Caucus Support

2006-05-11T08:11:00.000-04:00

Surprising no one, Dennis Coderre publicly endorsed Michael Ignatieff and will serve as his national campaign co-chair. This makes the 17th MP to endorse Ignatieff. Gerard Kennedy has the support of 11 MPs while Joe Volpe boasts seven.

Bob Rae has one MP supporting him. (And yes, it is a Liberal MP, though perhaps not a prescient one.)

The Ignatieff campaign is gathering steam. Still, high profile endorsements and fawning media profiles of Professor McDreamy don't win battles at the riding level. Iggy's people will need to show some hustle to pick up the delegates they need to win.

Hell no, he will go. The Star says Kennedy will resign today as an MPP. Um, 24 hour flip flop?

Another Sun typist attacks Bob Rae.

Afghanistan a Wedge Issue in Race?

2006-05-10T08:36:00.000-04:00

The vivacious Chantal Hebert says the Canadian mission in Afghanistan will be divisive issue for Liberal leadership candidates, despite the fact the mission was initiated by a Liberal government. She points out that pro-Iraq war candidate Michael Ignatieff, who's trying to be a lefty-hawk, has been publicly supportive of the mission in the House of Commons.

With Ignatieff, a Liberal front-runner, identified with the deployment, it will almost certainly become a wedge issue between some of the candidates for the party leadership. As Iraq and missile defence before it, the Afghan mission has the potential to ignite a heated debate within the Liberal family.

Liberals are scary says a writer for the Winnipeg Sun. Personally, we think the Sun is scary.

Hell no, he won't go, not now at least but maybe later - decisive leadership from Gerard Kennedy.

The Most Important Man in the Campaign

2006-05-09T08:05:00.000-04:00

Stephen Harper's success in reshaping the political landscape across Canada makes him easily the most important man in the Liberal leadership campaign.

Despite his open warfare with the media and what the Hamilton Spectator termed his boorish behavior in his dealings with Dalton McGuinty, Harper has succeeded in making a Tory majority a strong possibility. He's done this through transparent, politically motivated policy decisions that have raised his profile as a champion of the middle class and the best friend a Pequiste could ever have. But bad policy is often good politics and there's no question his strategy is working.

James Travers in the Star says the new political realities mean the Liberals should go for a "caretaker" leader while the next generation of Liberals readies itself for the job. A full term in opposition makes the elder statesmen (i.e. older candidates) of the campaign - people like Ignatieff or Rae - less attractive by this logic.

Gerard Kennedy is getting grief for not resigning his Queen's Park seat, even though he plans to actually live part of the time in Quebec.

Ignatieff Bandwagon Grows

2006-05-08T08:04:00.000-04:00

John McCallum has thrown his support behind Michael Ignatieff, suggesting the Iggy bandwagon hopping is fully underway.

"He has the same vision as my vision. I think he's in the best place to win the election," McCallum said.

Apparently McCallum's vision is that the Liberals win the next election.

Earlier last week, Dennis Coderre said he won't be supporting either Bob Rae or his fellow Quebecer Stephane Dion, but was coy about his support for Ignatieff. Watch for the strategically timed public endorsement.

Republican strategists say the Harper Tories should "swift boat" the Liberals by digging up dirt on the former government. No fair! Dingwall was entitled to those entitlements, right Warren?

We understand that former Martin Board member Karl Littler wants to follow in the footsteps of Scott Reid and offer his blindingly obvious thoughts to an anxious Canada. He's publishing a book on how to make friends and influence people. Karl would know.

Fry Is In

2006-05-05T08:38:00.000-04:00

Hedy Fry made it official yesterday, becoming the first Western, and third female, candidate in the Liberal leadership race. Continuing to be dogged by her errant cross-burning allegations, Fry attempted to change the subject with rhetorical flourishes that left some reporters puzzled:

She invoked the nation's great Liberal leaders: Laurier, Pearson and Trudeau. She credited the latter with a "much-misunderstood multiculturalism policy" that she then described, somewhat confusingly, as "our secret weapon. Our weapon of mass inclusion."

Sure. Whatevs.

Apparently that is too much for the National Post. But then what did you expect?

Scott Brison probably shouldn't expect an endorsement from the Christian values website Lifesite.net They characterize Brison as a "homosexual activist" and a "consistent supporter of same-sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia" adding that "Mr. Brison has a political track record that some suggest may hamper his leadership ambitions."

Well then.

Scott Reid has all the answers

2006-05-04T08:41:00.000-04:00

Incredibly, former Martin communications stategist Scott Reid has a piece in the Star telling Liberals what they need to do to win. Yes, you read that correctly.

As a member of the Martin Board, Reid was one of the architects of the "we need to lose badly before we win" strategy in the last campaign. And we all know how that brilliant gambit played out.
Reid's suggestions include such revolutionary concepts as "the economy is important" and "we need to do better in Quebec". Gee, we never would have thought of that on our own. Thanks Scott!

Reid would be better off returning to his current occupation of watching Law & Order reruns in his pajammas all day.

Meanwhile, Liberal candidate Bob Rae, approaching his one month anniversary of being a member of the party he wants to lead, says the NDP has "many strengths and qualities".

Mark Holland, MP for Ajax-Pickering, is the Ontario campaign director for federal Liberal leadership hopeful Gerard Kennedy.

Coderre Won't Run

2006-05-03T08:24:00.000-04:00

Denis Coderre will announce today that he won't seek the Liberal leadership. The 42-year-old MP for the riding of Bourassa was immigration minister under Jean Chrétien.

Some are anticipating Coderre will endorse either Bob Rae or Michael Ignatieff during his newser.

So, far Stephane Dion is the only candidate from Quebec. Quebec Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette may yet launch her campaign with a promise for "seal free seas".

Liberal arriviste Bob Rae was in BC, trying to convince labour leaders to join his campaign. Federal Rae Days for all...

The West Wants In

2006-05-02T08:36:00.000-04:00

Outspoken and occassionaly controversial BC MP Hedy Fry will launch her Liberal leadership campaign on Thursday.

"I think any national party should be able to envisage that there should be someone who could lead it from any part of Canada and not simply from Central Canada," Fry said in an interview Monday.

She told the Globe and Mail:

"I do think that the race should open up to other people and I think that's why I'm running. I'm a woman and I'm from the West and I think that's a good starting point for anything."

Ms. Fry, a physician and onetime president of the British Columbia Medical Association, was born in Trinidad.

She was hailed as a giant killer during the 1993 election, when she knocked off then-prime-minister Kim Campbell.

She has held onto the Vancouver Centre riding ever since, fending off a serious challenge in last winter's election from veteran New Democrat Svend Robinson.

With Fry's entrance, we have one candidate from the West and one from the East (in Brison). And approximately 37 candidates from the GTA.

Can we get along?

2006-05-01T08:13:00.000-04:00

Liberals are vowing to play nice during this leadership campaign.

Of course, everyone knows it won't last. By their very nature, leadership campaigns are nasty civil wars. The bad blood is already there, even among so-called friends like Rae and Ignatieff. Witness the blast given to Liberal arriviste Rae by Ignatieff supporter, and former Rae adversary, David Peterson.

In a leadership quest where ambition and ego intersect, things can get nasty fairly quickly. Just ask John Turner, or Jean Chretien.

Speaking of former leaders, Paul Martin finally resurfaced, along with all the people planning to replace him, at a Quebec Liberal gathering on the weekend. Martin admitted that losing the election "wasn' the easiest". Thanks for that.

Two more possible candidates are floating their names. Obscure, pro-seal hunt senator Celine Hervieux-Payette feels a groundswell of support for her candidacy. And former minister John McCallum is still testing the waters.

Dryden Makes it Ten

2006-04-28T12:24:00.000-04:00

Ken Dryden declared today, making him the tenth candidate for the Liberal leadership.

Dryden brings the most compelling backstory to the race - an extraordinary goaltender in Montreal, a public intellectual and accomplished writer and the Martin government's lead on childcare negotiations with the provinces. On paper, he's perfect. In reality, doubts about his charisma continue to dog him.

In making his announcement Dryden said:

"As kids we knew whatever Canada was then it would be far greater tomorrow. That is the Canada I see today. That was the Canada born into me. Long before I ever wore the jersey, I wore the jersey."

Dryden said he is running because he woke up angry the day after the federal election that defeated his Liberal party and elected Stephen Harper's Conservatives.

He said he was angry because the Tories planned to scrap a national system of early learning and child care he championed. Dryden says he has big ideas for Canada's future and that the education of the country's children is key.

Dryden should be considered one of the top-tier candidates although it would be too soon to label him a front-runner.

Liberals to merge with NDP?

2006-04-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

A new poll suggests the federal Liberals and New Democrats should merge:

The Decima Research poll found 25% of Canadians believed the parties should unite.
Voters who supported either party in the Jan. 23 election were even more receptive to the idea: 36% of Liberals favoured a merger, compared to 32% of New Democrats.

In the history of bad ideas, this is a top contender.

But it plays into the growing Liberal desperation to attract a few percentage points of socialist support. Liberal leadership candidates like Ignatieff and Rae are moving to the left in an attempt to gather up a few stray NDP votes. But it looks like Gerard Kennedy is taking a more strategic tact. Despite his substantial lefty credentials, Kennedy will reflect the centrist values of the majority of Canadians:

The advisers say that Mr. Kennedy does not need to advertise his progressive credentials and will take a centrist tack because he believes it is important to drive the economy to pay for social services and because it is good strategy to win a leadership race and elections.

"He's going to run to the centre because that's where he is philosophically. And he's going to run to the centre because that's how you win elections in Canada," one Kennedy campaign strategist said.

Smart.

Kennedy to Formally Announce Run on Thursday

2006-04-26T08:10:00.000-04:00

Former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy will formally announce his Liberal leadership run on Thursday. The only surprise in all this is that most people, including the media, already thought he declared when he resigned his Cabinet seat. There is something to be said for message clarity.

While not generating as much media buzz as Ignatieff or Rae, Kennedy may be the one to watch.

Former minister Ken Dryden will also announce his bid on Friday.

According to a recent Decima poll, both Dryden and Kennedy have strong growth potential among voters.

LPC has announced the national and convention returning officers.

"Call me Bob" says Liberal arriviste Bob Rae on his website (still coming soon!) and as he works his charms on the media. Remember, he's just a regular guy.

HooRae

2006-04-25T12:38:00.000-04:00

Time flies. It seems like only a few weeks ago that former NDP premier and MP Bob Rae joined the Liberal Party.

Hey! It was only a few weeks ago.

Today the Liberal arriviste formally announced his plans to seek the leadership of the Liberal Party. Given his disastrous tenure as premier, it's no big surprise that Rae would want to focus his efforts on something else. He's picked Quebec separtists as the shiny object to distract Liberals, noting he was a big supporter of both the Meech Lake and Charlottetown constitutional accords.

Yes, Bob Rae is gonna party like it's 1989.

Indeed, what could inspire Canadians more than another round of divisive and unnecessary constitutional wrangling? And with Pequiste support dropping, what is motivating this Captain Canada act? Memo to Bob: the Captain Canada suit fits Brian Tobin better.

When the Star called for new ideas, I don't think this is what they had in mind.

Scott Brison has entered the leadership campaign. While relatively new to the Party, unlike some (cough, cough, Bob Rae) he ran and was elected as a Liberal and did yeoman's service in the Commons during the sponsorship debacle.

Joining Brison and Rae in entering the race is Carolyn Bennett, the second female candidate . She was joined at the announcement by Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant and former Ontario Liberal leader Lyn McLeod.

Get used to it

2006-04-22T19:15:00.000-04:00

Another article on the Rae-Ignatieff roomie angle. Expect a lot more in the months ahead.

Camelot North?

2006-04-20T15:56:00.000-04:00

The Kennedy campaign appears set to get a boost from the endorsement of a group of mostly 30-something, mostly Ontario-based MP's. Kennedy, it is expected, will be a strong voice arguing for a turn to the political left for the federal Grits.

The "let's vacate the political centre" movement appears to be gathering steam. Stephen Harper must be smiling.

Brison will announce on Sunday.

Media Love Rae and Ignatieff

2006-04-18T10:32:00.000-04:00

The Canadian media are in love with the idea of Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff as frontrunners in the Liberal leadership campaign. Both are high profile individuals with a compelling backstory. They were even roomates in university and their families are close. Reporters seem to be in awe of their academic credentials and worldy charms.

What the media miss, of course, is that a leadership campaign is about more than headlines. It's about hard work and organization. Both Rae and Ignatieff are trying to borrow other people's political machines but their lack of roots in the party are becoming increasingly clear.

In truth, there really are no frontrunners yet. That opens the door to other candidates like Kennedy or Brison who understand retail politics or someone like Dion who has earned points for slugging it out in the House of Commons for ten years.

Of course, with everyone tilting left, this ship could sink anyway.

Here is a question: what the hell is Ken Dryden doing? If he is planning on running, where has he been?

Bevilacqua, Volpe, Brison and Rae

2006-04-17T08:08:00.000-04:00

The Liberal leadership contest is about to get more crowded with bids expected to be announced this week from longtime Liberal MPs Maurizio Bevilacqua, 45, and Joe Volpe, 58 as well as newish Liberal Scott Brison, 38.

But wait, there's more. Former ministers Ken Dryden and Carolyn Bennett are also expected to enter the contest in the next few weeks.

Liberal arriviste Bob Rae will also bring his considerable baggage to the campaign. A Strategic Counsel survey found that of those Ontarians who had heard of Mr. Rae, more said he was a poor choice to lead the party (34 per cent) than a good choice (31 per cent).

Dreamboat academic Michael Ignatieff is trying to get past his support for the War in Iraq by staking out more ground on the Liberal Party's left wing.

Fake Left, Go Right?

2006-04-13T08:14:00.000-04:00

Some Liberals are trying to unite the left, according to the Globe's Jane Taber.

Many Liberals feel the party drifted too far to the right, and that cost them votes in the last election, where they lost seats to the NDP.

"The Tories have the right flank," a senior Liberal said. "We need to take centre and not lose anything on the left."

Others say that if party moves to the left, Liberals could harm their reputation as good fiscal managers.

"We have got to plant our standard firmly on the centre-left of Canadian politics," leadership hopeful Michael Ignatieff told Alberta Liberals last weekend.

Maclean's Paul Wells has some interesting thoughts on the leadership campaign buried at the end of his piece on the opening of Parliament. First on Belinda Stronach:

Almost the only good news for the Liberals last week was the departure of Belinda Stronach, who would make a perfectly credible senior staffer in any minister's office but who seems to think she is owed the keys to 24 Sussex Drive. She could not have quit the embryonic leadership race in less graceful fashion if making an ass of herself had actually been her goal.

"The Liberal party really needs a much more profound overhaul." She would rather stay out and talk about her "inspiring ideas." Despite repeated invitations from a room full of reporters, she was unable to identify a single idea, inspiring or otherwise. "I won't be trapped in politics," she said. Yet her extended tantrum amounted to one long complaint that she has been barred from signing up truckloads of instant Liberals and that she found real Liberals too tough a market to convince. She will run again for something, someday, and be taken too seriously once again.

And then this on Stephane Dion's announcement of his leadership bid:

Dion's stump speech is a bit of a fixer-upper, but the author of the Clarity Act and the most heartening comeback kid of the Martin era had a good answer when a reporter asked whether he wasn't pursuing a lost cause: "Everything I've succeeded at in politics was presented, when I started, as being impossible."

Michael Ignatieff's campaign launch in Toronto later the same day was far bigger and more polished. But I was happy I had driven east from Ottawa to see Dion, instead of west to Ignatieff. Nobody in that little room at the Palais des Congrès was there because they thought Dion will be prime minister. They were there because they thought he should be. Their simple optimism had the virtue of novelty.

He haunts us still. Turns out Warren Kinsella's mentor David Dingwall was entitled to his entitlements.

Godfrey Pulls Out

2006-04-12T11:29:00.000-04:00

Liberal MP John Godfrey announced today he won't seek the Liberal leadership, citing health problems.

While Godfrey was never thought to be a strong contender, he was a credible one, and his withdrawal is a loss for the party. Stay well John.

Is Kennedy the One to Watch?

2006-04-12T08:18:00.000-04:00

Now that the campaign is largely underway, it is increasingly clear that no single candidate will dominate. Ignatieff has scored barrells of ink in the press but continues to be dogged by his controversial, to Canadian eyes, views on Iraq. Finally-a-Liberal Bob Rae is running into hostility from many Liberals, angry that a man with no connection to the party presumes to lead it.

Brison is wounded, Dryden is silent, Stronach is gone and even Fontana-mania looks like a lost dream.

Into the breach comes Gerard Kennedy. He's got credible time as a provincial minister, a solid background as a food bank manager and some clear media savy. Add it up and you get fawning profiles and some suggestion of growing momentum. If Kennedy can translate that into organizational support in ridings across the country, then he may be the one to watch.

The Rt. Hon. John Turner says Liberals are rushing too fast in choosing a new leader:

"My view has been: let's get a new generation in first. Let's get a policy convention as to what the party stands for second, and then let's go get some candidates. I think we're doing it in reverse at the moment."

But John, we had no option.

Ignatieff and Rae Battle Baggage

2006-04-11T09:08:00.000-04:00

As they begin their bids for the Liberal leadership, both Michael Ignatieff and finally-a-Liberal-Bob Rae are trying to get past the considerable baggage both bring to the contest.

Rae's dismal term as Ontario's first, and potentially last, NDP premier continues to haunt him. Ontario remembers all too well his record of fiscal mismanagement and government incompetence. Couple that with absolutely no affiliation to the Liberal Party and it starts to look like a battle that perhaps even Eddie Goldenberg can't win.

Ignatieff's challenge is no less difficult. His writings and teachings at Harvard's Kennedy School have put scrutiny on his support for the War in Iraq, deeply unpopular with Canadians, his seeming support for some forms of torture and the fact he hasn't lived in Canada, or been a member of the Liberal Party, for more than 30 years.

So how will Rae and Ignatieff try to move beyond this baggage? With the Keith Davey strategy of getting the bad news out first, using the media's superficiality to their advantage. Time will tell if this will work.

Meanwhile, Martha Hall-Findlay says she has no baggage.

Let's Get Ready to Rumble

2006-04-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

No fewer than 16 potential Liberal leaders schmoozed those lonely Alberta Liberals on the weekend. But where was Landslide Annie? Surely in a field that included Paul Zed there was space on the panel, and in the contest, for the former Deputy Prime Minister.

The would-be leaders diagnosed the Party's ills, and what, other than the Martin "Board", caused the electoral defeat.

Finally-a-Liberal -Bob Rae was one of them, and all but declared his intentions the join the race.

The Globe's Campell Clark winnows down the field to the top five candidates: Gerard Kennedy, Bob Rae, Michael Ignatieff, Scott Brison and Stéphane Dion. Calgary Grit gives his on-the-scene take on the gathering.

Ignatieff is generating a lot of interest, but begins the campaign addressing the baggage of his support for the War in Iraq, his convulated comments on the use of torture, and the fact he hasn't really lived in Canada for three decades. He tackles these issues in an (on-the-record) interview with Peter C. Newman where he admits that presenting himself as an American in his writing was wrong:

I shouldn't have used the "we." I'm not and have never been and will never be an American citizen, so I shouldn't have done that. Sometimes you want to increase your influence over your audience by appropriating their voice, but it was a mistake.

Ignatieff is going to have to work harder to win over the pundits. Jeffery Simpson, elder statesman of the punditocracy, slammed Ignatieff in Saturday's Globe saying "Such is the state of the federal Liberal Party that someone who has paid scant dues to it -- and limited ones to Canada for 35 years -- is considered a possible leadership winner...".

Meanwhile, Hugh Winsor tackles the Iraq baggage issue today in the Globe.

Iggy Is In

2006-04-07T12:41:00.000-04:00

The battle is truly joined.

Michael Ignatieff formally launched his campaign today.

“I am fighting to revive faith, not just in the Liberal party, but in politics itself. I’m a devoted Liberal, I’ve been one all my life. That’s why I’m in the fight to renew the party I love.”

Dion Makes It Official

2006-04-07T10:18:00.000-04:00

Stephane Dion officially entered the race to become Liberal leader today:

"We cannot afford to miss out on the next industrial revolution: the sustainable economy," Dion said as he announced his bid.

"For that reason, we must weave together economic growth, social justice, the environment and public health. That is why I want to become leader of the Liberal party and then prime minister of Canada."

Former minister Don Boudria will chair Dion's campaign.

Stronach's Exit

2006-04-07T08:35:00.000-04:00

So what does Belinda Stronach's exit, due, she says, to a flawed process, do to the Liberal leadership campaign?

According to a Halifax newspaper, Stronach's exit helps Scott Brison.

According to a Toronto newspaper, Stronach's exit helps Gerard Kennedy.

Meanwhile, BC's Hedy Fry is considering a leadership run.

It is, as one editorial suggests, a free-for-all.

Stronach Shocker

2006-04-06T12:58:00.000-04:00

Belinda bows out.

Stronach held a news conference earlier today in Ottawa with the surprising announcement that she will not seek the Liberal leadership.

The one-time Tory leadership candidate was thought to be the strongest female contender for the Liberal crown.

Questions about her fluency in french and the delegate selection system prompted Stronach's decision:

[S]he would like to see an "even more open and democratic" process that would see more people encouraged to join the party at affordable prices and with an opportunity to participate directly in the selection of a leader rather through a delegated process

Stronach's withdrawl will shake up the campaign and likely prompt ofther potential female candidates like Carolyn Bennett to reconsider their options.

Peterson Slams Rae as Liberal Tourist

2006-04-06T07:53:00.000-04:00

Former Ontario Premier David Peterson slammed Bob Rae for his liberal leadership aspirations.

"Here's a guy, a lot of people went to war with him and now he wants to lead the army without even enlisting."

But Peterson, who's expected to back rookie MP Michael Ignatieff's candidacy, warned that Rae has "got some terrible burdens to overcome."

"One is his record and one is his loyalty."

Peterson insisted he doesn't hold any personal grudge against Rae but is simply being realistic about the reception he'll get from Liberal militants who've given blood for the party through good and bad times.

"It's so obvious. Everybody's talking about it . . . It's a helluva high hill to climb."

Party politics "is tribal and it's primordial and it's based on trust and affection and shared experiences," Peterson observed.

"Some people would say you just can't pick the cherries off the top."

So, who is Gerard Kennedy? The Globe asks the question as well.

Duelling PhDs Ignatieff and Dion will formally launch their campaigns tomorrow.

Kennedy Makes it Official

2006-04-05T11:59:00.000-04:00

And then there were three - official candidates at least.

Gerard Kennedy resigned as Ontario's Minister of Education and, surprising no one, announced he will seek the leadership of the Liberal Party.

Happy Rae Day

2006-04-05T08:02:00.000-04:00

It's finally happened. Bob Rae has applied to join the Liberal Party.

The longtime socialist who was an NDP MP from 1978-82 and NDP premier from 1990-95 finally took the step to become a member of the Party he wants to lead.

Rae's interest in the leadership, but not a membership, was a sticking point for many Grits, as the Globe points out:

Mr. Rae's status as a non-Liberal has led to some swipes inside the party and on Liberal blogs -- one yesterday referred to him as "still-not-a-Liberal Bob Rae."

Thanks for the shout out to this blog, Globe and Mail.

Finally-a-Liberal Bob Rae will announce his leadership quest soon.

Gerard Kennedy will make his announcement today, and will be replaced at Queen's Park. He is also expected to resign his Parkdale-High Park seat.

Battle of the Big Brains

2006-04-04T08:03:00.000-04:00

Dion versus Ignatieff. Montreal versus Toronto. PhD versus PhD.

Whatever the outcome of the Liberal Leadership race, no one can say it didn't attract smart candidates. The father of the Clarity Act, Dion is a Trudeau-esque intellectual who faced down Lucien Bouchard in a triumph of reason over passion. Ignatieff is the Harvard professor, global intellectual and darling of the media elites. He returned to Canada earlier this year to parachute into a safe Liberal seat.

Both men are smart, brilliant even. But the political playing fields of history are scattered with the bodies of smart people. It takes more than brains to be a successful leader. It takes charisma, media savvy and the common touch. It remains to be seen if either man has the right mix to become leader and prime minister.

Both men will launch their campaigns this week.

Gerard Kennedy will need to make his decision today, under pressure from Premier McGuinty, brother of putative candidate David. The Liberal Party can be a small town sometimes.

Children are the future, says Still-Not-A-Liberal-Bob Rae. With that kind of profound insight and a mustache, he could be leader - of the NDP.

Leadership Poll Says Nothing

2006-04-03T08:23:00.000-04:00

Decima surveyed Canadians about who they would like to see as the Liberal leader. A poll like this, so early in the contest, is virtually meaningless. Not surprisingly, the results reflected name-recognition rather than real support, or, more importantly, organizational strength.

Decima says their poll "suggests Mr. Rae, Mr. Ignatieff, Ms. Stronach and Mr. Brison have remarkably similar support among voters ". That support is all below 10%, showing this poll is largely a media exercise.

The interesting nugget in the poll is how these potential leaders, all relatively new to the Liberal ranks, would impact supporters of other parties.

But the poll found Mr. Rae could lure away the most NDP voters (40 per cent) while Mr. Brison and Mr. Ignatieff could lure away the most Conservative voters (31 per cent each). At 25 per cent, Ms. Stronach was the least popular among those planning to vote Tory.

Not surprising that Bob Rae could attract more New Democrats, given that he was one and, as we have noted, is still not a Liberal.

Gerard Kennedy is ready to run, according to the Hill Times, in an article describing how membership forms will be handed out, always a contentious issue.

The House opens today and Ralph Klein was crushed in Alberta by his own party. Harsh. Who would have thought Ralph would have faced such a Joe Clark moment?

Ignatieff's No Trudeau

2006-03-31T07:46:00.000-05:00

Michael Ignatieff is no Pierre Trudeau. That's what he said yesterday during his major speech in Ottawa.

"There was one Pierre Trudeau, there's not going to be another. I'm not in his shoes, I'm not trying to imitate him."

Now that that's settled, how about Iraq and torture? Ignatieff faced hostile questions with aplomb, even allowing protesters in Gitmo orange jump suits to interrupt him.

But he's still trying to dance away from his support for the Iraq war, saying he "wasn't in Mr. Chrétien's shoes" when he argued Canada should support the US-led war effort. A little weak. "Going forward, I don't want to send Canadian troops into harm's way unless I'm pretty sure it's got Canadian public support. Period." Weaker still.

Intellectual honesty is a slippery thing when you decide to run for the country's highest public office.

Still, Ignatieff is a new guy with new ideas. Check out the text of his speech and decide for yourself.

The Conservative war with the media continues. Now they want to jail bad reporters. Nice.

Candidates Lining Up Support

2006-03-30T09:35:00.000-05:00

As we get closer to a full-on leadership race, candidates are lining up key organizers and fundraisers. Maclean's has this on declared candidate John Godfrey and soon-to-be-declared
candidate Michael Ignatieff:

There's already plenty for Liberal insiders to buzz about. John Godfrey, the first MP to throw his hat in the ring, has signaled his seriousness by signing up Dalhousie University's former top fundraiser, Dale Godsoe, to raise money for his campaign. And party sources say rookie MP Michael Ignatieff, who has still not declared, has secured the support of Trudeau-era Quebec cabinet icon Marc Lalonde and former Ontario premier David Peterson, who some had speculated might support Belinda Stronach.

Peterson and Lalonde are good catches for the Professor, but where is the new blood in the Party?

Ignatieff isn't really supportive of torture, doesn't really like the war in Iraq, and is really a dedicated Canadian despite not having lived in the country for three decades. At least that's what he wants his major speech in Ottawa to leave you with today.

Bevilacqua and Dion likely to run, according to the Globe.

Denis Coderre says it is a francophone's turn the lead the Liberal Party. Does that mean he's supporting Dion?

The Quebec conundrum

2006-03-29T07:56:00.000-05:00

The unexpected Tory breakthrough in Quebec has many Grits fearing a Conservative majority is a possibility in the next election. With the Liberal base largely confined to Toronto, Vancouver and Atlantic Canada, Quebec is the key battleground. So why are there so many candidates from the GTA and so few from Quebec? And why do so many unilingual anglophone candidates look credible, at least at this stage?

Admittedly, the Tory success in Quebec was more of a result of Liberal incompetence (cough, cough, Jean Lapierre) and the Gomery fallout than a true desire for a Conservative government. But majorities have been built on less.

The good news is Liberals already look ripe for a comeback in Quebec.

So we need a leader who can hold the base in Ontario, BC and Atlantic Canada, has credibility in Quebec and the hope to rebuild the Party's fortunes in the West. A tall order indeed.

Hot on the heels of his Ignatieff attack, former David Dingwall assistant Warren Kinsella lists his favorite candidates:

Here is my list, with no explanation whatsoever, and not necessarily (but possibly) in order of preference:

Martha Hall Findlay
Gerard Kennedy
Stephan Dion
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Ken Dryden
Joe Volpe

The very quiet Liberal parliamentary opposition says childcare and taxes are the key issues for the upcoming session of Parliament.

Big surprise. Tory staffers becoming lobbyists.

Ignatieff and Torture

2006-03-28T07:54:00.000-05:00

Ignatieff's campaign continues to be dogged by two "US" style issues - his support for the war in Iraq and his controversial support for the use of some forms of torture. Former David Dingwall assistant Warren Kinsella slams the professor over what some see as a "pro-torture" essay in Prospect magazine:

It is not very often that one gets to witness a "leadership frontrunner" immolate his own candidacy so blithely, so recklessly... He is done – and if he isn’t, he should be.

By the way, Warren left Navigator. I wonder if he's joining Feschuk-Reid?

Two-time Tory leadership loser David Orchard may run for the liberal leadership. Great.

Liberals are adrift says Gerard Kennedy. Really?

Ignatieff Set To Announce

2006-03-27T08:01:00.000-05:00

Dreamboat intellectual Michael Ignatieff is set to announce a run for the Liberal Leadership, marking the true start of the race. Expect some of the other big hitters like Stronach and Dion to follow along shortly.

Ignatieff will talk about the "vision thing" in Ottawa on Thursday in a prelude to a formal campaign launch announcement. No one doubts that Ignatieff is smart and compelling. But the open question remains, can he connect with average Canadians like a Jean Chretien? And, after being away from the country for decades, does he really know Canada, the Canada that exists outside Toronto mansions and law firm boardrooms? The harsh media spotlight will quickly answer these questions.

If Ontario Education Miniser Gerard Kennedy runs, what happens to the McGuinty (Dalton, that is) cabinet?

While Liberals were busy congratulating themselves on the leadership campaign spending cap, turns out there is a loophole big enough to drive a Magna Auto Parts truck through: Canadidates can borrow millions.

Candidate Buzz Index

2006-03-24T16:09:00.000-05:00

We are still months away from the Montreal convention and the big guns haven't yet declared, but the Liberal Leadership campaign is generating oodles of interest. The Buzz Index ranks the candidates according to the amount of media interest (or fawning, if you prefer) they're generating.

Michael Ignatieff - 82.
Iggy gets mad props for his buzz machine. The media are in a full swoon over him and his every utterance is greeted with a dreamy sigh. Get a room you two.

Bob Rae - 75.
Still-not-a-Liberal Bob Rae is generating mucho buzz given his lack of affiliation with the Party (or even a membership card). Rae has some key party insiders behind him.

Scott Brison - 72.
Oh, he's got buzz. But not the good kind. Most of the Brison buzz is about his BlackBerryIncomeTrustGate mini-scandal and if he can recover to become a viable candidate. But it's far too soon to count him out.

Belinda Stronach - 71.
The Belinda buzz is lower than expected at this stage with the candidate sequestered away learning French. The good news is you can buy buzz, and we imagine Belinda will.

Stephane Dion - 68.
The smartest guy in the race is quietly emerging as the anybody but somebody from Toronto candidate. Watch for his buzz to soar.

Gerard Kennedy - 68.
The provincial minister gets big play in Ontario but is less well known in the outer colonies. He needs to hit the road to perk up his profile.

David McGuinty - 63.
The McGunity express is starting to pick up steam.

Ken Dryden - 61.
Hall of Fame hockey player. Public intellectual. Affable personality. Why isn't this guy PM already? Well, maybe it's the lack of charisma, a key ingredient in buzz.

Joe Volpe - 60.
The buzz is modest, but rumour has it the machine is strong. Another possible up and comer on the Buzz Index.

Martha Hall Findlay - 59.
The dark-horse candidate should not be ruled out as real contender. The media loves the underdog story, and Martha brings a lot to the table.

John Godfrey - 48.
He's here for a good time, not a long time.

Maurizio Bevilacqua -47.
Credible. But quiet so far.

Ralph Goodale - 45.
Smart. Experienced. Capable. But is he serious about a run? The Magic 8-Ball says ask again later.

Joe Fontana - 41.
Longtime MP and known as a hard worker. But the Buzz can be a cruel mistress.

Dan McTeague - 3.
McTeague is where buzz goes to die.

Can you feel the love?

2006-03-24T08:38:00.000-05:00

The King Edward was swarming with Liberals intent on putting on a happy face. But with Martin and his "Board" absent from the event, the healing may have a ways to go. Instead, the event was a testing ground for leadership candidates including still-not-a-Liberal Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff who was quoted as saying:

"Can we herd these cats? Yes, the question does occur," Mr. Ignatieff joked. When asked if he can, he smiled and said: "Oh sure. These are great cats. These are the best cats there are."

Brison gets an early endorsement from Young Liberals' chief. Did he get the news by email?

Are the McGuintys the New Kennedys?

2006-03-23T08:12:00.000-05:00

With David McGuinty mulling a bid for the leadership, the Globe and Mail takes a look at the political force of the McGuinty family, including the best analogy of the day: "Mr. McGuinty, whose family is to Ontario politics what the Sutter brothers were to NHL hockey"...

What's less clear about the David McGuinty candidacy is what it does to his brother's government. With Gerard Kennedy expected the run, the federal campaign is sure to roil Queen's Park. By splitting the Queen's Park machine, will Kennedy and McGuinty allow another Toronto candidate like Ignatieff to emerge as the dominant one?

Will the King Edward piss up be an accelerated Liberal "truth and reconciliation committee" or only the opening shots in a divisive leadership campaign?

Joe Fontana's hometown paper takes another look at his quixotic quest to become leader.

Martin A Disaster for Liberals - CBC

2006-03-22T14:24:00.000-05:00

CBC's Larry Zolf calls Paul Martin "modern liberalism's worst disaster". Strong stuff but hardly surprising from the CBC. He also, rightly, calls out Martin for his damaging decision to make Jean Lapierre - cofounder of the Bloc Quebecois - his Quebec lieutenant. Lapierre, along with the fateful decision to call the Gomery inquiry, destroyed the party's base in Quebec.

Camelot on the Rideau?

2006-03-22T08:12:00.000-05:00

Gerard Kennedy is almost certain to run. Nominal Nova Scotian Senator Terry Mercer, former Executive Director of the LPC, is spearheading the effort to generate national support for the GTA candidate. But can Kennedy break out of the mass of Toronto candidates planning to run?

Meanwhile, Martin Cauchon will bow out of the campaign, due to the ever popular "family reasons". A nation weeps.

Paul Martin won't attend the so-called "King Edward Accord" event honouring Sheila Copps. Nice. Way to support the renewal of the party. Jean Chretien is traveling but will send a videotaped greeting and his wife Aline will speak at the Thursday event.

Joe Trippi, the strategists who turned Howard Dean from an obscure governor from an obscure state into a powerhouse contender for the White House (before he got fired) will talk with Liberal organizers about how to use the Internet to build (and finance) a campaign. Senator Jerry Grafstein is organizing the event. Good one, Jerry.

Why is the national media giving so much play to a desperate PR stunt by Ashley MacIsaac? Are they that shallow or that gullible? They are certainly that predictable.

The Road to Nowhere, or Renewal?

2006-03-21T07:44:00.000-05:00

Do you like the Star? Sure you do, I mean, it's not the National Post, right. Well, today's Star features two very different takes on the Liberal Leadership race. It's either the "Liberals are running fast with no idea where they are going" or "Liberals set stage for exciting race". Of course, both opinion pieces could be correct.

Still-not-a-Liberal Bob Rae met with advisors, including Eddie Goldenberg, Jean Chretien's able right hand man, to discuss his leadership ambitions.

Michael Ignatieff says he will annouce his decision on running within 10 days.

John Godfrey said he is running "less to be somebody than to do something."

All this and notorious fiddler (how often do you see those words together?) Ashely MacIsaac too in today's useful Jane Taber piece.

The Race is On (Almost)

2006-03-20T08:06:00.000-05:00

The date is set and so are the rules. December 2-3 in Montreal. The convention will formally be called on April 7. Candidates will then have just 12 weeks to sign up new members of the Liberal party before a July 1 membership cutoff date. After that, it's just three months to the so-called "super weekend" of delegate selection — Sept. 29-Oct. 1, when every riding association and club will choose who to send to the convention.

With a $50,000 entry fee and a $3.4 million spending limit (including travel and polling), it is hoped that a big money candidate like, oh, say Belinda Stronach, won't buy the title.

John Godfrey jumped out the gate immediately as a declared candidate, joining our dark-horse favorite Martha Hall Findlay . Others are keeping their powder dry. And with Dominic Leblanc as co-chair of the convention, you can strike his name from the long-list of leadership candidates. Alas, Canada will survive.

Is the Liberal Party too Toronto centric? No fewer than ten possible leadership candidates come from the GTA. Some of them are even members of the Liberal Party.

The Dream is Over

2006-03-17T07:51:00.000-05:00

The Martin-ites are crying in their green beer today. Operation Phoenix is over. Paul Martin has responded to growing discontent among Liberal troops (and the Martin Comeback Conspiracy crowd) and handed in his formal resignation as leader.

"I look forward to continuing to serve and contribute to the party that I have always and will always regard as my second family," Mr. Martin wrote.

The formal call of the leadership convention could come Sunday, when the party sets the date and rules of the leadership vote, but might be delayed for a week or two, party officials said. That's because the committee that will set the spending rules will not be formally appointed until the party's executive meets tomorrow.

Canadian Press breaks the shocking news that prospective leadership candidates are seeking support from Liberal MPs, often through, get this, phone calls! Madness.

The fun-lovin' Chantal Hebert says that the Liberal Party isn't just an "Old Boys" club, it's at risk of turning into an "Old Man" club. She notes that Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae, Ken Dryden and Joe Volpe are all 58. John Godfrey, 63, is also assessing his chances, which will raise the average age of prospective candidates.

Of course, Hebert ignores the youth of Stronach and Brison, among others considering a run. You don't want to let facts get in the way of a good headline.

Dion Goes West

2006-03-16T08:14:00.000-05:00

Stephane Dion picked up a key BC organizer, Paul Martin's top man on the left coast, Mark Marissen:

According to a senior B.C. Liberal, Marissen is acting as a coordinator for Dion to "try to help him figure out if there's the organizational will around the country" to support such a bid.

The senior Liberal went on to say, "if [Dion] were to decide to run then [Marissen] would likely be the national campaign manager."

Despite his qualifications for the job of leader, Dion has yet to generate any real buzz. As the architect of the Clarity Act and Jean Chretien's attack dog against Lucien Bouchard, Dion made history as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. Those acheivements and his Trudeau-esque intellect should give him credibility outside Quebec. Dion could be poised to be the strongest "not from Toronto" candidate.

So the question of the day becomes, is Dion for real? Can he put together a national machine and compete with the numbers and dollars of the Toronto candidates like Stronach, Kennedey or Rae?

Let's hear from you.

Fraudwanski!

Former New Democrat MP now working for Tories. Ah, those NDippers and their flexible definition of ethics.

It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want To

2006-03-15T07:58:00.000-05:00

Robert Howard poses the question that's on a lot of Liberals' minds: where are the Liberal candidates for the leadership of the Party? We've got a New Democrat (Bob Rae, who apparently still hasn't taken out a membership), Tories (Brison and Stronach) and Newbies (Ignatieff) with little connection to the party. But where are the true Grits? The newest Liberals are quality individuals with prospects to be good prime ministers. But it remains a valid question.

Gerard Kennedey says maybe.

David Herle speaks!

Brison: I only lied about BlackBerryIncomeTrustGate because "I was caught offguard". Yikes. Perhaps this is not the best angle to use in your media comeback effort.

Rae Slams Martin's Deals

2006-03-14T08:23:00.000-05:00

Presumptive candidate Bob Rae slammed equalization deals signed by Prime Minister Martin and the governments of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador yesterday in Winnipeg.

In a speech to the Canadian Club of Winnipeg, Rae didn't announce his intention to run to replace Paul Martin as leader of the Liberal party-- as some had anticipated -- but said he is giving it serious thought. And then he launched into a speech that highlighted a number of areas his campaign would likely focus on, including rejigging equalization and finding a better way to even out revenues between provinces with oil and those without. He was highly critical of the side deals Martin's government signed with Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, allowing them to keep oil and gas revenues outside the equalization formula.

Curious strategy, no? Equalization is an issue that few Canadians understand or care about passionately and these deals were signed by a Liberal government. Seem's like a difficult issue to frame a leadership campaign around.

Liberals, repent. So sayeth Thomas Axworthy. And he's right.

Martin Comeback Conspiracy Fears

2006-03-13T11:58:00.000-05:00

Are Grits getting nervous that the Martin Comeback Conspiracy is more than just the fevered wish of members of the Martin "board" seeking a little redemption? As they say, the third time is the charm.

One top Liberal source said that the possibility of Mr. Martin (LaSalle-Émard, Que.) resigning at next week's national executive meeting is "a course of action that is being recommended," because Liberals definitely do not want to go into the next election with Mr. Martin as the leader, something which has been talked about in the pages of The Hill Times for the last few weeks. "People are going snaky across the country. These Martinites need to give their head a shake, that will never happen. If it did, we'd end up with 40 seats and up in John Turner territory from 1984," declared the Grit.

The Hill Times is also reporting that blowhard MP Dan McTeague is considering a leadership bid. My God, has it come to this?

Harper the Hero

2006-03-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

Stephan Harper is in the midst of an unscheduled visit to Afghanistan to visit Canadian troops. So, is this good politics? The Conservatives are going big with the US-style photo-ops, but does that play in our more peaceful society? I know what Michael Deaver would think. How about you? Fire up the old comments box.

Our only declared candidate is hitting the road in Ontario. Go Martha.

The bills for the Gomery boondoggle are in. Some old school Tories did quite well for themselves, including Chief counsel Bernard Roy, a onetime principal secretary to former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who billed $1.56 million. Surely a bargain at twice the price.

It's Tricky to Rock a Ryhme

2006-03-10T07:56:00.000-05:00

Scott Brison may be a bit happier today. His BlackBerryIncomeTrustGate "scandal" appears to have run out of legs. That is, until one of his many fellow contenders to the throne goes on the attack on the issue. Conference calls are buzzing about the right strategy. Since someone on the Grit side leaked the story, you can expect they will want to keep it going through not-for-attribution digs about the damage to Brison's electability and more rumors about the RCMP investigation.

Brison's more or less hometown paper the Chronicle Herald says this about the sordid, silly affair:

Mr. Brison first said he didn’t communicate with anyone about income trusts, but changed his tune the next day, saying he regretted sending the e-mails. He denied having inside knowledge of the pending policy change. The controversy couldn’t have come at a worse time for the ambitious MP, who’s contemplating whether to launch a bid to succeed Paul Martin.

There’s no evidence from the e-mail exchanges that Mr. Brison leaked insider information, only that he showed poor judgment in broaching the topic on his BlackBerry. It’s not the first time the colourful politico’s verbal indiscretions have landed him in hot water. Only now, he may have gone too far in leaving an electronic trail.

It will be up to the RCMP to probe the insider leak possibility further and decide whether any charges will be laid, and against whom. It will be up to Liberals to determine the effect of the controversy on a Scott Brison leadership bid, if, indeed, he now takes the plunge.

Over at the Star, Aaron Freeman says the Liberal race should be open and accessible.

As the Liberal party executive meets later this month to discuss how the upcoming leadership contest will be run, it would be wise to set rules ensuring access to wealth does not become the primary factor in determining the next party leader.

Yeah. That didn't work out well last time.

It's early days in the Harper government but surely it's not a good thing to be c ompared to Richard Nixon so soon in your mandate. Even Wayne Easter is scoring points.

I was not lying. I said things that later on seemed to be untrue. - Richard Nixon, discussing Watergate

It's Not the Crime

2006-03-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Bill Clinton was in Ottawa recently. He could have explained to Scott Brison that it's not the crime, it's the coverup, that does the most political damage.

Today the Globe breaks more news with the identity of the banker Brison emailed, not a random banker but a star Bay Street "income trust guy".

Mr. Nowlan, an executive in his late 30s, runs the income-trust portion of what is known as the equity capital markets group at CIBC World Markets, a leader in income-trust financing. He is also a committed Tory from the Maritimes and has known Mr. Brison since the days before Mr. Brison defected from the Conservative Party to join the Liberals.

Speculation continues to run rampant about what this issue does to Brison's leadership chances.

Mr. Brison’s e-mail does not show that he leaked insider information, but it has raised questions about his judgment, as has his denial when first contacted by the Globe that he had communicated with anyone about income trusts, a statement that the Tories call a lie.
His longtime strategist, Dale Palmeter, says the story has not been damaging.

"I’m hearing from people who are saying they liked the way he handled it yesterday . . . and it’s almost had the effect of drawing more people out, and confirming greater levels of support than existed the day before," he said.

Mr. Brison’s spokeswoman, Susan Murray, says it is too soon to make a decision on whether Mr. Brison will run for the leadership.

"He is far — and if there is a team, we are far — from making a decision on running or not," she said. "And I think it’s hard for us to judge whether this is going to hurt or not."

You can barely see the Peace Tower with all the Liberal trial balloons floating over Ottawa these days. The Hill Times summarizes the would-be contenders:

In alphabetical order, some of the other potential candidates include: Carolyn Bennett (St. Paul's, Ont.); Maurizio Bevilacqua (Vaughan, Ont.); Scott Brison (Kings-Hants, N.S.); former Grit MP Martin Cauchon; Denis Coderre (Bourassa, Que.); Stéphane Dion (Saint-Laurent-Cartierville, Que.); Ken Dryden (York Centre, Ont.); Joe Fontana (London North Centre, Ont.); John Godfrey (Don Valley West, Ont.); Michael Ignatieff (Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Ont.); Ontario Education Minister Gerard Kennedy; Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc (Beauséjour, N.B.); former Grit MP Dennis Mills; former Ontario premier Bob Rae; Belinda Stronach (Newmarket-Aurora, Ont.), and Joe Volpe (Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.).

Mark the date. The Liberal Party's 61-member national executive will meet in Ottawa on March 18 to set the date and location of the next leadership convention as well as party membership rules and the entry fee for the candidates.

Brison's Blackberry

2006-03-08T07:40:00.000-05:00

Will someone please take Scott Brison's Blackberry away from him? First there was the embarassing French lessons exchange with a staffer. Now, much more seriously, we have the first mini-scandal of the leadership campaign, and it's the same damn scandal that knocked the Liberal Party off balance during the election.

After the Globe broke the story that Brison was being investigated by the RCMP, the leadership contender quickly called a news conference in Ottawa to try to stop the story from expanding and "set the record straight". He's denying he passed on insider information. From the Halifax Chronicle Herald:

Mr. Brison said at the news conference that he realized when he read the article that he needed to set the record straight.

"My initial instinct was not to — and continues to believe it’s important not to — comment on RCMP fact-finding," he said. "So I wish to correct that, to ensure that the substance was accurate."

And Mr. Brison said he would not send such an e-mail again, and joked that hand-held e-mail devices make it too easy to send messages.

"No, I wouldn’t," he said. "Clearly. I know BlackBerry’s having enough difficulties these days, so I don’t want to add to complaints about BlackBerrys, but the fact is sometimes, in moments when you’re sending out a quick e-mail, you don’t really think about the content of it."

Mr. Brison said the story should not derail his bid for the Liberal leadership.

"I think that the fact that we’re dealing with it directly and immediately demonstrates a certain level of leadership and doing the right thing."

The story set off speculation that someone close to a rival leadership candidate may have leaked the e-mail.

On this last point, who's playing hardball so early in the game? And what does it mean for Brison's bid?

A senior Liberal source said it was still unclear whether Mr. Brison's hopes for the leadership would be harmed. But the Liberal said many party members were expressing concern yesterday because the Nova Scotia MP is seen as an asset to the party.

NDP finance critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis said that, even if Mr. Brison did not know of the details, he should not have been speculating.

She said Mr. Brison was wrong to send the e-mail, "whether it's inadvertent or advertent, deliberate or not."

Uh Oh

2006-03-07T07:58:00.000-05:00

Is Scott Brison's leadership bid about to be derailed by reports that he gave the CIBC advance notice of the changes to taxation of income trusts?

When asked later whether he personally had a communication in which he might have speculated on the outcome without firm knowledge, Mr. Brison said "No," adding, "You're asking me something in terms of communication that I don't remember. I don't recall anything."

Mr. Brison also would not say whether he had been questioned by police.

"I'm not going to comment," he said.

Yikes.

Brison is smart and capable but this income trust issue won't stop haunting Liberals.

Speaking of haunting Liberals, the Gomery Report is a fantasy that recommends taking away authority from elected officials and centralizing it in the hands of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. That's what a group of non-partisan Canadian leaders are saying. Well, what would they would be saying if they weren't so polite.

In a letter to the Prime Minister made public yesterday, more than 60 former politicians, retired bureaucrats and private-sector CEOs contended Gomery went too far in his second report on the federal sponsorship scandal.

"Unfortunately, the report also includes some other recommendations that do not take adequate account of how governments actually function, and thus could do a good deal of harm."

Maurizio Bevilacqua talks about his leadership ambitions.

Ignatieff in Halifax

2006-03-06T11:08:00.000-05:00

Martime Liberal gives a play-by-play on Michael Ignatieff's eastern charm offensive. The professor has his fans.

Schmoozapooloza in Halifax

2006-03-06T09:03:00.000-05:00

A gaggle of possible leadership candidates were doing their best to charm Nova Scotia Liberals at the Party's AGM in Halifax this weekend. Newmarket-Aurora was well represented with Belinda Stronach and Martha Hall Findlay pressing the flesh as were Nova Scotia MP Scott Brison and Toronto-area Liberal MPs Carolyn Bennett, Maurizio Bevilacqua, Ken Dryden and Michael Ignatieff.

Two more names have emerged in the rumor mill - Robert Prichard, president and CEO of Torstar Corp., and Liberal MP David McGuinty, brother of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, who confirms he's considering a bid.

Possible candidates now number over a dozen, none a clear leader, making this the most interesting leadership race in recent memory.

Going back to Hali

2006-03-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

Halifax appears to be the centre of the Liberal leadership "race" this weekend. Carolyn Bennett, Scott Brison, Ken Dryden, Michael Ignatieff and Belinda Stronach are attending the Nova Scotia Liberal Party's Annual Meeting/piss-up. Our favourite darkhorse and only declared candidate - Toronto lawyer Martha Hall Findlay — will also be there.

Are you ready for Fontana-mania?

2006-03-02T08:10:00.000-05:00

CTV does yet another roundup of who's in the race, quoting one furiously organizing candidate:

"This is not Hamlet-like indecision," said first-time Toronto MP and world-renowned public intellectual Michael Ignatieff.

Joe Fontana puts a toe in the water.

Frank McKenna blasts the Martin "board" for their handling of Canada-US relations during the campaign.

Gerard Kennedy

2006-03-01T15:06:00.000-05:00

Is Ontario Education Minister Gerard Kennedy set to run for the federal leadership?

"The latest I've heard is that he (Kennedy) is going to run," said one source.

"He'd love to do it (run for the federal Liberal leadership), but he's so risk-averse that he needs a `draft Gerard' movement to get him off his ass," cautioned another source.

Helping create that draft are various and sundry persons, including Senator Terry Mercer, a former national director of the federal Liberals, community activist June Callwood, and writer-philosopher Mary Jo Leddy.

Is Belinda a Liberal?

2006-03-01T08:14:00.000-05:00

Is Belinda a Liberal? Of course she is, a proud one. Then why no Liberal logo on her web site? Well, um....

Medicare, schmedicare. Does the lovable, over-refreshed, Barney Rubble look-a-like Ralph Klein give the Grits an opening to pound Harper for aiding and abetting the destruction of our most cherished social program?

George W. goes to Afghanistan. What now for Prime Minister Harper?

Globe's Big Sloppy Kiss to Bob Rae

2006-02-28T08:49:00.000-05:00

Did you see the Globe's big sloppy kiss to Bob Rae?

There are a number of possible contenders, but one of the more promising is said to be uncertain about whether to run. Since his participation would considerably benefit the race, here's a gentle push: Bob Rae should compete for the leadership.

The Globe dismisses concerns that Rae, oh, has never been a Liberal and that his short tenure as Premier of Ontario was, oh, less than triumphant.

Given his brother John's close relationship with Jean Chretien, one has to wonder where the Chretienites stand on this.

And with the plethora of possible Toronto candidates, why is the Globe pushing so soon for Rae?

Apparently there was this thing called the Gomery inquiry. Something about golf balls? Anyway, someone wrote a book. Wait six weeks and you can get it for $4.99 in the discount bin.

In the hunt

2006-02-24T08:47:00.000-05:00

Jane Taber says Scott Brison, Joe Volpe, Stephane Dion, Denis Coderre and Maurizio Bevilacqua are sure to run. Other big names are still sitting on the fence.

Is Martha Findley Hall Canada's Howard Dean? You know, when he came out of nowhere to almost win the nomination, before that little, uh, screaming incident.

Is it possible to have a Liberal Love In?

Martin Comeback Conspiracy

2006-02-23T14:39:00.000-05:00

Val Sears in the Ottawa Sun says this on the Paul Martin comeback conspiracy:

I don't know about the Liberals. The combination of Paul Martin as party leader and Bill Graham as Opposition leader is a puzzlement. It's not going to make getting the Liberal message out any easier, especially if the pair find themselves at odds. Martin no longer has the communication wizards at Earnscliffe working for him and Graham is new to the real nastiness of politics.

Rumours are already buzzing about that Martin is staying in the limelight because he wants another go at leading the Liberals into an election. Okay, maybe it's far-fetched but do you see anyone on the horizon who is likely to come pounding into the Liberal leadership convention on a white horse? No.

And suppose the Conservatives stumbled over the parliamentary cliff prematurely. Martin would be another Pierre Trudeau, coming out of retirement to lead the party again.

Seriously - is he talking about the communications "wizards" at Earnscliffe who ran the last two campaigns?

62% of Canadians think David Emerson should resign and run again as a Tory.

In case you missed it, here are the Liberal critic roles.