CTV's 2008 Headlines - Annotated

CTV has compiled the traditional look back on the year that was.

Something struck me as I approached the article's end.

• The Federal Government's Near Collapse - Precipitated by the Conservative's pitiful F.U.


• The Federal Election - when the Conservatives broke their own law


• Puffingate - the Conservative war room crossed the line.


• Grieving father's remarks questioned - the Conservative war room crossed the line. Again.


• Questionable Listeria Jokes - Conservative Minister's totally unacceptable jokes in the middle of a major national food-safety crisis


• Maxime Bernier - Conservative Minister


• Obama campaign's NAFTA musings - Conservative PMO leak interferes in a foreign election.


• Cadman accusations Conservative PMO attempts to bribe a dying man

Interesting pattern, no?

Things that are unsurprising

This follows this.

I guess things could be worse.

Refoooooorm???

As my co-blogger has noted below, prime minister Harper has made 19 appointments today.

While I fully agree with appointing Thomas Cromwell as the new judge on the Supreme Court, I cannot believe Harper is shunning his own harped-on process.
It is the same with his senate appointments. After YEARS of advocating for a different system than the status quo, he turns around and makes the most senate appointments than any other prime minister in one day. While Harper tries to stay true to his long-held belief that the Upper Chamber should be elected, it is clear from the CBC article that not all of the newly-minted senators had been consulted on standing for elections. And, as every other person is noting, Harper appointed a separatist! After all his bluster over the Bloc's participation in the Coalition he has, once again, gone back on his rhetoric.

As my house is a CBC house I've only seen how CBC is reporting on this hypocrisy. I'm sure CTV is lauding the appointment of one of their own but I doubt that they are not at all mentioning Harper going back on his word. And I thought the media was supposed to be unbiased...


Will Harper be true to his name and only harp on things? Or will he actually, one day, do what he says he will do when it comes to accountability and legitimacy? One can only hope for the latter from the man leading our country.

Is it any surprise?

Huh.

Bell on Swann.

I admire Rick Bell's rhetorical style, but I often find him to be petty and small minded, and usually wrong.

An exception occurred with his column today:

... Meanwhile, down at the Glenmore Inn, people sporting Obama buttons offer to inspire me and give directions to a fourth-dimension "high road" outside of space and time.

In fact, I arrive to catch the Alberta Liberals fall on their swords. I don't cover suicides but an exception is made.

A party beat up for decades goes the hara-kiri route and elects David Swann as leader, a fine man but not a big sell the further you get away from those imbibing the cool Kensington Kool-Aid and burning the heavy-duty incense.

These folks really do see Swann as Alberta's Obama. Swann gives it a shot.

"There's a change a-comin'. Can you feel it, brother? Can you feel it, sister?"

A Swann disciple explains: "It's like Obama." Huh?

Swann even tosses out an Obama quote ripped off from a book by Alice Walker.

"We are the ones we've been waiting for." Dig it?

Swann vows to remake the Liberals. The name may change.

"It's time to rise up," he says to the glassy-eyed zealots.

More than a few Liberals can't believe the latte-lifting lemmings have taken over. Some get drunk. Ed's Tories believe in Santa again. You know you might be in trouble if the guy the other party wants to win, does win. On a table is a lone pamphlet for Dave Taylor, the Liberal MLA supported for leader by everyone with the majority of their brain cells in this universe. It reads: "Business Friendly. Fiscally Responsible. Making a Stand for the Centre."

Dave loses. The vote isn't close. Guess he didn't sound enough like Obama.

Downfall

He's spend the cupboard bare, and in the face of an economic tidal wave he asks for more time to come up with less. Oh, and tells us not to panic.

This government is a sinking ship.

Alberta Liberal Leadership - Its Time

Tomorrow, at 2:30 at the latest, the Alberta Liberal Party will have itself a new leader.

Dave Cournoyer has a good piece in this week's SEE magazine, giving a quick rundown of past Alberta Liberal Leadership contests. Most of it will be fairly familiar to people who are close to the party or have long memories, but for folks who spent most of the 1990s throwing snowballs during recess, it provides a good rundown.

The three candidates, Mo Elsalhy, David Swann and Dave Taylor haven't diverged widely from one another on the issues, and have each promised to bring similar philosophies of grass-roots inclusion, consultation and transparency to their leadership.

The major cleavage between the two front runners, Dave and David, was over what prominence the Liberal brand should have in the party. It is, perhaps, unsurprising that Dave Taylor would position himself as the "unapologetic liberal," given that the key organizers on his campaign are the very same promising young liberals behind the New Liberal initiative.

Swann, on the other hand, has immense personal credibility in Alberta's younger, 'progressive' crowd, and so, logically, his campaign has focused far more on David Swann as an individual, and his possession of the "courage to lead" and "the power to inspire." He has, annoyingly, spend a great deal of time comparing himself to another prominent politician. As such, he has been the candidate who is most ready to ditch the Liberal name in favour of... something else.

Mo's campaign has proven to be a bit of an enigma, at least in Calgary. He's focused on setting targets and attaining them. Which is good, but compared to the other candidates his campaign has been very short on the hows. Mo has, however, brought important ideas about how to target specific demographics to grow the party.

Tomorrow will be an important day in the history of Alberta's politics. Its easy to diminish the Alberta Liberal Party as insignificant. Its important to remember, though, that the ALP forms the official opposition in Alberta, and whoever takes over tomorrow will lead the opposition when the session resumes during the last election. They are the only party that has, to my knowledge, survived through Alberta's entire life as a province, and in the last election won 26% of the vote.

The real work of reforming the party will begin immediately after the new leader is announced, and that will be a very interested and exciting process to be involved it.

Oh.

Wow. I don't even know what to think.

Its Official

Thank you Mr Dion.

Another post to follow this evening.

***********
Media Releases
December 10, 2008
STATEMENT BY LIBERAL PARTY PRESIDENT DOUG FERGUSON ON THE SELECTION OF AN INTERIM LEADER

On December 8, 2008, the Hon. Stéphane Dion signaled his intention to resign from his position as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. On behalf of the entire Liberal family, I wish to thank Mr. Dion for his unwavering dedication and his unending passion both for his country and for the Liberal Party.

Pursuant to section 54-3(a) of the Liberal Party’s Constitution, following Mr. Dion’s resignation, the National Executive, in consultation with Caucus, was entrusted with the responsibility of appointing an interim Liberal Leader.

This decision comes at an historic time for Canada. Our Interim Leader will be called upon to lead our Caucus and our Party through a volatile Parliament, and a possible federal election in the midst of the worst economic crisis in memory. For this reason, the National Executive opted to take the unprecedented step of expanding the consultations to include members of the Liberal Party’s Council of Presidents, as well as past candidates and Commission club presidents.

These consultations revealed an overwhelming consensus in favour of one individual and the National Executive has now reflected on the consultations it has undertaken.

As such, I am pleased to announce that the National Executive has voted unanimously to appoint Michael Ignatieff as Interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

While this is the case, it is important to remind Canadians and Liberal Party members that the Leadership Convention to be held in Vancouver from April 30 to May 3, 2009 will continue as planned.

Tous Ensemble

What a truly extraordinary two weeks. Steve-o managed to turn an economic crisis into a political crisis, bringing us to the brink of a constitutional crisis and back (for now?). A coalition came together, rallies were held, and Canadians, perhaps fleetingly, engaged with their politics. And that is to say nothing of the developments within the Liberal Party.

Bob Rae today showed himself to be one of Canada's true statesmen. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to put aside his ambition - as he admits, for good - for the sake of his adopted party and his country. Mr. Rae has demonstrated a commitment to the greater good that has been sorely lacking in Canadian politics. I can only imagine that he still has a great deal to contribute to the Liberal Party and to our country.

I am, however, struggling somewhat with the manner in which the leadership process has unfolded. I am no fan of unrestrained populism, and I have my problems with a one member one vote system (although I find myself coming around to it in a big way), but I have an even larger problem with a leadership selection process as it has unfolded.

After the process that has unfolded, largely without the participation of the party grass roots, Michael Ignatieff must reach out the grassroots of the party as never before. Members from across the country must feel involved in the policy and decision making apparatus of the party, and Canadians must feel they have unrestricted access to Liberal MPs and party notables. Canadians must feel that the Liberal Party is moving forward tous ensemble.

The coming shake up?

Big things appear afoot.

Basic Camera Skills

The Prime Minister and the Prime Minister hopeful both addressed the nation tonight.

Harper was very short and said nothing new.
Dion was longer and everyone is making fun of the inability of the LPC to get the tape to the networks on time.

Both had HORRIBLE focus! I can't fault the LPC - they SUCK at communications, it is what I have come to expect from them - shitty communications. But seriously, did someone use their blackberry to film that? The Conservatives though, they are usually all over making things look good and getting them out fast. Fast they did, looking good they did not.

Jack Layton should not be the one with the best background, best focus, best everything. Although he did have professional cameramen filming him, but still.

I ask that each party find someone with basic cinematography skills and use them. For everything.

Could Conservative Members Please Go Read How Canadian Parliament Works?

Over the last week I have been inundated with Facebook invites to attend this rally, or join that group. All of it over the one thing that has made Canadian politics interesting.

While this situation is slightly unprecedented, there is some history that can be referred to and not just in Canada. What is unprecedented is the Governor General possibly refusing to prorogue Parliament. There has never been a Governor General that has refused the Prime Minister's request for prorogument. Michelle Jean is coming home early to perform her duties as Head of State. Hopefully she will have the balls to not let Harper subvert democracy in action.

Speaking of democracy, people need to read up on how our Parliament works. When it is figured out that the person who gets to be Prime Minister must have the confidence of the majority of members of the House and that that person is NOT Harper, the Conservative machine can shut up and shut down.

Please, stop lying to the Canadian public that this coalition is unconstitutional. It is constitutional, Harper and the Cons know it, and are purposely lying to Canadians. They should be ashamed of themselves (once, of course, Harper stops kicking himself for engineering his own demise).

Out of Control

Kady O'Malley nails the essential dynamic of what has happened:

[Stephen Harper]has been largely incidental to the day’s events. That must drive him absolutely bonkers.