One of the driving motivations behind my decision to enter public life several years ago was a desire to strengthen our democratic system. At the time, Canada had no strong and effective opposition, and I was proud to have played a role in bringing together the Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative parties.
Competition among strong parties strengthens democracy, and most Canadians would agree that our country currently has a more vibrant and competitive parliamentary system. But just as Canada needed a strong and effective opposition several years ago, Canada today needs a truly renewed, strong and unified Liberal Party - one that offers real political choice for the future and is capable of winning support in all regions of the country.
I have explained to the national media why I decided not to enter this Liberal leadership race. I had thought about it very seriously and talked with a lot of people. But I concluded it was just not right for me, given where my priorities were leading me.
A new leader must be chosen, and all of the candidates, real and presumed, are very talented people for whom I have great respect: I will work hard in support of the new leader when that person is chosen. But this race is not where I should place my energies at this time: There is an even more profound challenge in the Liberal Party at this juncture. It needs, in my estimation, to reach out and grow its membership base, and then, over time, make its leadership selection process as open and democratic as possible. For me this process is the priority.
While reflecting on who would make the best possible leader, Liberals can be asking, at the same time: How can we get more Canadians involved in rebuilding our party? And what would be the most effective way for our party to gain the trust and confidence and enthusiasm of Canadians?
Some people have said: Why, Ms. Stronach, could you not simply have run for Liberal leader on a platform of party reform? My answer is in the perceived conflict-of-interest inherent in the old politics of the race to the delegated convention. Here, the race is really on to secure delegates by a certain deadline and, if necessary, to make political deals to win delegates, rather than attract support in the free market of ideas.
In my estimation, and after testing the waters in the past weeks, a candidate who ran on a platform of truly reforming party structures would be doomed to lose. It would require asking the same people who are influential in the process to make change that would eliminate them from the process.
Some of the candidates for Liberal leader will be friends of party renewal and I hope to work closely with them on these issues. But they would have to be very careful in courting delegates in a way from which I am now liberated. In discussions with grassroots Liberals from across Canada, it is clear to me that there is a thirst for renewal in the party. Liberals want to have a more hands-on role in reinvigorating its institutions. Knowing the background of the new Conservative Party, I saw how direct member voting can revitalize a political party and mobilize its membership.
I personally would rather see a future Liberal Party with millions of members, where each and every individual has a direct vote. It is my strongly held view that we should throw open the doors of our party and invite as many Canadians as possible to take part in our renewal. That way, the many Canadians who believe, at the same time, in effective stewardship of the economy and social justice can find the same political home. They would have a direct say in the policies to be considered and later in the choice of leader.
I am honoured to be in public life thanks to the citizens of my riding, and I want to spend some of my energy working with the grassroots to prepare the ground for a stronger Liberal Party in future.
Some people have also suggested that my real reason for declining to enter the race is that I concluded that I could not win a delegated leadership contest. On the contrary, the current system could have worked very well for me.
I would have run a very competitive campaign and had a good chance of winning. I was already blessed with some of the best field organizers in the business, and a growing constituency among women and young Canadians. I could have raised the money needed to sustain a truly national campaign over the better part of a year, and I was working on my French.
But the real issues were elsewhere for me at this time.
I will also continue to speak out on those public policy issues of special importance to me - the economy, job creation, prosperity and education. Having had some first-hand experience competing in the rough-and-tumble global economic arena, I am acutely aware that we need to focus more actively as a country on safeguarding our quality of life and not taking it for granted.
True renewal will be good for the Liberal Party, even essential, and it will be good for Canadian democracy.
Belinda Stronach is the Liberal member of Parliament for New Market-Aurora. She was a candidate for the Conservative Party leadership in 2004; in May of 2005 she became minister of human resources and skills development in the Paul Martin government.
