Skip navigation

 Login or Register | Member Centre

Commentary

Opposition syndrome: Can the Grits survive the rumour and intrigue?

LAWRENCE MARTIN

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 7:48 AM EDT 02/04/08

Can the Grits survive the rumour and intrigue? ...Read the full article

This conversation is closed

  1. JDSmith ... from Toronto, Canada writes: An insightful and fair minded assessment into succeeding in Canadian parliamentary politics.

    What is not clear to me though, is why so many Canadians appear to be supportive of Mr. Harper's assault on most everthing Canadian... meaning fair-minded decent and discussion and yes, the cosy relationship with US Government, which is hell-bent on redefining foreign policy.

    Let us hope that Mr. Dion succeeds in displacing the Canadian equivalent of Mr. Harper's American Neo-Con government and returning traditional Canadian values to our countries' leadership.
  2. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: Dion will displace no one. Lacking empathy his message to Canadians is confused and without credibility. He keeps on both sides of every issues, makes a fool of himself during Question period in House of Commons and fosters acrimony rather than harmony within the party he leads. A recipe that generates antagonism within LPC and in general public. Using his tactics no election program will make sense to Canadians. What you see is what you get with Dion. And so on and so forth!
  3. Graydon Smith from Bracebridge, Canada writes: Mr. Martin, please tell me you're not serious. The continuing love affair with the Liberals/Dion is now really going over the top, first by dismissing those party members in Quebec dissatisfied "Low-level party malcontents stirred national headlines - it being a slow news time - with word that the Quebec wing of the party was upset with the Dion leadership", and then the grand oversimplification of "...Mr. Dion - six points away from a majority government in most recent polls".

    With regard to Quebec, I guess you think what happened in Outremont was some aberration of the norm, while nearly everyone else sees it for what it was, Dion trying and failing to do thing his way. Those "malcontents" are the ones who know how to win in Quebec, because they've won in the past, and see someone messing it up. It's not wise to belittle the grassroots members.

    As for the poll numbers, if you really think that they're six points away from anything other than a free sub sandwich you're delusional. There entire core of support rests in 3 cities, and as we've seen in Montreal, erosion of support can happen. Everyone who can count knows the Liberals don't have the seats needed to win even a minority, but let me guess for a moment, that you, Mr. Martin, were on of the people that saw the most recent by-elections as some sort of "big win" for the Liberals. Losing a seat, almost losing one of the aforementioned urban ridings; the Liberals have all the momentum of a car with a blown engine.
  4. charlie brown from Canada writes:
    Please, please JDSmith, stop using the term "Canadian Values". Canadians know the term is just a buzz word for "Liberal Party Values", (which have been discredited by enough Canadians to change the government).
  5. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: Kindly educate me to understand Canadian Values/Liberal Values. Trudeau values meant: 500 francophones behind bars without Habeas Corpus under War measures Act and no excuse or compensation from Canadian government. First nations make up only 1,1 million citizens in Canada yet they contribute the majority of people behind bars in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Newfoundland. Victims faced with assault or other crimes have no protection but criminals and criminal organizations crowd justice courts with best criminologists and benefit of police protection. Are these Canadian Values those of a just society?
  6. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: More discipline from LPC membership Dion says. He should follow his advice when committing to vote against CPC policies. Dion has a loud mouth but crumples when comes time to vote negatively and trigger an election. Be true to yourself, be sincere and be credible Stephane. So far you are not and lack any discipline.
  7. A Chinaman from Canada writes: Any more stories from Dion? He would be completely occupied by these rumours that he may forget how to run an election.
  8. Ian Perry from Halifax, Canada writes: Just by asking the question Martin adds to the slowly but surely developing critical mass needed to force Dion to quit. Bob Rae started it on election night. Yesterday, the 'prince' himself, Warren Kinsella, did the same thing when he reminded us that there was no mechanism in place to replace the leader. What utter #$@*! Liberals who want Dion to stay don't talk about his leaving- neither the possibility of it nor the impossibility of it.
  9. M Poland from Calgary, Canada writes: JD Smith; you are blowing hard on "traditional" Canadian values, and you ought to read the column that Lionel Chetwynd wrote recently about the same. Tradition, indeed!
  10. G H from Woodstock, Canada writes: Is it suffice to say that reality is ... there are no real credible PM's either in office or opposition. Harper is really a poor excuse for a PM (and any CANADIAN of any intelligence would have to admit that deep in their hearts), and Dion has shown nothing but indecision from the very minute the man was elected leader. Harper has not the expereince or savvy to carry this off ... yet! A man with no expereince in running anything private secotr or public and can't stop the slide. Dion is simply the nerdy guy waiting in the corner to be carried onto his pedestal. We simply need experience, wisdom and strength in federal politics. It is not the media's fault that Harper can't take direction or assistance due to his ego .... nor is it the media's fault that Dion can't decide what to say let alone speak english. Stop blaming the ills of the country on the previous administrations and hold these men accountable for their leadership. Simply spouting off against each other or the opposoite party in this forum simply shows that the rest of the country is no more able or decisive enough to make a proper decision either .... LOL ... but you guys do make for interesting reading
  11. David Jenkins from Kelowna, Canada writes: GH - right on. The HoC in its current form is a microcosm of the sort of 'debate' you see on these threads: petty, small-minded and often vicious.
  12. William Ross from Victoria BC, Canada writes: J.D. Ross : you just do not get it do you? Look at any poll on leadership and if you still do not get it then maybe you should think about defining what is canadian outisde of obvious tripe like fair mindedness or whatever. Harper is a genius and we are so very fortunate to have him sit in the PM's chair the last few years can anyone and I mean anyone honestly say how they think Dion would have made the tough decisions the last few years (I shudder to think about it)!
  13. Duane Freemantle from writes: It is understandable that there is grumbling within the Federal Liberal party. One has to wonder about these people overly anxious to get into power. It has been a major balancing power for the Liberals to keep the Conservatives in power, without causing the party to implode. The author did present some good points. One who forgets history is silly, however history never repeats itself (only the story does).
  14. Bill Harrison from Canada writes: Mr. Martin says Dion is only six points away in the public opinion polls from having a majority government. As Dion is behind in all the polls, it must mean that Harper is considerably closer to majority government which is something Mr. Martin in his defence of Dion, appears not to want to point out
  15. Bernie Mettbach from Canada writes: Without sounding disloyal to the party, I just would like to say that expecting different result from the same person who is personally responsible for having lost 2 seats in the House of Commons would be a serious error. The fact that Dion failed to inspire people to support him in Quebec is old news. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “Dion was made leader so he could deliver the vote in Quebec”. He has no support outside of Montreal or Toronto. His performance has been rather poor in the decision-making or policymaking end. He just doesn’t have what it takes. He does have a wonderful residence and other perquisites that go with the job. He would be well within his rights to demand at least one general election before he is dismissed. It isn’t likely he will resign. He’ll dig in his heals and drag the party into a devastating defeat at the ballot box. Regrettably, Dion is a very slow learner. He still maintains the untenable position wherein he demands that Liberals acquiesce and follow him into the abyss. He made the decisions responsible for losing real support. Opinion polls notwithstanding, when Dion faces Harper in a general election; his opponent will seriously outclass him. The most compelling argument to replace Dion cannot be ignored; Dion isn’t capable of defeating Harper. Otherwise, Dion would have forced an election long ago. We aren’t able to give Dion the full three years referred to. The next election is scheduled to take place next year. What’s the chance he will gain any strength by then? We Liberals need a dynamic leader who is strong enough to defeat Harper. Hoping that Dion will grow into a powerful leader is like hoping that your four-cylinder car will improve with time and perform just like a twelve-cylinder car.
  16. Hugo Hall from Calgary, Canada writes: JDSmith: don't ever presume to speak for those of us who don't vote Liberal by assuming your Liberal Party's values are the same thing as Canadian values. They're not.

    Anyways, Don Martin is a bit over the top on this one; polls notwithstanding (and most of the ones I've seen indicate the Tories on top) when it comes to actual election time, the Prime Minister will mop the floor with Mr. Dion. A lot of people fail to give credit where it is due: Mr. Harper took over a party that had single-digit popularity numbers, and in a short time took the Liberals from a majority government to a minority and then to the opposition benches. Don't underestimate Mr. Harper's campaigning skills; you Liberals are going to need a more capable leader to defeat him.
  17. Right On the Left Coast from Vancouver, Canada writes: Lawrence Martin is a Liberal Cheerleader and a dull columnist. There is a good reason his articles are available for free. For more Liberal wanking, please visit Liberal.ca!
  18. Mervin Hollingsworth from Saskatoon, Sk., Canada writes: Martin's advice is to wait. Absolutely true if you are a Conservative supporter. Martin also quotes Wilfert "Brimley" about if Harper is so great why are his polls not better. Lets's get something straight. Dion only has support in the GTA and the Maritimes, little support in Quebec and none in the West. Harper has support all across the country. As well, Harper is a much better communicator than Dion who rambles on, screws up the English language with everybody asking what did he just say.
    While Dion waits and waits and waits legislation is passing and he is avoiding non confidence motions like the plague. The media is reporting this extensivley and Canadians are now wondering where the Official Opposition is these days.
    Another issue is Dion's over the top rhetoric threatening elections every other day and then caving when it is time to vote. Canadians do not want a coward for a prime minister. Dion looks like a whippy nerd resembling the young skinny guy on the beach who consistently gets sand kicked in his face by the muscular guy. This is not who we want representing Canada.
  19. John Stanton from Canada writes: poor pathetic Liberals. This party has been full of back stabbers for years and years. The Conservatives must be laughing til their sides hurt. Go Dion Go. Keep going.
  20. JDSmith ... from Toronto, Canada writes: Well this is a 'tough crowd' here at the Globe! "Canadian Values' with which I refer to are generally those that are for fairness... which implies playing by the rules established say in international law (foreign affairs). When a government (Harper) plays ball with those that flagrantly violate those laws one must wonder what other interests this government has in mind. I certainly do not want to wait to see what Mr. Harper has in mind for Canada if he were to win a majority. Those from Alberta (here) seem to imply that Mr. Harper is speaking for them and they are content to let the business (American Business) do what it wants with Alberta's natural habit in the quest for oil, gas and wealth. What a bizarre turn of consciousness! The province that is endowed with great landscapes is now to be the prime example 'manufactured landscapes and wasteland'. These commentors (here) do not sound like established Albertans' from the land, but implanted 'nouveau riche seekers' that would like to enjoy the spoils of the land. Hmmm... yes those Canadian Values, the ones project intellectual honesty and consideration for due process. Mr. Harper does embody any of these. Dion does. So what if Dion takes time to develop stronger public persona. It is the core of the man that is important. If Harper looses, he will go off and sulk in a private think tank. He is not leader, he is an opporunist that is backed by big business. This is not the Canada that I am familiar with.
  21. John Stanton from Canada writes: JDSmith...a leader obtains results. It isnt a popularity contest. Harper has proven he is a leader hands down. He runs the country as if he has a majority. Show me another prime minister who has done that. Poor Paul Martin was awful at it. People liked him but he couldnt perform. Dion belongs in the think tank you reference....kicking out intellectually stimulating information no one will read or care about. If people care about the Liberals, they should get Dion out and continue the revitalization of the Liberal Party. While Dion remains, the Liberals dont have a chance and they will go further into debt because those who contribute to politics know it.
  22. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: Opposition syndrome you say. I beg to differ. LPC faces internal bickering resulting from a mediocre and incompetent leader. Peter`s principle handicap is a reality for chosen Dion. They should repent and move on with a new leader while preparing for the next general election. Otherwise it will be a catastrophic and predictable outcome.
  23. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: La Presse got hold of the list of LPC-Quebec candidates. Claims by Dion and Hervieux-Payette will prove to be unreliable as to how many candidates and ridings are ready for next general election. So much so that LPC goes to court to stop release to readership. Since when democracy is to be kept from Canadians? Twisted mind Liberals are at work again and claim disclosure would damage candidate privacy. As if being a LPC would be unpopular! Misfit Dion at his best.

Comments are closed

Thanks for your interest in commenting on this article, however we are no longer accepting submissions. If you would like, you may send a letter to the editor.

Report an abusive comment to our editorial staff

close

Alert us about this comment

Please let us know if this reader’s comment breaks the editor's rules and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.

Do not use this to complain about comments that don’t break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.

Top Stories by Section