This is the day that Stephane Dion either shows he's got the guts to lead or simply confirms that he is what he's appeared to be ever since he got the leadership - hapless and ineffectual.
Dion should have been able to come out swinging against the throne speech when it mattered - yesterday. That's when Harpo's agenda was scoring air time. Today, when Dion finally unveils his response, it's old news - stale. All he's done is, yet again, undercut himself.
What in Harper's fearmongering crime bill proposal or his rejection of Kyoto or his Afghanisnam 2011 nonsense was so surprising that Dion couldn't have slammed them yesterday when it mattered?
For my money, Dion had better pull something powerful out of his hat today or accept that he's unable or unwilling to actually lead a national party and hand the job to someone who wants it enough to do it.
This is D-Day, Dion Day.
17 comments:
Why would he vote against Kyoto? He has been quoted as saying that the Kyoto targets are unattainable.
And why would be vote against Afghanastan? It was he who decided to take Canadian troops out of a relatively safe area such as Kabul and put them into the dangerous Khandahar region.
People who live in glass houses . . .
sorry - it is very important that Dion not further annoy Canadians and plunge the country in to an unwanted election. Dion will keep Harper in power today. Dion believes the Harper throne speech over all is positive and that it is worthwhile trying to work with Harper to implement that agenda.
Dion should have been able to come out swinging against the throne speech when it mattered - yesterday. That's when Harpo's agenda was scoring air time.
Minor point about media strategy: yesterday, Dion's quotes would have been tacked on to the story about the speech. Today, it will be all Dion.
Minor point about media strategy? Having toiled myself in that all too flawed industry, I can tell you that the budget was yesterday's story and Dion missed the boat. Whatever today will be, it won't be "all Dion" unless he does something totally out of character.
As for the suggestion that Dion "should not further annoy Canadians" has he annoyed them so far or sparked any other discernable reaction in them? No, he hasn't. He's leading our party into obscurity as Layton brings the left and Harper brings the right increasingly toward the Liberal's home ground, the centre. Dion, outmaneuvered from the left and the right, seems completely incapable of defending the centre.
As for Anon, well you're not only anonymous but flat out wrong on your facts.
MOS
Are you familiar with the concept of a responsible opposition?
Maybe not as that's what Canada has with the NDP and the BQ.
I think its great that the Liberals sent out their critics to attack the points of the Speech yesterday vs Harper's 2 puppets reading pre-prepared text and afraid of saying the wrong word.
Today is ALL Dion and the media are falling into OUR trap.
"...the media are falling into OUR trap"? Are we now laying traps for the media? And, if you're right, just what sort of traps are we laying for the media and how are we duping them into falling into our traps? I assume this is somehow related to your concept of responsible opposition. If your thinking is representative of our leadership, we are in a world of trouble.
Regrettably, it may be too late for Dion. And I say this as a supporter. Leaders don't dilly-dally. Am I seeing this movie for the second time ... Stephane Dion as Paul Martin as Mr. Dithers. If Dion does not vote against the throne speech he should resign. I might add that Ignatieff or Rae is not the solution. If the party does not unite under Dion in an election then he should walk away and leave and let the sparring factions fight it out. Liberal voters will need to find refuge with the NDP perhaps the Green Party or a new sixth party. It wasn't long ago that the right was split. Now the Liberal party is split (right/left/centre). Harper must be smiling/smirking although I believe that Canadians are not inclined to trust him with a majority government and he probably knows this. Why would Dion continue to fiddle (attempt amendment after amendment to the throne speech? Possibly to grab the public attention over the next week to define himself and the party to Canadians who have not been paying attention over the past year. Hopefully an election is near. We need to get rid of Harper. The Liberals need clarity (pun intended). I no longer want Harper speaking for our country. Would the Stephane Dion from the Liberal convention please stand up! And if he does will the party organization be there to support him?
I can tell you that the budget was yesterday's story and Dion missed the boat
Two things: first, it was a throne speech yesterday, not a budget; second, if you think the throne speech is a one-day story, I suggest you watch the news tonight.
If Dion doesn't take down the government, we need to look at a new leader. It will only confirm the impression that is RAPIDLY taking over the country, that Dion doesn't have what it takes to lead. He is weak, and ineffective. Offering no strategy or platform worth mentioning or...voting for.
You're right Rob, I meant throne speech. I should put it on record that I was an enthusiastic Dion supporter but that was based on the assumption that he understood what was required to lead the LPC and that he had what it takes to connect with the electorate. He's had ample time to establish himself. Harper is no superman. In a great many Canadians he evokes dislike or distrust or both. Harper has been holding the CPC back, not Dion. Dion has given Harper much needed breathing room and has allowed Layton to assume the mantle of de facto opposition leader. Our leadership needs a Keith Davey to put a little spine in it and teach it how to land a punch.
I agree with SamT that it just may be too late for Dion. He needed to build momentum because his is an uphill challenge. He can't afford to pass up any opportunity to genuinely connect with the electorate, to present policies they will embrace, to mark out territory that clearly distinguishes the LPC from the NDP and the CPC. He has to be seen as decisive and determined. He has to show that he represents a government in waiting that deserves to be elected. Instead he's screwing up. He'll have my vote and I expect he'll have yours but our votes won't take the LPC where it needs to go.
I look forward to your excoriation of Dion after he wimps out today by not opposing the throne speech.
Ok, exhale and lets see what comes out of today. Jumping up and down isn't going to make the situation better, clearer or any less manipulated by the forces of CONs.
This is exactly their agenda -- get us infighting, bickering, abandoning ship -- essentially doing what the right wing went through 14 years ago.
Give Dion some credit. He won the leadership (i didn't vote for him but think he has lots of potential) but has faced almost nothing but scorn, negative advertising, public rejection by so-called liberals etc. There will be a time to pull the switch, and maybe today's the day to stand up, but let him make the decision? I'll live with it because if there is no Liberal alternative to the CONs, there is NO alternative....
www.canadianrosebud.blogspot.com
I guess "hapless and ineffectual" it is then. this was his chance to prove he had some stones...guess he doesn't. As a conservative it brings me a little joy to see the collapse of the Liberal Party under Dion, but as a Canadian I am sad to see the failure of the only truly viable option for decent government.
You folks need to fix your party...and now!
I was all for Dion too. Waiting, looking for what a lot of us are looking for....a GD LEADER. Is that too much to ask for these days?? I am tired of the squaredancing this "leaders" are doing right now. We need someone who doesn't sit and wait for the ball to volley over the net and lightly tap it back - we need a strong and decisive player. I have yet to see Dion up his game and frankly, I am tired of waiting.
ALW - aka Wudrick, what you look forward to is of no moment whatever to me.
Burl, there is no point in jumping up and down but there's also no point in investing any effort or enthusiasm in lacklustre leadership. I'm still voting Liberal, albeit utterly disappointed in our supposed leader. One of the best opinions I've received is the one that follows yours, Jim's. This fellow is a conservative but even he laments what has befallen our party.
Weenie - as always I completely agree. If Mr. D can't inspire his own party members, his fate with the undecided rests entirely with Harpo. That's a hell of a situation. No fire, no fury, no policy, no connection. No one votes for cold porridge no matter how healthy it may be.
Of course the conservative supporters wanted Dion to show he had 'stones' as you say. It wouldn't have taken much thought to rush through the door yelling charge, not looking at the situation and throwing caution to the wind.
But when your own forces are divided on which tact to take, when you've got work patching up divisions in your ranks and there remains the chance -- slim chance but one that has revealed it head before -- that the Gov't will over-calculate on forcing an election, then I think that valour could hold potential for victory, and not just of the moral kind.
But I like your spirit.
Ah...therein lies what a leader is. If he has division among the ranks, as with any leader, he has to bear some responsibility and try and fix it. I think most Liberal voters are savvy and loyal voters, the latter that may be taken for granted.
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