The National Executive for the Liberal Party of Canada has set Dec 2nd and 3rd in Montreal as the date for the party to elect its next leader. As well the party has revealed that it has loosened the rules governing who can enter the race and has said it has plans to make up its $4 million debt by Fall.
Now with only one declared candidate the question we have to ask is that does anyone care about this leadership convention and, more importantly, how will the party get its membership excited about the convention and, more importantly, rebuilding the party around its new leader.
For one, the party executive and staffers in Ottawa need to spend a lot of time counselling regular members from coast to coast to coast on what is needed in a leader. It's not time to charge forward and use similar tactics to when Paul Martin was running for the leadership - tactics that divided the party, caused Sheila Copps and John Manley to run away from the party and laid the path to the last election. Instead its time to look, listen and allow ordinary Canadians the chance to pick its leader in the most inclusive way possible. The party should look at options like one member one vote - ensuring that all members have a say - not just those elected at a riding association meeting.
The convention in December should be used as an opportunity to speak to Canadians about where this party has been and, more importantly, where this party wants to go. How it can provide a true vision and true and valid option for Canadians.
The convention should be the party's new beginning. A chance to show that despite the recent loss and the issues that plagued the party - the Liberal Party of Canada is still the most representative party for all Canadians.
If these steps aren't taken and the December covention is nothing but a coronation of who the decision makers want to be leader I predict the "winner" should get used to parking at Stornoway for many years.
P.S. - Former Prime Minister Paul Martin quietly Resigned today as official leader of the Liberal Party. Martin has done all he can and discovered it was not the right time for him with the Canadian people. The one consolation he can have is that he was able to shake the ghosts of the past that ensured his father, Paul Martin Sr., was never able to run for the top job - that and the fact that he can go back to his shipping company and make millions before he retires in luxury. Good Luck Mr. Martin and thanks for your service to your country.
1 comment:
The Liberals have a superb opportunity now to really make a difference, not only thorugh the leader they eventually choose, but just as important through the policies they espouse.
The time has come for this country to rewrite many of the old and now outdated Acts by which we are governed, and the Liberals should look long and hard at that opportunity. For instance, a complete overhaul of the Immigration Act, of the Acts governing prisons and parole and Youth Justice, to name only two but which includes many others,including the Canada Health Act, and the Act governing the care and management of Native People, would show the strongest leadership efforts we will have seen in years. Such action will bring Canada up to date with the best in the world, which, of course, is not necessarily, or even usually, the USA. If the Liberals were to run on a platform of full reform, with clear and concise vision for the rewriting of these ancient and cumbersome Acts, they will get elected easily, and their new leader(s) will have a solid platform on which to build their vision of a new and improved Canada.
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