About this user
The Great Canadian Leadership Debate '08 was really intended as a spoof of our party leaders. Moreover, like any good spoof there must be a semblance of reality. It was never intended as an impetus for a blog fest but for some that is what, at least to some degree, it has become. If it becomes a vehicle for discussion, it is an unexpected bonus.
I am reluctant to add to the political blog but here goes - the way I see it. I do not - repeat - do not, have any political party affiliation whatsoever.
I subscribe to the concept of best person (man or woman) for the job.
Pierre Trudeau (a Liberal) was one of the finest Prime Ministers this country has seen. He was a world-class player on that stage and Canadians (like him or lump him) recognized that. He was the captain of the Liberal ship and guided this country through some horrendously turbulent times - I admired him.
Stephen Harper (leader of the Conservative party) is also a world-class player. He, like Trudeau, looks at Canada as a participant on the world stage from the top down view or global perspective. Canada, like it or not, is a player on that stage. In all things, the leader must juggle the economy, the environment and everything else including the slings and arrows of his own party and the opposition parties posturing for the biggest piece of the electoral pie. He does this well and realistically is the only leader capable of navigating Canada through heavy seas.
In the English language debate Mr. Harper wore kid gloves, his blows were restrained, all in keeping with the warm and cozy sweater-wearing persona his strategists feel he needs to project. The cold and out-of-touch qualities he was saddled with in the past by some of the opposition parties and easily led (or agenda driven) media, was inaccurate. He did (past tense) strike me as someone unaccustomed to the attention and glare of life in the big league. All behind him now I am pleased he's at the helm.
Mr. Layton, in reference to Harper's "platform under your sweater" remark was well rehearsed. Jack doesn't do so well on the real impromptu. Aside from trying to gain more exposure in the media five-second video-byte debate highlights, Jack really came off as, well, an ass. There is something fundamentally wrong with a potential leader who alters his rhetoric to suit the crowd. Chameleon like. - No lizard leader for me thanks.
I like Stephane Dion (leader of the Liberal party), as a professor I could listen to him all day, with a little help from my French/English slang dictionary. The language problem alone does not discredit the man. I believe he has sound ideas in an ideal world. The problem is that world, only exists to some degree, in a campus bubble. Stephane, started to rebuild the entire "carbon tax" house when it became clear to Liberal strategists that potential buyers were practically non-existent. The fact the tail wagged the dog doesn't smack of leadership quality to me. Sort of - go here - no go there.
Gilles Duceppe (leader of the Bloc Québécois party) - for Canada? Be serious. Not even for Quebec. Quebecers live in the same world as the rest of us. This is really not the time to start treading water on your own no matter what your mother tongue is. How do you say "Help I'm Drowning", en francais? Chances are they won't understand you in the poor old US of A and even if they did, they couldn't afford the rope to throw you.
Finally, Elizabeth May (born in Hartford, Connecticut leader of the Green Party) just wants to be leader for some party somewhere. Incredible to think a party whose supporting beam is environmentally founded. Save the whales, save the planet, cut down on those carbs and we can do it, for less, than any one else. I have watched her on camera in face-to face confrontations with potential Greeners. She was engaging and topical and most of them walked away from these improvised meetings, at least willing to think about Green, and bearing a smile. The smile, I suspect, was more from getting that illusive five minutes of fame rather than the face-to-face with the chief cook and bottle washer of the Green Party.
I agree that we need to continue toward a less polluted world but again, as a player on the world stage, and in a manner with gradual economic impact to Canadians. Globally speaking, it does little good to spend billions plugging up leaks in the Canadian pollution hose when China, India and others have the pollution culverts wide open.
In closing the topic that the no-leader leaders have harassed Harper with, during and after the debate, is the "where's the platform" question. Like a bad "where's the beef" commercial. This ruse perpetrated for those who do not know that when you are the government it is called "policy" - when you're not it's called a "platform".
Oh you leader wannabes you! ☺
bamfrmcan
Age
61
Country
Canada
bamfrmcan
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