The Liberals: "free-for-all" in Quebec

Dion does not seem to have the power to shut up his critics. He was also unable to protect Jamie Carroll. These Quebec Liberal king-makers are no doubt the same people who were in power at the time of the Sponsorship Scandal or are they a new crowd?
Anyway whoever they are they have are more concerned about their own power than the welfare of the Liberal party. I don't hear Ignatieff and Rae declaring their undying loyalty to Dion. Maybe the press reports just haven't mentioned this.
With Harper taunting the opposition to vote down the Throne Speech, the time is long past for bickering. I'm glad I'm not a Liberal, I would be so mad my remaining teeth would be gnashing! If the Conservatives manage to elect a Conservative government this fall it is the Liberals who can claim much of the credit.
Harper is not in majority territory in the polls. If Liberals back Dion and wage a good campaign the result would likely be another minority governmment perhaps even a Liberal minority.

THE LIBERALS: 'FREE-FOR-ALL' IN QUEBEC

Growing crisis forces Dion to cancel trip
JANE TABER

SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER; With a report from Daniel Leblanc

October 4, 2007

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion has cancelled a trip to the Arctic so he can stay close to home and manage the crisis in his party, especially among the troops in Quebec.

Mr. Dion will shuffle his caucus later this week, handing out new critic roles and realigning his team in preparation for the new fall session, according to a senior Dion aide.

Last night, Mr. Dion was to travel to the North and spend three days in Yellowknife and make several stops in Nunavut. But an announcement late yesterday said he has scrapped the trip for now.

"He felt that the priority was to be here on the ground making sure that everybody was 100 per cent focused to those particular milestones and initiatives ...," said the Dion aide, noting that the Liberal Leader had also just named a new principal adviser.


Brigitte Legault, the national vice-president (French) for the Liberal Party, described what is happening in Quebec right now as a "bit of a free-for-all."

Mr. Dion has been under fire from within his own party since the Liberals lost a key Montreal seat last month and over comments attributed to his national director, Jamie Carroll, about hiring more Quebeckers.

The Liberal Leader has not made public appearances this week. Rather, he has been in discussions with his officials and planning moves to address the problems, including disunity and infighting.

Leaks to the media about internal party affairs which have rattled Mr. Dion's leadership appear to be coming mostly from Quebec.

Meanwhile, yesterday was the first day on the job for Mr. Dion's new principal adviser, Johanne Sénécal, a Liberal operative with a decade of experience in Quebec City and another decade in Ottawa.

"... we've got somebody who is ... incredibly qualified to deal with the management and refocusing of our efforts in Quebec," the Dion aide said.

Ms. Sénécal replaces former Chrétien cabinet minister Marcel Massé, who had to step down because of health issues. She was Mr. Dion's chief of staff for three years when he was a minister in the Chrétien cabinet, and comes into the office as the top official. Although Andrew Bevan continues as chief of staff, she is to call the shots.

Ms. Sénécal was recruited by Mr. Dion. And in a press release yesterday, Mr. Dion said that she will "lead" his team in the Opposition Leader's office.

Mr. Dion is expected to replace Mr. Carroll in the next few days.

This week, Mr. Carroll issued a strongly worded memo to senior party officials threatening to sue over the leak to the media of the controversial statements, which he denies making. He also said in the memo that he would stay in his position if he was given a unanimous endorsement from the party executive.

However, the executive is leaving Mr. Carroll's future to the leader. It met on Tuesday night, but did not discuss Mr. Carroll's memo or the comments, according to Robert Fragasso, president of the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal Party.