By the end of today Ignatieff will be crowned as king of the Liberals. The party has displayed for all to see that the kingmakers now choose the leader again as is the natural right of kingmakers. The last episode of democratic drama failed miserably when the cast didn't understand the plot and elected the wrong leader.
Now the ducks are all in a row. Although there may be some anatomical misalignment they are ready for shitting on the hands the sequel. As far as the coalition is concerned Ignatieff has flown the coup.
Harper is now back in co-operation mode in which he will buy Liberal support. With Liberal stock so degraded this will cost little more than a stimulus and slight dilution of his acid remarks about the Liberals.
Showing posts with label Liberal leadership race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liberal leadership race. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Rae clears way for Ignatieff
Well the coronation is now almost complete and you can kiss the coalition goodbye. Unless Harper fills the budget up to the very brim with crap Ignatieff will gobble it all up while grumbling incessantly. We will now have the waiting game in which Ignatieff and the Liberal crew wait for high tide in the polls because before that the Canadian people will not want an election. Ignatieff is fortunate that Dion went gracefully along with Rae as well.
Rae clears way for Ignatieff to take over Liberal helm
Last Updated: Tuesday, December 9, 2008 2:30 PM ET
CBC News
Toronto MP Bob Rae said Tuesday he is dropping out of the Liberal leadership race, putting aside his ambitions for the "greater interest of the country."Liberal MP Bob Rae, shown arriving at his Toronto office on Monday before speaking to reporters about the leadership selection process. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)
The announcement, made at a press conference in Ottawa, paves the way for rival Michael Ignatieff to ascend to the party's top job, replacing Stéphane Dion.
Rae said Canada has been through "quite an extraordinary time" since he joined the race two months ago and it's essential the party have a permanent leader in place before the House of Commons resumes on Jan. 26.
"In these circumstances, I believe that the Liberal Party of Canada requires a new permanent leader to be in place before Parliament returns at the end of January. And it also required me to make some decisions," Rae said.
"I am not a candidate for the interim leadership, nor shall I pursue my candidacy for the party leadership at the Vancouver convention."
The veteran politician and former Ontario NDP premier offered his "full and unqualified support" to Ignatieff, saying he would prove himself a "formidable leader."
"I know Michael Ignatieff to be a person of wisdom and to be a person of generosity. He will make a great prime minister," said Rae.
Rae said the decision was "easy and obvious" and dismissed suggestions he was upset by his second failed bid for the federal Liberal leadership.
"It's just politics. It's not the end of the world here, folks," he told reporters.
No talks with Ignatieff before decision
Rae has been under increasing pressure from inside the party, particularly in the past 24 hours, to bow out of the contest.
The Liberals are eager to install a new leader before Parliament resumes in January as the minority Conservative government faces key confidence motions that could result in either a general election or a Liberal-NDP coalition's rise to power.
Rae's departure leaves Ignatieff as the sole contender for the Liberal leadership. The only other candidate — New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc — announced Monday he was ending his campaign and throwing his support behind Ignatieff.
By bowing out, Rae said he hoped to ensure Ignatieff was the undisputed and unanimous choice of the party, dispelling talk that the party is divided.
Rae noted that he had not spoken to Ignatieff before his press conference, eliminating suggestions he orchestrated a backroom deal with his friend and leadership rival.
The party executive must now determine how to install Ignatieff in a way that meets with the approval of most party members.
They had decided Monday to broaden the leadership selection process to about 800 members, rather than leave it in the hands of the caucus.
But the widened process did not appease Rae, who had been adamantly against having a select few choose the leader, instead pushing for all rank-and-file Liberals to have a voice in the decision.
Coalition in jeopardy?
With Ignatieff poised to take the helm of the party, there were some concerns that the Liberal-NDP coalition could collapse.
CBC's Rosemary Barton reported that some NDP MPs are privately expressing concern about Ignatieff's expected rise to become leader, worried it could mark the demise of the coalition.
While Rae was supportive of the coalition set up to topple Stephen Harper's government, Ignatieff has been lukewarm to the pact.
Over the weekend, he summarized his position as "coalition if necessary, but not necessarily coalition," echoing former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's fence-sitting position on conscription.
NDP MP Olivia Chow insisted that it doesn't matter who ascends to the top Liberal job.
"What's necessary is that Mr. Harper cannot be trusted. We have a very good plan," she told CBC News.
"I hope that all of the Liberal caucus after tomorrow's caucus meeting can join with us to go across the country and say that we have a plan, the plan works and we must make sure that this plan is implemented."
The creation of the coalition was triggered by widespread frustration among opposition parties over the government's fiscal update.
In late November, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered a mini-budget that proposed to ditch per-vote public funding of political parties and freeze public servants' right to strike for three years. It didn't include a stimulus package for the slumping economy.
Rae clears way for Ignatieff to take over Liberal helm
Last Updated: Tuesday, December 9, 2008 2:30 PM ET
CBC News
Toronto MP Bob Rae said Tuesday he is dropping out of the Liberal leadership race, putting aside his ambitions for the "greater interest of the country."Liberal MP Bob Rae, shown arriving at his Toronto office on Monday before speaking to reporters about the leadership selection process. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)
The announcement, made at a press conference in Ottawa, paves the way for rival Michael Ignatieff to ascend to the party's top job, replacing Stéphane Dion.
Rae said Canada has been through "quite an extraordinary time" since he joined the race two months ago and it's essential the party have a permanent leader in place before the House of Commons resumes on Jan. 26.
"In these circumstances, I believe that the Liberal Party of Canada requires a new permanent leader to be in place before Parliament returns at the end of January. And it also required me to make some decisions," Rae said.
"I am not a candidate for the interim leadership, nor shall I pursue my candidacy for the party leadership at the Vancouver convention."
The veteran politician and former Ontario NDP premier offered his "full and unqualified support" to Ignatieff, saying he would prove himself a "formidable leader."
"I know Michael Ignatieff to be a person of wisdom and to be a person of generosity. He will make a great prime minister," said Rae.
Rae said the decision was "easy and obvious" and dismissed suggestions he was upset by his second failed bid for the federal Liberal leadership.
"It's just politics. It's not the end of the world here, folks," he told reporters.
No talks with Ignatieff before decision
Rae has been under increasing pressure from inside the party, particularly in the past 24 hours, to bow out of the contest.
The Liberals are eager to install a new leader before Parliament resumes in January as the minority Conservative government faces key confidence motions that could result in either a general election or a Liberal-NDP coalition's rise to power.
Rae's departure leaves Ignatieff as the sole contender for the Liberal leadership. The only other candidate — New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc — announced Monday he was ending his campaign and throwing his support behind Ignatieff.
By bowing out, Rae said he hoped to ensure Ignatieff was the undisputed and unanimous choice of the party, dispelling talk that the party is divided.
Rae noted that he had not spoken to Ignatieff before his press conference, eliminating suggestions he orchestrated a backroom deal with his friend and leadership rival.
The party executive must now determine how to install Ignatieff in a way that meets with the approval of most party members.
They had decided Monday to broaden the leadership selection process to about 800 members, rather than leave it in the hands of the caucus.
But the widened process did not appease Rae, who had been adamantly against having a select few choose the leader, instead pushing for all rank-and-file Liberals to have a voice in the decision.
Coalition in jeopardy?
With Ignatieff poised to take the helm of the party, there were some concerns that the Liberal-NDP coalition could collapse.
CBC's Rosemary Barton reported that some NDP MPs are privately expressing concern about Ignatieff's expected rise to become leader, worried it could mark the demise of the coalition.
While Rae was supportive of the coalition set up to topple Stephen Harper's government, Ignatieff has been lukewarm to the pact.
Over the weekend, he summarized his position as "coalition if necessary, but not necessarily coalition," echoing former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's fence-sitting position on conscription.
NDP MP Olivia Chow insisted that it doesn't matter who ascends to the top Liberal job.
"What's necessary is that Mr. Harper cannot be trusted. We have a very good plan," she told CBC News.
"I hope that all of the Liberal caucus after tomorrow's caucus meeting can join with us to go across the country and say that we have a plan, the plan works and we must make sure that this plan is implemented."
The creation of the coalition was triggered by widespread frustration among opposition parties over the government's fiscal update.
In late November, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered a mini-budget that proposed to ditch per-vote public funding of political parties and freeze public servants' right to strike for three years. It didn't include a stimulus package for the slumping economy.
A bold gamble by Ignatieff
This is from the Star.
So the kingmakers are having their way this time but adding a little pseudo democratic consultation to decorate the cake for the coronation. The Liberals have agreed to broaden consultation.
A bold gamble by Ignatieff
TheStar.com - Canada - A bold gamble by Ignatieff
The ascension of Ignatieff a long time in the making
December 09, 2008 Linda DiebelNational Affairs Writer
A select group of Toronto Liberals, among them the Rainmaker's son Ian Davey, agreed over a private Toronto dinner in the summer of 2004, Michael Ignatieff would be the best leader for the federal party.
Naturally, there were hurdles, but, barring Ignatieff's failed run for the leadership, they have been remarkably successful in their efforts.
Now, having chosen their moment to strike and on the brink of fulfilment, the best of them worry, too superstitious to predict victory and aware of the cost of their gamble.
Winning means they will be remembered for rescuing a party – a country, perhaps – with courage, timing and craftiness. Or, they could be destined for failure, victims of power lust who destroyed what they aspired to save.
Ignatieff, 61, has made his move, and it can't be taken back. Losing could make of him a post-regicide Macbeth, doomed by his own sprawling ambition and the "Fire burn and cauldron bubble" wooing of the weird sisters.
A master of backroom politics on Ignatieff's behalf seemed almost paranoid yesterday, on a day he might have been over the moon.
"Oh no, no, no, it's too soon to say anything. There are too many moving pieces right now," he said, off the record. "It's been close before and we've seen it fall apart."
For him, it's crucial the leadership changeover from Stéphane Dion to Ignatieff be done with as "much unity as possible." Yes, Dominic LeBlanc's decision to drop out of the leadership race was an important piece, but still many more voices are calling for grassroots participation in the choice of leader than Ignatieff people would like.
They'd prefer to see the choice irrevocable by the end of the week. In their dream scenario, Bob Rae would have announced he, too, was dropping out, instead of continuing to carp about how it "would be in the interests of both Michael and me to have a democratic process that involves the grassroots membership of the party."
David Peterson, former Ontario Liberal premier and an Ignatieff booster, thinks Ignatieff won't fail.
"Michael has earned the right to be leader," said Peterson. "Michael did not choose this role. He's been asked by others. ... If anyone says he is trying to stage a coup, or be undemocratic, that person is not being measured and thoughtful."
He added: "Over the past few days, there's been a gelling of a lot of people's views that he has the stuff to be leader."
Still, the notion Ignatieff was a political concoction of Ontario elites – Davey, whose father, Keith, worked political magic for Pierre Trudeau; Alf Apps; Senator David Smith; et al. – doesn't appear without merit. These strategists rolled out a plan they could be teaching at the Royal Military College.
Make haste to Harvard, where Ignatieff was director of the Carr Centre for Human Rights, and interest the celebrated author, journalist and expatriate for more than 30 years, in the job of Liberal leader and (surely) prime minister. Check.
Make connections for him over power dinners in Canada and find the perfect speaking platform for his coming-out at the Liberal policy convention in spring 2005. Check.
Clinch the deal with Ignatieff, settle on the attractive Liberal riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore and ensure obstacles to his winning election in January 2006 are largely swept away. Check.
Support him in his insistence with new leader Dion he be appointed deputy leader, not policy director, then keep his leadership team intact, albeit with clanging indiscretion. Check.
By last Wednesday, when Dion appeared in the unfocused, unhip video, Ignatieff people had their moment.
From that night to late Sunday, Ignatieff's teams set out to phone Liberal MPs, party and riding executives, financial supporters and powerful Liberals.
Among the most important organizers were Davey, Apps, Ontario MP David McGuinty (brother of Premier Dalton McGuinty), Smith and Don Guy, head of the Toronto consulting/polling firm Pollara, and former chief of staff and campaign director for Premier McGuinty. Also valuable, especially in setting out the route through the party executive to the leadership, was Steve MacKinnon, former Liberal Party of Canada national director.
Ignatieff's wife, Zsuzsanna Zsohar, has always seemed his most important adviser since they met in Britain when she was head of BBC publicity for his book, Blood and Belonging.
By yesterday, Ignatieff was ready to send out email wishes.
"Over the past few days I have been honoured by the incredible surge of support from all parts of our party for my candidacy for the leadership," he wrote.
He paid homage to Dion – "debt of thanks," etc. – and said he would stand for the leadership. "Should I succeed in winning the support of the national executive of the party and our caucus as leader, I remain committed to having that leadership confirmed by our party at our upcoming convention in Vancouver, as our party's constitution requires."
Should he become leader, he added, he would "hope to immediately engage the grassroots."
The image, however, of Ignatieff as playdough in the hands of others is simplistic.
Political economist Stephen Clarkson said in a 2006 interview, "He told people 15 years ago that he thought about coming back to be prime minister."
There are signs he's been aware of a special destiny for a long time. The son of a Canadian diplomat, grandson of a Russian count and nephew of George Grant, famous writer of Lament for a Nation, he's now close to his brother, Andrew. However, Andrew recalled Ignatieff's reaction to his younger brother's 1962 arrival at UCC.
In Old Boys, James Fitzgerald quotes Andrew: "When we're at Aunt Helen's house or Aunt Charity's house, you can say whatever you want to me. But if you ever see me on the school grounds, you're not to talk to me. You're not to recognize that I'm your brother. You don't exist as far as I'm concerned. Do I make myself clear?"
So the kingmakers are having their way this time but adding a little pseudo democratic consultation to decorate the cake for the coronation. The Liberals have agreed to broaden consultation.
A bold gamble by Ignatieff
TheStar.com - Canada - A bold gamble by Ignatieff
The ascension of Ignatieff a long time in the making
December 09, 2008 Linda DiebelNational Affairs Writer
A select group of Toronto Liberals, among them the Rainmaker's son Ian Davey, agreed over a private Toronto dinner in the summer of 2004, Michael Ignatieff would be the best leader for the federal party.
Naturally, there were hurdles, but, barring Ignatieff's failed run for the leadership, they have been remarkably successful in their efforts.
Now, having chosen their moment to strike and on the brink of fulfilment, the best of them worry, too superstitious to predict victory and aware of the cost of their gamble.
Winning means they will be remembered for rescuing a party – a country, perhaps – with courage, timing and craftiness. Or, they could be destined for failure, victims of power lust who destroyed what they aspired to save.
Ignatieff, 61, has made his move, and it can't be taken back. Losing could make of him a post-regicide Macbeth, doomed by his own sprawling ambition and the "Fire burn and cauldron bubble" wooing of the weird sisters.
A master of backroom politics on Ignatieff's behalf seemed almost paranoid yesterday, on a day he might have been over the moon.
"Oh no, no, no, it's too soon to say anything. There are too many moving pieces right now," he said, off the record. "It's been close before and we've seen it fall apart."
For him, it's crucial the leadership changeover from Stéphane Dion to Ignatieff be done with as "much unity as possible." Yes, Dominic LeBlanc's decision to drop out of the leadership race was an important piece, but still many more voices are calling for grassroots participation in the choice of leader than Ignatieff people would like.
They'd prefer to see the choice irrevocable by the end of the week. In their dream scenario, Bob Rae would have announced he, too, was dropping out, instead of continuing to carp about how it "would be in the interests of both Michael and me to have a democratic process that involves the grassroots membership of the party."
David Peterson, former Ontario Liberal premier and an Ignatieff booster, thinks Ignatieff won't fail.
"Michael has earned the right to be leader," said Peterson. "Michael did not choose this role. He's been asked by others. ... If anyone says he is trying to stage a coup, or be undemocratic, that person is not being measured and thoughtful."
He added: "Over the past few days, there's been a gelling of a lot of people's views that he has the stuff to be leader."
Still, the notion Ignatieff was a political concoction of Ontario elites – Davey, whose father, Keith, worked political magic for Pierre Trudeau; Alf Apps; Senator David Smith; et al. – doesn't appear without merit. These strategists rolled out a plan they could be teaching at the Royal Military College.
Make haste to Harvard, where Ignatieff was director of the Carr Centre for Human Rights, and interest the celebrated author, journalist and expatriate for more than 30 years, in the job of Liberal leader and (surely) prime minister. Check.
Make connections for him over power dinners in Canada and find the perfect speaking platform for his coming-out at the Liberal policy convention in spring 2005. Check.
Clinch the deal with Ignatieff, settle on the attractive Liberal riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore and ensure obstacles to his winning election in January 2006 are largely swept away. Check.
Support him in his insistence with new leader Dion he be appointed deputy leader, not policy director, then keep his leadership team intact, albeit with clanging indiscretion. Check.
By last Wednesday, when Dion appeared in the unfocused, unhip video, Ignatieff people had their moment.
From that night to late Sunday, Ignatieff's teams set out to phone Liberal MPs, party and riding executives, financial supporters and powerful Liberals.
Among the most important organizers were Davey, Apps, Ontario MP David McGuinty (brother of Premier Dalton McGuinty), Smith and Don Guy, head of the Toronto consulting/polling firm Pollara, and former chief of staff and campaign director for Premier McGuinty. Also valuable, especially in setting out the route through the party executive to the leadership, was Steve MacKinnon, former Liberal Party of Canada national director.
Ignatieff's wife, Zsuzsanna Zsohar, has always seemed his most important adviser since they met in Britain when she was head of BBC publicity for his book, Blood and Belonging.
By yesterday, Ignatieff was ready to send out email wishes.
"Over the past few days I have been honoured by the incredible surge of support from all parts of our party for my candidacy for the leadership," he wrote.
He paid homage to Dion – "debt of thanks," etc. – and said he would stand for the leadership. "Should I succeed in winning the support of the national executive of the party and our caucus as leader, I remain committed to having that leadership confirmed by our party at our upcoming convention in Vancouver, as our party's constitution requires."
Should he become leader, he added, he would "hope to immediately engage the grassroots."
The image, however, of Ignatieff as playdough in the hands of others is simplistic.
Political economist Stephen Clarkson said in a 2006 interview, "He told people 15 years ago that he thought about coming back to be prime minister."
There are signs he's been aware of a special destiny for a long time. The son of a Canadian diplomat, grandson of a Russian count and nephew of George Grant, famous writer of Lament for a Nation, he's now close to his brother, Andrew. However, Andrew recalled Ignatieff's reaction to his younger brother's 1962 arrival at UCC.
In Old Boys, James Fitzgerald quotes Andrew: "When we're at Aunt Helen's house or Aunt Charity's house, you can say whatever you want to me. But if you ever see me on the school grounds, you're not to talk to me. You're not to recognize that I'm your brother. You don't exist as far as I'm concerned. Do I make myself clear?"
Monday, October 27, 2008
Manley considers running for Liberal leadership..
This is from ctv.
I guess Manley is considering running for the Liberals because the Conservative leadership isn't open right now.
Manley considers running for Liberal leadership
Updated Mon. Oct. 27 2008 12:52 PM ET
ctvottawa.ca
Fomer cabinet minister John Manley says he's thinking about running for the leadership of the federal Liberal party, but wants to test the waters and see if there's support for such a bid.
Manley, who has been out of parliament for four years, spoke about his leadership ambitions following a speech to business leaders at the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Monday morning.
"I hear from a lot of people in different parts of the country that they would like me to run and quite frankly I'm assessing it from both a political and personal perspective," Manley told reporters.
Manley says he's not craving the job but wants to test the waters to determine his political and financial support.
The former Ottawa South MP held three different cabinet posts during the Chrétien government, including deputy prime minister and finance minister. He ran for the leadership in 2003 but dropped out when it became apparent Paul Martin had enough delegates to win.
Manley angered some Liberals last year when Prime Minister Stephen Harper named him chair of the Independent Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan.
Among those expected to run in a bid to replace current Liberal Leader Stephane Dion include perceived front-runners Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae. Both men currently hold seats in the House of Commons.
The hunt for a new leader comes after Dion announced his decision to step down. The Liberals suffered one of their biggest election defeats in party history on Oct. 14, winning only 76 seats, a 27-seat decline from 2006.
I guess Manley is considering running for the Liberals because the Conservative leadership isn't open right now.
Manley considers running for Liberal leadership
Updated Mon. Oct. 27 2008 12:52 PM ET
ctvottawa.ca
Fomer cabinet minister John Manley says he's thinking about running for the leadership of the federal Liberal party, but wants to test the waters and see if there's support for such a bid.
Manley, who has been out of parliament for four years, spoke about his leadership ambitions following a speech to business leaders at the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Monday morning.
"I hear from a lot of people in different parts of the country that they would like me to run and quite frankly I'm assessing it from both a political and personal perspective," Manley told reporters.
Manley says he's not craving the job but wants to test the waters to determine his political and financial support.
The former Ottawa South MP held three different cabinet posts during the Chrétien government, including deputy prime minister and finance minister. He ran for the leadership in 2003 but dropped out when it became apparent Paul Martin had enough delegates to win.
Manley angered some Liberals last year when Prime Minister Stephen Harper named him chair of the Independent Panel on Canada's Future Role in Afghanistan.
Among those expected to run in a bid to replace current Liberal Leader Stephane Dion include perceived front-runners Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae. Both men currently hold seats in the House of Commons.
The hunt for a new leader comes after Dion announced his decision to step down. The Liberals suffered one of their biggest election defeats in party history on Oct. 14, winning only 76 seats, a 27-seat decline from 2006.
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