Would the liberals win with LeBlanc as leader?

[Shwa]

I have to agree... I too would like to see a little, make that a lot, more fire coming from the Liberal side of the isle...

I'm also equally card-less and it's because I'm waiting for the behind the scene "brainthrust" of the Liberal party to depart and be replaced with people that understand that things have changed since the '80s when these people came in with the Chretien-Martin era... They suck quite frankly and are a big part of the reason the "Leadership conventions" (Dion and Ignatieff) became such a farce... As well as HORRIBLE campaign strategies that left Canadians cold...

Ignatieff is way too Obama like and pragmatic to be a successful politician... Politics is a blood sport and the current crop of Liberals including their Leader haven't yet learned how to fight in that kind of arena...

So then the question really boils down to who can stomach the gore which will be necessary to fight the CPC on their own terms? I am thinking Dom has the chops now. I am not as confident in Trudeau at this point and his pedigree might be a bit of a distraction.

It is interesting that this over-conciliatory and over-diplomatic ethic has filtered down, at least in our local ridings, to the grassroots and is very troubling. I know quite a few formerly active old timer Libs who simply don't fit in anymore because they are still willing to scrap. We might call that old-school and some folks might point and say, 'oh, look at that church-like religious zeal for Trudeau,' but what they are missing is that those Trudeau era Liberals would take you on - pick your corner. Nowadays too many of them want to intellectualize everything and it comes off as simple-minded excuse making.

The tough fight in Durham is that we have recently elected a whack of conservative city councils and their austerity-at-all costs horsehit attitudes. It's creepy and sad. The only way around that is to put 'em up and dance.

Edited February 22, 2011 by Shwa

[jbg]

It isn't really that simple though. Exports, imports, interprovincial regulations and programs, are all partly federal responsibility. Our Constitution is very much one of interpretation based on circumstance.

If I recall correctly Trudeau actually used "export controls" as the way to implement the NEP without running afoul of the provincial nature of resource jurisdiction. It was also a very clever end-run around the constitution.

Need I educate you on the fact that resources are a provincial matter, not Federal, under the British North America Act? socialist Quebec Canada had no right to stick its paws into Alberta's resources.

Yet they can stick their paws in if it's off the coast.

If the oil were off Alberta's coast, even presumably on their lengthy surf beaches it would be fine.

I'm not Ken Dryden either.

*********************

I am sure he is a smart, amiable man. My experience of him comes through other channels and he came across as bewildered and clumsy. Very Dion-like. Mind you, since that experience - which I wrote him off as potential PM material - I haven't bothered with him. That was a few years ago. I'll keep an open mind and check out his website. Hopefully there will be some killer instinct there, which was completely missing last time around and is completely missing from the LPC today.

We don't need anymore cerebral pussycats.

It seems that in Canada Parliamentary experience is front and center in the making of a good leader. In the U.S. some of our best have come from the world of acting and athletics; on the right, Ronald Reagan, in the center, Arnold Schwartzenneger (sp) (yes I know he was a Republican but that was due more to certain peculiarities of California politics than conviction), and Bill Bradley, on the center-left. I am sure we have more examples.

[Saipan]

I'm sure Stephen Harper is quite happy with the present selection of Liberal leaders. Whether Dion, Ignatieff, Trudeau, Rae......

[Posc Student]

The Liberals need their "Brian Mulroney", someone from outside the political realm who can come in with a clean slate and bash Harper.

[Saipan]

Someone who can walk on water.

[Sir Bandelot]

If the oil were off Alberta's coast, even presumably on their lengthy surf beaches it would be fine.

And yet that situation is also unfair, to places like Newfoundland

[GWiz]

Well, if that was the case, why did the Albertan economy collapse immediately after the NEP was enacted? Why did all the oil rigs pull out? Why did the Calgary commercial office space vacancy rate jump to nearly 33% in just a few months?

Why did so many people lose their jobs and their homes?

If this was an example of "all about attaining it's unbelievable potential..." then you and I have very different bench marks with which to measure. I have this vivid mental picture of PET addressing the laid-off workers in Calgary, wearing a Jedi robe and with ears like Yoda, saying "Just DO! There is no TRY!"

I already told you...

To get the real WHY you'd have to understand the reasoning of the Oil Producing Companies... Those mostly US parented companies saw the writing on the wall of what it would do to there profit margins and acted accordingly, short term pain (pulling out or slowing down production) vs long term sustained, and unquestioned, MEGA profitability...

Do you actually think that US's (and other foreign oil interests) were interested in a National Energy Policy for the benefit of Canada?

That's the antisesis of what Oil Companies wanted and they fought it tooth and nail... What's sad about is that Albertan's bought in on the side of the oil companies instead of the side of what's best for their Country... But hardly surprising... Trudeau was prepared to help Alberta (as well as other provinces affect by the NEP) weather the change over, but the PCs with the help of the NDP stopped Trudeau from taking the steps needed to fully implement the NEP... Then along came Moroney and his sell out of Canada to those same foreign intrests culminating in Free Trade and NAFTA which permanently killed any hope of an independant DOMESTIC Oil and Gas market which Mexico still has and gains the benefits from...

It's basically as simple as that... Corporations winning against Countries is nothing new... They rely on turning the people against the interests of the country all over the world, it's VERY profitable you know...

Gas prices in Mexico -

Last Update (prices change 1x month) Feb_12_11

Magna per liter - MXN $8.92

Premium per liter - MXN $10.18

Diesel per liter - MXN $9.28

Magna - Gal. in USD / CDN USD - $2.81 CDN - $2.77

Premium - Gal. in USD / CDN USD - $3.20 CDN - $3.16

Diesel - Gal. in USD / CDN USD - $2.92 CDN - $2.88

Exchange Rate - USD 12.03

Exchange Rate - CDN 12.18

Liters per gallon 3.79

Edited February 22, 2011 by GWiz

[Saipan]

Oh yes, China has interest of Canada in mind. For sure.

That's why Liberals criticized Harper for not being friendly enough towards China.

Like Martin was, having his ships repaired in Shanghai to save on labour. (and fired some Canadian crews to hire foreigners)

[Sir Bandelot]

Yes I'm sure that's why he hasn't shaved, he's planning a leadership bid.

What we need is real leadership skill. Not just a pretty face. The pretty face sells, to a certain mind-numbed population but then what we have is a leader who is only a public face, while someone else is actually directing the country. In fascism, there is the cult of personality. The nice smiling face that consoles us and tells us how everything is going according to plan, things are improving. Meanwhile a powerful board of directors is the one that really calls the shots. In our case, big shot industry leaders, the wealthy, the elite. When will people stop looking the other way, while this keeps going on. I've seen it happenning all the time. Innocent people, screwed over, time snd time again. While those in the upper eschelon congratulate themselves for a job well done. It's because you people refuse to face what's really going on here. You refuse to accept that the plutocracy, exists.

And we are all sheep

baaa, baaa

[jbg]

If the oil were off Alberta's coast, even presumably on their lengthy surf beaches it would be fine.

And yet that situation is also unfair, to places like Newfoundland

Sometimes accidents of geography alter the legal or political landscape. That's inevitable.

The shutdown of the Newfoundland fisheries, to benefit foreign trawlers, is far more galling.

[Posc Student]

I see no leadership qualities in Justin Trudeau at this moment, the only reason people think he's leadership material is because of his last name.

[PIK]

The libs have not learned anything , and bob rae is the next leader. They still think we owe it to them to give the power back. As for justin trudeau, come on people the boy has done nothing but live large ,he has no idea what it is to want for something , to have to save and scrape to get anything and to have to actually work for a living. The ''old days '' are gone and the libs better start thinking that way.You have been drubbed down to a regional party and that has not even hit them yet ,they still believe,the are a national party, and as for dryden, who in hell can even listen to that man for 4 minutes let alone 4 years.

[GWiz]

I see no leadership qualities in Justin Trudeau at this moment, the only reason people think he's leadership material is because of his last name.

Talk to him...

http://www.justin.ca/

[GWiz]

The libs have not learned anything , and bob rae is the next leader. They still think we owe it to them to give the power back. As for justin trudeau, come on people the boy has done nothing but live large ,he has no idea what it is to want for something , to have to save and scrape to get anything and to have to actually work for a living. The ''old days '' are gone and the libs better start thinking that way.You have been drubbed down to a regional party and that has not even hit them yet ,they still believe,the are a national party, and as for dryden, who in hell can even listen to that man for 4 minutes let alone 4 years.

No worries, Dryden isn't interested in becoming leader of the Liberals anymore for very simular reason to what you say...

Bob Ray will never be the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada...

[GWiz]

What we need is real leadership skill. Not just a pretty face. The pretty face sells, to a certain mind-numbed population but then what we have is a leader who is only a public face, while someone else is actually directing the country. In fascism, there is the cult of personality. The nice smiling face that consoles us and tells us how everything is going according to plan, things are improving. Meanwhile a powerful board of directors is the one that really calls the shots. In our case, big shot industry leaders, the wealthy, the elite. When will people stop looking the other way, while this keeps going on. I've seen it happenning all the time. Innocent people, screwed over, time snd time again. While those in the upper eschelon congratulate themselves for a job well done. It's because you people refuse to face what's really going on here. You refuse to accept that the plutocracy, exists.

And we are all sheep

baaa, baaa

I agree... It exists and it is taking over...

If you are Conservative, Vote Liberal... It's this country's only hope of not becoming the 51st State (in practice if not in name)...

[bush_cheney2004]

...If you are Conservative, Vote Liberal... It's this country's only hope of not becoming the 51st State (in practice if not in name)...

...and boom, there it is just like clockwork. Sorry, but you're in line behind Puerto Rico and Guam!

[Saipan]

Talk to him...

About Fidel Castro?

[Posc Student]

Talk to him...

http://www.justin.ca/

I've seen plenty on him and do like him but I don't think he is fit to lead a country.

[GWiz]

...and boom, there it is just like clockwork. Sorry, but you're in line behind Puerto Rico and Guam!

Ahhh, yes, the difference in Canadian and US perspectives, in the US we already are...

[Jack Weber]

I see Mr. No Facts/Non Sequitor has done what he always does...

[GWiz]

I've seen plenty on him and do like him but I don't think he is fit to lead a country.

OK...

I've listened to him, I saw how he interacted with the audience, kinda like that Obama speech which brought him to prominence back when, it made the difference for me...

[GWiz]

I see Mr. No Facts/Non Sequitor has done what he always does...

Be NICE my friend, be NICE, it's the Canadian way, while the bears are busy licking up the honey it's much easier to kick them in the ass (or below)...

[GWiz]

About Fidel Castro?

That was his dad that was Castro's friend, and he's rather hard to get a hold of but you are certainly welcome to try...

[bush_cheney2004]

Ahhh, yes, the difference in Canadian and US perspectives, in the US we already are...

It will never happen. Canada is the USA's oldest and closest...ENEMY!

[GWiz]

It will never happen. Canada is the USA's oldest and closest...ENEMY!

I understand, "keep your friends close and your enemies closer", gottcha...