Liberal Party Rebuilding

[Newfoundlander]

Middle class is key to economic recovery, Rae says

OTTAWA—Restoring the pillars of a strong middle class is key to Canada’s economic recovery, says Liberal interim leader Bob Rae in an address to be delivered Wednesday.

In his first major policy speech since he assumed the leadership, Rae lays out a roadmap to lead his Liberals back to power.

Although short on details, he lists those “pillars:” good, affordable housing and education, “interesting and rewarding” jobs, a strong health-care system and “retirement with dignity.”

And, he said, it is Canada’s struggling middle class that is the real casualty in populist, “bumper-sticker-style” politics that have been on the rise in this country.

“The trouble with the populist narrative, whether of the left or the right, is its essential dishonesty, as if a simple bumper sticker — “tax the rich” or “tough on crime” is really going to provide answers to the real issues we face as a country,” Rae says in the text of the speech, provided in advance to the Star.

“We Liberals find ourselves competing with two other parties with simplistic messages. The Conservatives want tax giveaways for the better off, the NDP wants to raise taxes and then throws in a ‘tax-the-rich’ message for good measure.”

And when Conservatives claim credit for Canada’s regulated banking system, progressive taxes and strong social safety net, they are taking credit for a Liberal legacy that’s still relevant in Canada today — maybe even more relevant in a “turbulent” world, Rae says.

“When it comes to Canada’s strengths today, the Conservatives were born on third base and think they hit a triple,” Rae says in the speech.

The Liberals were reduced to third-party status for the first time in their party history in the May 2 election — squeezed out by a majority victory for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives and an “orange surge” for the New Democratic Party, which is now the official Opposition.

Both these parties are tapping into a well of popular frustration — the same kind fuelling the Occupy movements and the Tea Party politics in the U.S., says Rae.

But while the popular frustration may be real, populist politics are not the answer, he argues.

“The Occupy movement is a powerful reflection of what happens when trust breaks down. But it’s more,” Rae says in his speech. “While it’s often seen as just a protest movement of the marginalized, it’s also speaking to a clear sense among the middle-class people around the world that the government is not in their corner; that it has stopped fighting for them.”

In an interview with the Star, Rae said he was struck by some of the people he met at Toronto’s Occupy demonstrations in St. James Park — middle-class people such as teachers or accountants who feel that their concerns and fears are being ignored by the polarized, political class in Ottawa.

“I think there’s a huge appetite for debate and I think there’s a huge appetite for the facts and I think Canadians are ready for a serious discussion on the issues,” Rae said.

Rae’s speech on Wednesday comes a day after the fall statement by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, in which the government backed away from its election promises to balance the budget by 2014-15 because of worsening economic circumstances worldwide.

Had Flaherty given that statement in the middle of the election, Rae said in an interview on Tuesday, “people would have laughed him off the stage.” The Liberal leader also said it’s revealing that the finance minister chose to give his economic statement far away from Parliament, during a week when MPs are back home in their ridings.

“It’s obviously designed to avoid questions,” Rae said.

Rae says Canadians understand that the economy and economic problems are complex.

“We can’t shore these up with grievances and complaints or with declarations of class warfare,” Rae says in his speech. “We need to have a positive, constructive, affordable approach.”

Source: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1083622--middle-class-is-key-to-economic-recovery-rae-says?bn=1

[Newfoundlander]

Do any Quebeckers, or anyone I guess, know of any potential leaders from Quebec who could become leader of the party? It's slim pickings within the current caucus. Are there any former Liberal candidates, provincial politicians, business people, or whoever in the province who could come forward.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Do any Quebeckers, or anyone I guess, know of any potential leaders from Quebec who could become leader of the party? It's slim pickings within the current caucus. Are there any former Liberal candidates, provincial politicians, business people, or whoever in the province who could come forward.

You mean Justin. He was born on Christmas Day, and he literally is the "Liberal Savior"

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Do any Quebeckers, or anyone I guess, know of any potential leaders from Quebec who could become leader of the party? It's slim pickings within the current caucus. Are there any former Liberal candidates, provincial politicians, business people, or whoever in the province who could come forward.

You mean Justin. He was born on Christmas Day, and he literally is the "Liberal Savior"

[Newfoundlander]

You mean Justin. He was born on Christmas Day, and he literally is the "Liberal Savior"

No because he doesn't have much of a clue, just nice hair and a white smile.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

No because he doesn't have much of a clue, just nice hair and a white smile.

I think you need to take a closer look at the man, not the public image.

[Newfoundlander]

I think you need to take a closer look at the man, not the public image.

I have and he hasn't proven himself over the last three years. If he wasn't a Trudeau people would not think he was leadership material, he could become leadership material but he's definitely not now.

[Newfoundlander]

What is a better for the Liberals, a Quebec leader or an Ontario leader?

[The_Squid]

What is a better for the Liberals, a Quebec leader or an Ontario leader?

How about a good leader?

If they want to further alienate westerners, discussion about whether the leader should be from Ontario or Quebec is an excellent way to do so....

They will not get my vote in the forseeable future. They were too corrupt... too phoney (ratify Kyoto, never intend to implement)...

I hope they flounder for many years to come...

[Newfoundlander]

How about a good leader?

If they want to further alienate westerners, discussion about whether the leader should be from Ontario or Quebec is an excellent way to do so....

They will not get my vote in the forseeable future. They were too corrupt... too phoney (ratify Kyoto, never intend to implement)...

I hope they flounder for many years to come...

I agree that it would be nice for them to have a leader from western Canada, or just outside of Ontario or Quebec, but the reality is that it's very complicated for them to have a western leader. The party has few safe seats, let alone in western Canada, and they need to have someone who can get elected. Trying to find a strong bilingual western Canadian who is electable is not an easy job for the Liberals. Before they can look at winning government they need to build back a base of support. Ontario and Quebec have traditionally been the party's areas of strength, but in recent years have lost those bases. They need a leader who can win them at least one of those provinces.

[olp1fan]

Liberal party has to drop most of their old policies like long gun, wheat board, kyoto.. and quit whining

then start on new policies!

What do they not understand about reinventing themselves?!

they're 3rd place!! those old policies aren't going to save them but new policies will

[Newfoundlander]

Liberal party has to drop most of their old policies like long gun, wheat board, kyoto.. and quit whining

then start on new policies!

What do they not understand about reinventing themselves?!

they're 3rd place!! those old policies aren't going to save them but new policies will

The Wheat Board was a Conservative policy.

[punked]

Liberal party has to drop most of their old policies like long gun, wheat board, kyoto.. and quit whining

then start on new policies!

What do they not understand about reinventing themselves?!

they're 3rd place!! those old policies aren't going to save them but new policies will

Their real problem is a changing democracy. We have seen it in the EU, in Australia and even in some South American countries. As the public demands transparency and openness in government old middle of the road brokerage parties like the Liberals get squeezed out because they have always won government on "Our government can give your area of the country more then another government." That is no longer how Canadian politics work which means the people now vote on parties policy and ideology which means people want progressive or conservative governments. The Liberals have been lucky to last as a party this long almost every other democracy in the world has a Labour and Conservative party which make up the majority of the vote. Liberals parties are dead across the world why would Canada be an exception?

[Newfoundlander]

Their real problem is a changing democracy. We have seen it in the EU, in Australia and even in some South American countries. As the public demands transparency and openness in government old middle of the road brokerage parties like the Liberals get squeezed out because they have always won government on "Our government can give your area of the country more then another government." That is no longer how Canadian politics work which means the people now vote on parties policy and ideology which means people want progressive or conservative governments. The Liberals have been lucky to last as a party this long almost every other democracy in the world has a Labour and Conservative party which make up the majority of the vote. Liberals parties are dead across the world why would Canada be an exception?

Nice to see you've counted them out completely.

[The_Squid]

Nice to see you've counted them out completely.

Good riddance to that corrupt bunch of liars.

[olp1fan]

Good riddance to that corrupt bunch of liars.

Now if we only could get rid of the current corrupt bunch of liars

Edited December 23, 2011 by olp1fan

[punked]

Nice to see you've counted them out completely.

Not yet just pointing out they are the only real Liberal party left in the free world.