Justin Trudeau + Bill Blair = open nomination?

[Derek 2.0]

So it appears the Trudeau Liberals are welcoming into their tent former Toronto police chief (who headed the force during the G20 hippie skull thumping) Bill Blair:

Former Toronto police chief Bill Blair faced questions about his handling of the 2010 G20 protests and his support for Conservative anti-crime legislation as he appeared with Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau Monday in Ottawa.

Blair announced Sunday that he wants to run for the Liberals in Scarborough Southwest, a Toronto seat now held by New Democrat Dan Harris.

Blair still faces a vote by Liberals in the riding before he can become the party's officially nominated candidate, making it unusual for him to be at a media question-and-answer session with the party's leader.

Interesting that Trudeau holds a press conference with Blair, who's yet to win the riding nomination......what of the other prospective Liberals in the riding and the open process?

Likewise, Trudeau supporting a candidate that supports much of the current Government's law and order agenda, but well doing so desires to uphold Canadian's Charter Rights, like his force did during the G20 or Trudeau's Pop did during the "FLQ crisis", using the Army to protect Government buildings and aide police in mass arrests......why would Trudeau support Blair? One would think Trudeau would run away from him......but then, he also welcomed Eve Adams...

It will be interesting to see those who support Trudeau, well decrying the acts of Toronto police during the G20, square this circle

[Derek 2.0]

Furthermore, another interesting fact, Trudeau's presumptive candidate, former Toronto police chief Blair is also supportive of "carding":

Blair, whose plan to run as a Liberal in the upcoming election emerged Sunday, defended the use of carding by police. During his tenure as chief in Toronto, he was caught up in controversy over the practice, which many consider discriminatory. Blair justified the practice of creating police files on people who have not broken the law as part of information gathering needed to keep communities safe and prevent crime.

Interesting thought, if the Trudeau Liberals were to form Government, and Blair end up in cabinet, could we then see the RCMP "carding" on a National scale? Surely a national police carding program, combined with Trudeau's support of the Governments anti-terror Bill, would be welcomed to "keep communities safe and prevent crime".....

Edited April 28, 2015 by Derek 2.0

[Boges]

The stink of the G20 can't be washed off of him.

[Topaz]

Are all you guys saying that Harper hasn't done the same? Of course he has.

[Rue]

Derek as you pointed out it is absurd.

My personal belief is he real good cops stay at mid level no higher tha Superintendent level. They don't want to turn on their men to climb.

From what I hear the new guy they picked was pushed. They wanted a by the books no nonsense number cruncher who hates the spot light, understands the money game of cutting budgets whenever possible and is willing to cut budgets and the fact he was black was seen as an added bonus. I was told you have to be a number cruncher first, then and only then the black might have helped all things being equal.

From what I gather he is a desk jockey but did not have to stab too much to climb as he was pushed.

He appears to be a sober, bland, hard working by the books guy so if anything that's good.

The fact is you can't operate a large police force unless you play the money game and his being black did not hurt his career but it does create an unrealistic expectation that simply being black means he can undo all kinds of perception problems.

Police politics. its bad stuff man. Intense and dirty as it gets.

Blair and Justin. uh yah. There's a dynamic duo. Batman and Robin.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Rue

[Big Guy]

I suggest that when you want to win a riding then you run an individual who has a chance of winning. The riding is currently held by the NDP after years of Liberal domination. I assume that the theory is that the Liberals feel that the Liberal vote will stay with them, the NDP vote will stay with them but the "law and order" Conservative vote may now coalesce back to the Liberals. An interesting strategy.

I wish Blair and Trudeau lots of luck but we have already learned that Chiefs of Police do not necessarily make good representatives or good politicians - just ask the voters of Vaughan.

[PIK]

Maybe this will be a split vote and the conservatives pick it up.

[Big Guy]

You may be right. In the 2011 election, NDP, Conservatives and Liberals were all pretty close. The Green candidate may be make the difference and/or how much time Elizabeth May will spend in the riding.

[Smallc]

Are all you guys saying that Harper hasn't done the same? Of course he has.

Was anyone even talking about Harper?

[Hydraboss]

Was anyone even talking about Harper?

That's the only subject she can discuss (read: rave on about). EVERYTHING is Harper's fault. Pluto not being a planet is obviously his doing too.

[AngusThermopyle]

That whole Pluto thing is what really ticks me off about Harper. Why'd he even think he had to do that?

[cybercoma]

Justin Trudeau wasn't happy enough shooting himself in one foot over C-51, so he thought he'd shoot himself in the other foot by bringing in the man under whose watch police violated several laws during the G20 summit.

The Conservatives are right. Trudeau's not ready to be a leader.

Edited April 28, 2015 by cybercoma

[Keepitsimple]

Justin Trudeau wasn't happy enough shooting himself in one foot over C-51, so he thought he'd shoot himself in the other foot by bringing in the man under whose watch police violated several laws during the G20 summit.

The Conservatives are right. Trudeau's not ready to be a leader.

Somebody stole Cyber's Login.

[Argus]

Are all you guys saying that Harper hasn't done the same? Of course he has.

Yup, in a cynical (and successful) ploy to get the Italian vote. And the genius they recruited? Julian Fantino.

Still, Trudeau is the guy who's going to do things differently... or was.

[cybercoma]

Somebody stole Cyber's Login.

I've never supported Trudeau. You haven't been paying attention.

[jacee]

Somebody stole Cyber's Login.

Hint:

Not everybody who isn't a Conservative is a Liberal.

.

[Derek 2.0]

Justin Trudeau wasn't happy enough shooting himself in one foot over C-51, so he thought he'd shoot himself in the other foot by bringing in the man under whose watch police violated several laws during the G20 summit.

The Conservatives are right. Trudeau's not ready to be a leader.

And this is another demonstration as to why I have the utmost confidence (and have been predicting for several years despite polling) the Tories will form another majority this Fall. Furthermore, though I wouldn't have thought it likely last Summer, despite current polling, I could still see (as even more "progressive" Canadians get to know Trudeau) the NDP retaining the Official Opposition title this fall..........

Perhaps Naheed Nenshi for the Liberal Democrats in 2019?

[cybercoma]

Trudeau is making the critical error I mentioned years ago when Bob Rae stepped in as interim leader. He needs to define the Liberal Party as something different than the NDP and the Conservatives. The problem is that he's just borrowing policies piecemeal from both of those other parties. There's very few people who want some patchwork of Conservative and NDP policies. Progressives are going to be completely put off by his support of bill C-51, not to mention the brazen arrogance to say he's only supporting it now so he can change it when he's PM. He's glossing over that minor detail called "election." Now he's supporting Bill Blair, who even Conservatives such as Argus criticized over his handling of G20. Meanwhile, he adopts policies from the NDP like taking a party stance on pro-choice, which is anathema to many conservatives, but more importantly is often opposed by the staunch Catholics from the Liberal francophone base. Moreover, he outed women who claimed they were sexually harassed by his MPs when it wasn't necessary and they asked for discretion. All to make a political point about how he stands up for women's rights, though his lack of discretion showed otherwise. Strategically, Trudeau is a mess who stands for everything and nothing at the same time. If you're either conservative or progressive in Canada, you have better choices that are going to more closely align with your values. The Liberal Party doesn't align with anything other than popular opinion polls and the direction of the wind. They've lost their way by trying to be a Big Red Tent and not actually standing for anything.

[Keepitsimple]

Trudeau is making the critical error I mentioned years ago when Bob Rae stepped in as interim leader. He needs to define the Liberal Party as something different than the NDP and the Conservatives. The problem is that he's just borrowing policies piecemeal from both of those other parties. There's very few people who want some patchwork of Conservative and NDP policies. Progressives are going to be completely put off by his support of bill C-51, not to mention the brazen arrogance to say he's only supporting it now so he can change it when he's PM. He's glossing over that minor detail called "election." Now he's supporting Bill Blair, who even Conservatives such as Argus criticized over his handling of G20. Meanwhile, he adopts policies from the NDP like taking a party stance on pro-choice, which is anathema to many conservatives, but more importantly is often opposed by the staunch Catholics from the Liberal francophone base. Moreover, he outed women who claimed they were sexually harassed by his MPs when it wasn't necessary and they asked for discretion. All to make a political point about how he stands up for women's rights, though his lack of discretion showed otherwise. Strategically, Trudeau is a mess who stands for everything and nothing at the same time. If you're either conservative or progressive in Canada, you have better choices that are going to more closely align with your values. The Liberal Party doesn't align with anything other than popular opinion polls and the direction of the wind. They've lost their way by trying to be a Big Red Tent and not actually standing for anything.

Well said Cyber - and I apologize for implying that you were usually a Liberal by saying someone stole your login. All you said is true - and they wanted Trudeau to be the front man. Little did they know that for all his "Public Speaking", he is a dreadful communicator. That said, I - and others have said that if they had elected Marc Garneau as leader, things would have been much different.