Dingwall, Martin and the need for Renewal

[Riverwind]

I heard an analysis of the Dingwall situation from a Conservative supporter who usually would not let the Liberals off the hook when it came to corruption. His point was that it now looks like the vast majority of Dingwall's expenses appear to be perfectly legitimate and the media storm was much ado about nothing. He went to say that the media storm was a result of mishandling the story by Martin and the PMO who panicked at the first whiff of scandal pressured Dingwall to resign and offered him some big incentives to do so.

Martin could have defended Dingwall and explained why the media had the story wrong. Now Martin is in the even worse situation of defending a ridiculous severance package.

I believe this explanation makes sense and it is just another example of how the Martin gov't is stumbling from crisis to crisis with no ability govern coherently. One could argue that Martin would not be governing like this if he had a majority, however, I believe giving the Liberals another majority at this point in our history would be very bad for the country because it would just feed the growing cynicism and alienation felt among at least 60% of the Canadian electorate (particularily in Quebec and Alberta).

That said, I still believe the sponsership scandal was blown way out of proportion and that the majority of Liberals (including Martin) do not deserved to be tarred with the label 'corrupt', however, the party deperately needs some R&R and a chance to renew itself. Which is why I am coming to the conclusion that a majority Conservative gov't would be the best outcome for the the 2006 election.

However, the Conservatives need to grow beyond their roots in rural Canada an recognize that the large cities in Canada are where most of the voters live and that they have start thinking about what the urban voter wants: i.e. roads, trains buses and social housing are good - guns are bad. Gay marriages and immigration are not problems - the misguided 'wars' on terror and drugs are problems.

If Conservatives want to win the next election then they must move beyond Gomery and an sponsership and build a positive vision for a future that includes something other than tax cuts and more guns for everyone.

[Canuck E Stan]

the party deperately needs some R&R and a chance to renew itself

Spar,

Totally in agreement with you on this one.

Seems the agenda that the Liberals have, doesn't exist.They are only trying to keep their heads above water and nothing else.

No vision,no plan, nothing to give Canadians a directive to the future.

Some R&R might remove some of the arrogance they have been displaying and put them back on the ground with the rest of us.It may give them the realization that they are not guaranteed the right to govern and that they must earn our vote.

At the same time the Conservatives if elected, would have to show us they will correct the failures of the Liberals. Not doing so, would be giving up the one chance they have to prove they have the ability to make government more accountable to Canadians.

I think for this next election the voter could be best served by giving the Liberals a time out and the Conservatives one chance to prove themselves.

[fellowtraveller]

I agree with much of the OP, except for the scale of the sponsorship scandal. It is a significant event in the eyes of many Canadians.

It seems impossible that a couple of hundred million dollars just ambled out the govt acounts and some of it somehow stumbled into Liberal accounts with no political direction.

Dingwall is significant too, and not for the expense thing. I believe that many Canadians, including me, wondeer why supposedly businesslike agencies, like the Mint, are always run by Liberal Party hacks with no experience in business?

I'm also not so sure that any government can heal the deep discontent that too many citizens are feeling with the federation. Why bother with a little timeout until the Natural Rulers get their house in order? Are we simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic? We need to make major changes to our model of governance, this one no longer serves too many.

[tml12]

I agree with much of the OP, except for the scale of the sponsorship scandal.  It is a significant event in the eyes of many Canadians.

It seems impossible that a couple of hundred million dollars just ambled out the govt acounts and some of it somehow stumbled into Liberal accounts with no political direction.

Dingwall is significant too, and not for the expense thing.  I believe that many Canadians, including me, wondeer why supposedly businesslike agencies, like the Mint, are always run by Liberal Party hacks with no experience in business?

I'm also not so sure that any government can heal the deep discontent that too many citizens are feeling with the federation.  Why bother with a little timeout until the Natural Rulers get their house in order?  Are we simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?  We need to make major changes to our model of governance, this one no longer serves too many.

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