Blue Like You

I must be spending way too much time out in the sun this summer (when it hasn’t been raining). I just finished reading Michael Den Tandt’s piece, "It’s Time for Dion to Stand up and Fight ", and am deeply troubled.

O.K. The title seems reasonable. A so-called leader can only back down a finite number of times before losing all credibility.

However, this paragraph is what’s bothering me:

As Dion gauges his timing, he’ll be given pause by the Liberals’ continuing financial woes. But he’ll be buoyed by the generally positive press his Green Shift has gotten this summer. He knows that economic slowdowns are ripe with possibility for opposition parties. And, he’ll be sick and tired of being taunted.

I would really appreciate it if my Liberal friends can provide some links to relevant polls and news articles. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

I must try to be more attentive.

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Update: So far, all I’ve been able to come up with to substantiate his claim is this - Harper hist a snag. Strangely enough, it’s by the same columnist.

Funny that…

Please check out the comments following this bit of Star propaganda - Bring on fall election, Liberals say. And note the use of the word "hurled" in the Star’s ‘news’ story. (H/T to Alberta Girl).

Reid seems a bit perturbed with Den Tandt too. Glad I’m not the only one.

Related: And if the parents won’t listen to the Green Rhetoric, you can always work on the kids - Children enlisted as ‘Climate Cops’.

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Sunday Update: Phantom Observer has a great post up that was listed at Jack’s Daily Blogger site - Diebel Decodes an Undeliberate Dion.

If my (admittedly unscientific) poll is any indication, the Tories are wise to focus on the economy as the main issue during their upcoming summer retreat.

An overwhelming majority (83%) of respondents named the economy as their most serious concern right now. Crime came in second at 10%, then "other" (which I had mentioned could include health although it is mainly a provincial area), then finally the Environment with only 2% and poverty with no votes at all.

Environmental concerns seem to fade as a priority when the amount of green in our wallets is threatened.

Today’s Post column by Don Martin provides an insightful perspective on the strategies and dynamics at play as both major parties examine their electoral positioning and potential for the fall (No better time than now for the Liberals):

…Mr. Harper is expected to gloat at being handed the perfect campaign weapon with which to eviscerate the Liberals– Mr. Dion’s $15-billion carbon tax is a tough sell to an electorate that doesn’t believe it will get it back, as promised, in tax rebates.

But as news of four-digit layoffs become a gloomy fixture in the headlines, and giant slabs of Arctic ice break free as an alleged result of man-made climate change, there’s an alignment of economic and environmental circumstances coming together for the Liberals.

That’s why this fall must be the moment when the Liberals finally put the testosterone into its writ-dropping muscle instead of delivering another three months of weak-kneed runaway voting.

To continue its series of abstentions, walkouts and token opposition MP turnouts, all choreographed to duck an election, makes a mockery of a leader who deems this government unfit to lead a nation quivering on the edge of a recession and failing to clean up an environment he says endangers the planet.

To continue playing the parliamentary soundtrack of silly committee obstructions against never-ending leadership popularity polls and nonstop election speculation will crank the House of Commons into a crescendo of political irrelevance, if it hasn’t already…

Yet if Dion cares more about his own neck than the party, he might be inclined to force his caucus to continue its role as Her Majesty’s Loyal Seat-warmers and Abstainers until Oct. 2009.

Hunter explains the strategy here, but she frames it as a question of Dion’s intelligence:

That means Dion would be smart to wait until Oct 2009, by then people might have forgotten his green shaft. Only remaining question, how smart is Dion?? HA!

Personally, I see it more as a question of whose best interests he’ll put first - his own or the party’s?

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Update: ‘Fish or cut bait,’ Harper dares Dion about election. (Globe)

I find it so amusing how Stephane Dion has the power to discern whether or not Canadians want an election. (Dion: Canadians hungry for an election.)

Up until now, he was sure that we didn’t, but apparently he foresees that we very likely will have an appetite for an election in the fall - unless of course the by-election results are not favourable to the Liberals.

And I love those references to ‘appetite’ and ‘hungry’ for an election.

The way food prices are going up, that may be all we end up with on our plates.

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Update : The Phantom Observer - Summer By-Elections: The CBC is running Candidates.

And Alberta Ardvark has a great post up: Dion confirms what MHF said about the greenshift.

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Update: - Stephane Dion’s midsummer night’s election dream, by Kelly MacParland.

Peterborough Politics: When communication goes wrong.

Steve Janke: Stephane Dion selling the carbon tax.

The Ontario NDP party is now increasing the pressure on Julian Fantino by calling for him to either resign or be fired.

This significantly ups the ante from just a few days ago when Shawn Brant’s lawyer had simply asked for Fantino to be temporarily suspended and that his comments be investigated.

My poll is still active but I may need another one to reflect this new development.

Meanwhile, do you think Julian Fantino should be suspended?

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Update: OPP head defends tactics in defusing 2007 aboriginal protest. (Globe)

Welcome CBC readers! Please vote here! (Even though the poll can’t keep up with the story!). Thanks.

Tuesday Update: Christina Blizzard has a great column in this morning’s Sun - McGuinty is right to back top cop:

…McGuinty must stand by Fantino, or risk provoking a thousand anarchists across the province.

And shame on New Democrat Peter Kormos for calling Fantino, "bellicose," "pugilistic," and "inflammatory."

Someone’s being inflammatory — and it isn’t Fantino.

I’m not always on the top cop’s side. But in this one, his personal intervention in the all-night negotiations saved the province from what could have been a bloodbath.

Suspension? I don’t think so. Give Fantino a medal.

Thank you, Christina. You can cast your vote right here.

As Don Martin so eloquently notes , Stephane Dion assisted the Conservatives in passing many substantive bills, and was also instrumental in helping this minority government attain the distinction of "having just beaten the record to become the longest minority reign since the election of 1921."

Dion’s amazing ability to decide when Canadians would not want an election has generated the following Harper accomplishments:

…Having backed away from repeated government invitations to trigger an election –the Throne Speech, budget, Afghan mission extension, crime bills, immigration amendments and even footdragging by the Senate– the Liberals have opted to spend the summer campaigning for a carbon tax instead of their own mandate.

In doing so, they’ve surrendered the best scenario for gaining ground to hopes that an economic downturn in the fall will backlash against the government, a rather morbid plan…

And if you want more highlights, check out Sandy’s list.

However, now that the pressure of having to decide whether or not to bring down the government is safely over for at least the summer, the Wizard of Ozttawa seems to have finally granted Stephane a pair. (Sorry, Garth. Was that offensive?)

Cocky Dion is now challenging Stephen Harper to a televised debate.

Now this is the kind of thing one usually does during an election campaign. However, since Stephane doesn’t seem to want Canadians apparently don’t want an election during any season, this seems rather strange. Who would watch? Who would care?

If Canadians don’t want an election, why would they waste their time indoors watching a debate?

Maybe the Wizard should have concentrated on refining Stephane’s brain instead. He seems to lack a certain je ne sais quoi. Of course in the original story, the Lion and the Straw Man learned that they already had what they were seeking all along.

What’s that old expression? (Sorry, Garth.)

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Somewhat Related Update: Star - Fixing the world by the numbers.

Greg Weston : Dion goes for whiz and shift - Sun. (Honestly, I didn’t steal your idea, Mr. Weston!)

Lorrie Goldstein: It’s about votes, not Mother Earth - Sun.

Randall Denley - Carbon caps vs. intensity targets: discuss. (Ottawa Citizen)

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Monday Update: Matt from ASTTR has a shifty new widget for you.

And from comments - The Librano$ are BAAaack!

Nik Nanos - Dions’ risky move:

Polling shows that Canadians are concerned about the environment but that when a price tag is attached, voters become more skittish.

ChuckerCanuk: The Dion Debating Society.

Stelmach slams Dion’s green plan - Canoe.

Sandy and Matt have uncovered a copyright issue with the Green Shift! Heading National Newswatch at the moment!! Also at Jack’s Newswatch. Well done!

Via the Star:

…federal Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said the premier "has always shown a lot of courage and determination.

"He’s an inspiration for what I intend to do for the country," Dion said at the provincial meeting.

Well if that doesn’t send chills up and down your carbon-taxed spine, I don’t know what will.

Dalton predicts that the Ontario Liberals will "win a third straight majority in 2011," because no other party is up to challenges facing the province .

As John Tory notes, Dalton’s Liberals are already "showing signs of arrogance that normally would have taken them two full terms to arrive at".

Not only that, but Dalton also seems to feel that questions from reporters about whether or not he would consider raising taxes in the face of an economic downturn in order to maintain existing programs are ‘ silly’.

Never mind that he does have a record of doing just that.

So what exactly is it that Stephane Dion admires so much? Is it Dalton’s ability to win two consecutive majorities? Or is it that Dalton is getting a free ride with no serious opposition? Or is he inspired by Dalton’s arrogance?

Or is it his ability to manufacture non-existing crises and then pretend to have found the solution?

Does Dion admire Dalton’s ban fetish?

Does Dion agree with enabling the victimization of Muslim women by ignoring published evidence of polygamy? (Added as an update)

If Stephane Dion were to become Prime Minister of Canada, would he be looking to Dalton McGuinty as his mentor?

I honestly don’t think Ontario could survive the effects of a Double-Dalton.

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Update: For a lighter read, this imagined diary by Joseph Brean is hilarious - Dear Diary: Dalton McGuinty.

Enjoy.

Not-so-funny-update : McGuinty celebrates while citizens die - BBS. This is a must-read. I have to admit it even flew under my radar until now. Nice job, George. Memories of SARS, eh?

Monday update: Ontario picks Darlington for new reactors (Globe). Check out the comments at this Globe site as well.

Ontario passes passes ban on smoking in cars with kids under 16 (CP). Ah, great but what if the kids are the ones smoking?

Lily-white Stephane Dion, the model of self-professed integrity, reiterates his plan to vote against the Throne Speech if a new session of Parliament is started in the fall (Election is possible, Dion warns).

This of course could force an election if the other two parties join him. If strict adherence to Kyoto becomes the pivotal issue, then I don’t see how the NDP or Bloc could avoid this action and still maintain their own credibility.

Kaptain Kyoto assures us that we can trust him:

“I never broke my word in 11 years in politics,” Mr. Dion said. “I am a trustworthy person … I want to destroy the sense of cynicism that no politician will stick to his or her word. I always did it. I don’t over-commit and when I’m committing, I will deliver. It’s the message this whole caucus will carry.”

Never mind that the previous (Liberal) government’s record on greenhouse gas emissions under the stewardship of then Environment Minister Stephane Dion was abysmal.

As Dion continues his ‘Yeah-but-you can-trust-me-now’ tour, he assures Nova Scotia and Newfoundland that “he would respect offshore revenue deals with Nova Scotia and Newfoundland even though, as the New Democrats pointed out, he strongly opposed such agreements when he was a cabinet minister.”

CNEWS reports that Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald is prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt (Dion forced to defend previous opposition to offshore deals for N.L. and N.S.) - H/T CBL.

Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams of course welcomes him with open arms since ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’; whatever he may have said or done in the past.

Of course, Stephane Dion is not the only politician who said one thing in the past and then appeared to change course when it was deemed politically expedient.

Stephen Harper himself once called Kyoto a ’socialist scheme’ before having his apparent climate change conversion (although the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive concepts).

But Stephane Dion is trying to paint himself as some kind of guileless pillar of integrity; a politician who would never break his word.

That is an oxymoron in politics, and anyone who believes otherwise is a fool.

Still catching up on goings-on from the last little while, but I have to agree with Steve Janke - Stephane Dion has no choice but to try to bring down the government.

He must vote against the throne speech. However, the other two parties have to be on board as well. He will need to win over their support. Are they ready to go to the polls?

Both the Globe and the National Post seem to be tired of hearing Dion’s whining and threats as well.

The Post says to “Bring it on”. I agree.

Show us what you’re made of, Stephane!

Adam Radwanski has a strange way of complimenting Stephane Dion.

Stephen Harper will never, ever face weaker opposition than he has from Stephane Dion in the past seven months…

…Admittedly, he’s still not exactly lighting any fires; the Liberals aren’t moving up so much as the Tories are sinking…

Interesting comments too. The first one by ‘Wet Back’ is very thought-provoking.

And I like this bit from the second one:

And we have yet to hear Dion’s costing out of fully implementing Kyoto.
And… the significance that will have on health, education, infrastructure budgets.
To name three.

Dion’s silence has him at exactly the same place Martin was when he resigned.
Once Dion opens his mouth, down, down he goes.

Kept those columns coming, Adam!

Stephane Dion is quite proud of himself for having thwarted the election plans of his arch rival:

“We have succeeded to make sure that Michael’s the government’s plan would fail.”

I suppose we can infer from this that the Liberal Senate has decided to pass the budget.

Update: Dion’s victory party may be a bit premature.

Then again, maybe Dion should push for an election now anyway.