New LPC Leader?

[Birdy]

Who's it gonna be?

Out of pity, I sincerely hope Iggy nor Bob Rae are named hero of the day. If the Libs learnt anything from Chretien/Martin they must surely have learnt that these internal power struggles are a major contributing factor to their party's demise.

These times are pivotal!

In yesterday's Globe:

TORONTO, OTTAWA — Stéphane Dion will face pressure to declare within days that he will end his troubled leadership of the federal Liberal Party and let the machinery start rolling to replace him, senior party members said yesterday.

With the Liberals' election-day vote blown away like fall leaves, the overwhelming majority of members of the party's parliamentary caucus made clear that Mr. Dion, unlike former leader John Turner, will not get a second chance to lead the Liberals in a campaign, one well-placed party member said.

A torrent of harsh pronouncements rained down on him yesterday, illustrating that politics takes no prisoners. An Atlantic MP said flatly: “We gotta change the sheets.†An Ontario MP referred to Mr. Dion dismissively as the “leader of Toronto†– because that was the party's only bastion of strength after the votes were counted in what used to be a Liberal-red province. The MP said Mr. Dion should quit immediately.

British Columbia's Liberal Premier, Gordon Campbell, said voters in his province clearly were not impressed by Mr. Dion. “We can't underestimate the fact that, frankly, Mr. Dion's leadership did not resonate with British Columbians. [stephen] Harper's did.â€

One well-connected party member suggested wryly that if Mr. Dion, noted for his stubbornness and a tendency not to take counsel from within his party, didn't announce quickly that he is stepping down, the party should move the furniture out of his office.

“How do you do a putsch on a guy who doesn't understand he's being putsched?†he asked. Another influential Liberal, noting this week's early snowfall in Saskatchewan, said Mr. Dion should go there immediately and take a long walk – a reference to Pierre Trudeau's memorable statement that he made his decision to resign as prime minister after going for a long walk in the snow.

In today's Globe:

OTTAWA — Stéphane Dion is spending another day avoiding answering questions about his future after his party's election defeat Tuesday night, hunkering down at his official Ottawa residence, Stornoway.

A newspaper report Thursday morning that he was poised to announce later in the day that he would step aside is not true, party officials said. In fact, a series of emails were sent around this morning denying the report.

This is the second straight day that Mr. Dion has avoided appearing in public. The other party leaders made statements yesterday.

[phishtaper]

barring a new fresh face, the path of least resistance to a liberal win is probably bob rae. iggy has as much appeal as wet bread. and although a lot of people might dream of justin trudeau, he is still considered the offspring of the devil by many canadians.

[d_rawk]

I imagine Rae and Iggy ruin each other's chances and someone comes up the middle again.

People I could see giving it (another) go:

Martha Hall Findlay

Gerard Kennedy

Ken Dryden

John Manley

Unlikely, but who knows:

Justin Trudeau

Dalton McGuinty

Brian Tobin

Ujjal Dosanjh (he's kinda talking that way ..)

Elizabeth May

[ollie]

barring a new fresh face, the path of least resistance to a liberal win is probably bob rae. iggy has as much appeal as wet bread.

Where does the notion that Bob Rae has appeal come from? He looks like a tosser and it's way too easy to take shots at his NDP past. Please tell me what is so good about Rae. I don't even think I could vote for my local Lib with this dude in power.

What about Frank McKenna?

[ollie]

Elizabeth May

I get the impression this is just the position she's angling for.

[Birdy]

I don't think Bob Rae could win back Ontario for the Libs.

[Birdy]

Does Frank McKenna want back in? Betcha he's regretting what he said in '06.

[AD]

yeah, but you don't think Ghandi could win back ontario for the liberals.

[Birdy]

Ghandi wouldn't have even tried.

[d_rawk]

Betcha he's regretting what he said in '06.

Jog my memory?

[AD]

Go Sens! -Frank McKenna, 2006

[Birdy]

Jog my memory?

He didn't want his life to be consumed by politics.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/01/30/mckenna-liberal060130.html

[d_rawk]

Ah, thanks.

Think Brison will make a run? Didn't think to put him on my list.

Looks like Kennedy and Dryden still owe a lot (hundreds of thousands of dollars each) from the last go 'round.

[d_rawk]

Some numbers on outstanding leadership debts, from August

[Birdy]

I think Brison would be an ill-advised choice. Floor crossing, insider trading, a leadership platform similar to Dion's campaign platform.

Dalton McGuinty while I think could probably do a fairly good job doesn't want any part of it.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Guest

[d_rawk]

I think Brison would be an ill-advised choice. Floor crossing, insider trading, a leadership platform similar to Dion's campaign platform.

I don't disagree .. I wonder, though, if he will see it that way

[Birdy]

Doubt it! He's young and ambitious and now, if ever is the time for the young and ambitious Liberals.

[Birdy]

And sorry! Just re-read what you wrote.

I'd like McKenna to come back. Or Ken Dryden. Something about an NHL'er being PM makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

[Thorgnor]

You're only rooting for Dryden because you know he'd be a fucking joke trying to organize a whole political party.

McKenna up the middle.

[hamilton]

I'm waiting for John Manley to make a comeback.

[Birdy]

You're only rooting for Dryden because you know he'd be a fuÇking joke trying to organize a whole political party.

McKenna up the middle.

No, I'm not. I'm no card-carrying Conservative. I outlined my reasons for liking Dryden, which I can admit are ridiculous. He's got a bit of a trudeau-like appeal though which could be good for the Libs. I could easily envision myself voting for Frank McKenna should I be convinced the Libs would get a minority gov't.

[Thorgnor]

word.

Dryden's still a joke as an organizer, good guy, bad beaureaucrat.

[Freak By Night]

Dryden would bore the country to tears.

My money's on the pit bull - Tobin!

[AD]

I like Tobin as a choice.

I bought my car from his daughter and he did the test drive with me. Then gave me a signed copy of his book because I originally asked for an autograph for my grandma.

(But i don't know much about his politics, other than the Captain Canada stuff during the referendum)

[d_rawk]

Stéphane Dion is to expected to announce Monday that he will step aside as Liberal Leader.

Mr. Dion has not spoken in public since Tuesday night after the election results in which his party lost 19 seats and polled its lowest level of popular support since Confederation.

Liberal party officials said today Mr. Dion will speak Monday about his plans.

It is expected, according to sources, that he will say he is stepping aside and that there will be a leadership convention in May. It is not clear, however, whether he will remain as the interim leader.

There is much speculation that he will not stay as the leader, although some MPs have said they would not be averse to the prospect.

However, there is speculation that Markham MP John McCallum, who is bilingual, Saskatchewan MP Ralph Goodale and even Toronto MP Ken Dryden could serve as interim leaders.

Envoys for at least half a dozen prominent Liberals have begun making exploratory forays for cash and support for leadership bids.

People close to MPs Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae, Gerard Kennedy and Dominic LeBlanc, former deputy prime minister John Manley and former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna were contacting influential party members to test the waters.

An associate of Mr. Manley sent an e-mail to 40 people suggesting “coyly,†as one of the recipients put it, that Mr. Manley might be interested in the party leadership. Similar but even more low-key overtures were being made by associates of Mr. McKenna, although they emphasized that he was far removed from putting out feelers.

What representatives of would-be candidates made clear in conversations was their strong wish to avoid the optics of any indecent clamouring for Mr. Dion's job while he still occupies it.

Globe and Mail. More at link