Some people close to me are cuckoo for Coco Puffs over the prospect of Bob Rae as Liberal leader. Don't ask me why. Now I am too young to remember the full extent of Premier Bob Rae but I do remember that his Premiership led Ontario into the loving arms of, count 'em, two Mike Harris majority governments. With PC seats in many of the areas where the CPC needs to grow (905, London, etc.). So I say why not Bob Rae as the leader of the federal Liberals.
Anyways, here is Chantal Heberts take on Mr. Rae.
One of the consequences of Frank McKenna's decision to withdraw his name from the Liberal leadership list is the loss of a candidate who, having seen Canada go to the brink as a result of the Meech Lake crisis, would have been wary of leading the Liberal party down a divisive path.Another consequence is to rekindle interest in the candidacy of former Ontario premier Bob Rae. Like McKenna, Rae is a veteran of the constitutional wars and a rare politician from outside the province who is streetwise in Quebec. Unlike McKenna, he was an early supporter of the Meech Lake accord.
The proposition that by looking out for all of Canada, Ontario was automatically looking after itself was first revisited under Rae and found wanting. Mike Harris and Dalton McGuinty both followed suit.
But isn't everybody going about this the wrong way? Shouldn't the Liberals first figure out what it is they stand for and then pick the leader that best fits their ideology for moving forward. Wouldn't it be nice if they created a nice coherent platform of policy and ideas instead of being the nice comfy fur for those whose single goal is power. Maybe it is just me he thinks that way though.
Comments (9)
Bob Rae was an excellent premiere. He came up with creative solutions—such as unpaid holiday days a few times a year for public employees. It was part of a creative budget that had something for everyone. You got the feeling even though his political orientation was from the left, he felt he represented everyone in Ontario. The public service ripped him to shreds for not favoring them as they expected and this led to his downfall. I am a Conservative and I think Bob Rae is the most innovative, intelligent politician we have ever seen in Ontario. He was also NPD, which means the Liberals could get NDP votes, as well as Liberal votes. I am confident the Liberals are too stupid to choose Rae though—they’ll probably pick a stupid, useless “star” like Belinda Stronach—which is good news for us.
Posted by 705 Blue | February 1, 2006 1:22 PM
Posted on February 1, 2006 13:22
Hello Greg, congratulations on the development of your new web site! I agree that the Liberals should “figure out what the stand for”. However, twelve years has shown that the party lacks courage, vision and morals. The framework is too rotten for a sound platform.
Posted by Lunenburg Guy | February 1, 2006 1:27 PM
Posted on February 1, 2006 13:27
And his big successes included: Closing the Queen St Mental Hospital and putting hundreds of mentally ill people on the streets. Closing hundreds of schools. Leaving a $10 Billion deficit by trying to spend our way out of it. And who got the blame for these? Mike Harris. Bob Rae was a philosophical dud. Makes him a great candidate for Lib Leader
Posted by Brian Lemon | February 1, 2006 1:27 PM
Posted on February 1, 2006 13:27
How about David Orchard for leader of the federal Liberals?
Posted by freethinca | February 1, 2006 2:01 PM
Posted on February 1, 2006 14:01
How about Joe Clark? Buzz Hargrove could be his P.R. man (if the Senate won’t have him).
Posted by Lunenburg Guy | February 1, 2006 3:44 PM
Posted on February 1, 2006 15:44
Rae busted open contracts - something that should make him anethema to right and left alike. And he still didn’t bring the budget under control.
Rae as Liberal leader would be great for the CPC in Ontario. I don’t think it will happen, though.
Posted by Ontario Conservative | February 1, 2006 4:08 PM
Posted on February 1, 2006 16:08
I somehow do not think the liberal party is going back to basics formalizing talking points gathered from around kitchen tables across the country. What’s probably more of a prime concern is picking a front man/womwan that can be the catalyst to 24 Sussex. I think it would be wise to follow the path you have outlined.
Posted by W. Verwey | February 1, 2006 9:51 PM
Posted on February 1, 2006 21:51
It would be funny to see a former NDP premier locking horns with the current NDP party during an election.
For the record I thought him to be a lousy premier, however his book From Protest to Power was excellent ( I told him so when we were talking via phone once) . He really unlearned socialism during his term as Premier.
Posted by The Meatriarchy | February 2, 2006 2:31 PM
Posted on February 2, 2006 14:31
Rae does have a sane grasp on foreign policy though. Read his National Post editorial “Parting Company with the NDP.” http://tinyurl.com/98eeq Money ‘graph: “If Svend Robinson’s foray [his visit to Ramallah] had been a solitary event, it might have been possible to brush it off as yet another escapade from a histrionic crank. But he is the foreign affairs critic of the New Democratic Party. The NDP criticizes the Third Way, opposes the World Trade Organization, sits on its hands when Tony Blair praises the advantages of markets, and denounces any military action against terrorism whether by the United States, Canada or Israel. This is not a vision of social democracy worthy of support.”
Posted by Joel Fleming | February 2, 2006 5:21 PM
Posted on February 2, 2006 17:21