It was interesting to see which people said no to the Conservative Party this week. Rona Ambrose, Pierre Polievre and Jean Charest all said, "No, thank you." Susan Delacourt writes:
Just as Harry and Meghan’s story shed some light on the downside of the monarchy, the non-leadership choices of Rona Ambrose, Jean Charest and Pierre Poilievre might also force us to take a look at how political leadership in Canada is not exactly a prized occupation at the dawn of the 2020s.
It’s maybe too early to give this year a theme, but the first month seems to have been dominated by stories of aversion to titles and public life.
Polievre opted for family life. Ambrose opted for private life. But the most telling explanation for not running came from Jean Charest:
“The Conservative Party of Canada has undergone deep changes since I left in 1998. My positions regarding a number of social issues are based on deep convictions,” Charest said in a written statement. “I have a happy family life as well as a very active practice at the national law firm of McCarthy Tétrault.”
There was a clear subtext to what Charest said. Stephen Harper set the template for a leader of the Conservative Party. And it boiled down to one common theme: grievance. As the Leader of the Opposition, Harper was an axe grinder. As Prime Minister, he was the Axe Grinder-in-Chief. Remember the snitch line for "barbaric practices?" Remember the Mike Duffy Affair? Remember the Atlantic Accord and Harper's take on the Maritimes culture of defeat?
Who wants to be the Axe Grinder-in-Chief? It's a job that's not worth having.
Image: Pursuing Outdoors
16 comments:
Being party leader is all about unfettered power. Who wants to play second fiddle to a behind the scenes control-freak like Harper?
Cap
Good point, Cap. Harper never really left the building.
What passes for a Conservative Party today is becoming stale-dated. Its base are aging-out. The angry old white man shtick was bound to fade and outright appeals to xenophobes and bigots can backfire. The worst is that the Western-centric Tories have no viable climate change policy and seem too internally divided to craft one. Perhaps it's time for the PCs to reclaim their party but Peter MacKay isn't the guy to do it.
Charest was a genuine PC, Mound. But he knows with whom he's dealing.
.. in my view, this is a new era, a new style of vote corruption designed to 'control the odds'. Of course it is added weaponry to enhance & supplement the other black ops & modes.. just as capturing media is one of the key tasks of any coup, along eith the palace of course.
Babel on the Bay (see Progressive Bloggers) long ago predicted via his Indy blog, that the provincial Liberal leadership 'race' was a foregone conclusion.. or convulsion favoring Steven De Luca.. who has somehow overwhelmed the membership drive for votes. (a la Patrick Brown and Jagmeet Singh) That 'leadership' tactic smacks of the pro life, anti abortion & evangelical 'End Times', Gog and Magog Rapture 'Conservative' factions intent on 'owning' every Conservative riding campaign office possible to ensure Federal candidates meet their approval and have their backing.
Now we have the bizarre spectre of Steven Harper leaving the crypt for some reason known only to himself and Ray Novak. Oddly there are some small voices out in the bewilderness, such as Warren Kinsella's idea that only Ms Michelle Rempel Garner can bring the Harper ReformaTory flock into the modern age ! Presumably Stevie and Ray blew their cognac out their noses in laughter on hearing that. Ms Rempel is basically a variation with just a tich or tad more 'gravitas' than Sleepy Rob Anders or Marilyn Gladu who at some point will cease her petulant howling.. or maybe not, and start trying to fork over the 300,000 Large and 3,000 supposed paid memberships
Regardless.. If Stephen Harper sniffs or desires a winning opportunity to regain the Prime Minister's job.. there are several possibilities to consider.. ie the upside versus the downside. Also Peter MacKay would have to withdraw ASAP and prior to a Harper entry announcement prior to the deadline. He's not going to appreciate having to cowardly withdraw after a Harper entry. And does anyone think MacKay is willing to run against Harper.. and lose (disgrace, political career ending)
But the upside for Harper is 3 years running the Opposition out of Calgary no doubt with his cabinyet Ray Novak. By then Trudeau may be bored and set for life to walk away laughing. Harper could also trigger a prompt Non-Confidence vote ! Uh oh.. downside there is he loses such a snap election ! Total disgrace, snickers from the Scheer camp.. and the vaunted Harper Reformative Party a smoking ruin and rabble rump
Even if its just a MacKay coronation, the Reform Rumpsters look like idiots in my view.. a rabble now seeking a new 'look' a new 'brand' a new flavor and/or an industrial strength new deoderant scent. Meanwhile, Jason Kenney is paddling in the ever growing tar sands tailings ponds, surround by 'All that wealth in the ground'.. and herds of virtual buffalo, put another way he's trying to put past its due date Bitumen flavor toothpaste back in the tube and sell it to Asian nations.
Whew !! Aint we lucky to have all these wannabe heroes gonna reinvent Canada ??
Sunny Daze indeed !!
I'm a bit puzzled by all the talk about Harper returning from the grave, sal. I really don't see the upside. More than that, a western based party is likely always to be a rump.
Thanks for the post.
In my opinion, the withdrawal by two of the three is unfortunate. For a democracy to work well there needs to viable active parties which appeal to many. If this is a permanent shift for the Conservative party, it will disappear into the wood work, in my humble opinion.
given the lack of time for organization, etc. for candidates, it has dawned on me that the "former axe grinder in chief" wants to have a run at Trudeau again. don't know how will head the Conservative Party, but if harper comes out of the closet, would not be surprised.
a western based party" please leave B.C. out of this. we are the only true western province in Canada. Alberta, Sask., Manitobia are "eastern" provinces and remind me of that movie Eastern Promises. Perhaps Kenny is waiting to be drafted? awaiting his crown? He isn't going to oil his way into a resurgence of the Alberta economy and it is doubtful he wants to reign over a province which is on a down ward slide. His oil/gas/tar economy is not going to improve Alberta's economy. Only a more forward/future looking economy is going to improve Alberta's position. At one time it was a have not province and Kenny is taking it back there, fast.
There are quite a few people who speculate that Harper wants to make a comeback, e.a.f. He would be wise to resist that temptation.
I agree that Kenney is looking to the past -- not the future -- e.a.f. Unfortunately, he has convinced a large number of Albertans that the future lies in the past.
Too many fawning interviewers have been giving Mr. Here-for-Canada the senior statesman treatment as of late. It appears to have gone to his considerable head. I wouldn't be surprised if he were contemplating a return. It's what he's always done. He sits watching from the bushes whispering little things that will stir up just a little more shit until conditions are appropriate for a saviour to suddenly appear on the scene. Then he sleazes his way back in.
As I've written, John, I think it would be wise for Harper to stay in the bushes. But large egos find it very hard to hide there.
.. errgh ! Seems the Omar Khadr Case or Story or Fables 'have legs'.. as political animals and swayback lame Main Media have spurred or disinterred the entire dealio all over again. Seems Mr Khadr is or was to speak at a school of higher learning - AKA a Canadian University. (though not welcome in Doug Ford's basement rec room or the Kenney War Room.. no invitation to the dinner table at the Scheer household either)
The basics seem to be the 'Honorable' Erin O'Toole stands charged now with dog whistling on the matter. His ancient screeds on the matter are woefully or sinfully slanted and convoluted Harper Valley PTA level.. and he with his always n evermore Proud Military Service is an authority dontcha know oh how Khadr throwed the fatal Made in USA grenade while buried in the ceiling rubble of 500 lb bombs !
The other basics is .. uh .. well maybe Peter MacKay, another illustrious 'Leadership' wannabe candidate, maybe wishes the whole sordid myth would just GO AWAY ! If indeed Messrs MacKay & O'Toole go mano a mano.. would O'Toole raise the spectre of the Harper/MacKay scandal re ANYTHING AFGHAN they touched or torched.
Down the road re a Federal Election.. which could happen anytime, those wholesome Liberals will need to maybe keep pretty darn quiet about anything Afghan.. seeing as OUR Minister of Defense was not just privy too, but actually in Afghanistan and attending the highest level military shindigs and staff meetings of joint forces in that theatre of war. Ulp ! He must know exactly what was going on with prisoners of war.. all relative under The Geneva Convention last I looked. Its certain Harper/MacKay & seemingly now O'Toole as well as any 'Conservative' candidate all toe the Harper Party Line re Khadr.. and few issues or Canadian perceptions have been as skewed as those regarding Mr Khadr. That has actually skewed way way across partisan trenches and lines of belief. Its possible only 5% of Canadians really understand the entire story, now that's effectkve skewing in anyone's book... but ! Seems the Supreme Court of Canada didn't buy the tales or 'reasoning' of Harper/MacKay.. hence 10 Million taxpayer $ folks
Perhaps it would be fine fare in the runup and free media exposure of our precious political geniuses 'under' Harper ! Hey too.. fine fodder for the eventual and ultimate debate at their 'Leadership' Conflagration. (apologies my constant compulsion for 'scare quotes') Meanwhile.. and I do mean 'MEAN' .. the story has caught fire again, like a peat fire in the Canadian Arctic.. it just won't die
The bottom line, sal, is that the Conservative Party is still the Harper Party. It hasn't changed.
One of the problems that will enable the Khadr settlement to be brought back to life in perpetuity is that, alter being "repatriated" on the taxpayers' dime, his mother was never held to account for her absolute unfitness as a Canadian parent. Then there's the sister and the wounded brother who received a waiver of some sort so that the public could pick up the tab for treatment of the injuries he had sustained as a foreign fighter doing the bidding of some terrorist organization. When people think of Omar they are reminded of the transgressions of the whole brood and many of them can't help but feel that as a nation we have the recipient of the chump treatment in caps. But let's not take it out on Guantanamo's Child. Let him have his millions as long as the rest of the clan never sees a penny of it. And ask him to agree to keep granny away from whatever kids he might eventually have. That'll give us a few ounces of the pound of flesh we feel we are owed.
Omar has paid for other people's sins, John -- particularly those of his parents.
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