|
Monday Nov. 28, 2005 |
BACK |
NEXT
Federal Libs
DeTrudeauize the party
by Angelo Persichilli
THE HILL TIMES
TORONTO--It's going to be long, tough and dirty. It's not the Iraq war, it's
the election campaign. If you want proof of how nasty it will be, just take
a look at last week's exchanges in the House between the opposition and
government benches.
Based on what political leaders are telling Canadians, there are criminals
and thieves in one corner, and on the other side, there are insensitive,
heartless individuals who are ready to starve poor children and trample over
the rights and freedoms of citizens.
There are many reasons why public policy debates have turned from the real
issues affecting Canadians to the demonization of opponents. My personal
favourite reason is because neither of the major parties has a charismatic
leader and both the Liberals and the Conservatives are going through major
renovations.
Both parties had to deal with the disappearance of great leaders--Pierre
Trudeau for the Liberals, and yes, Brian Mulroney for the Conservatives. The
two leaders were able, using their charisma, to stitch together different
interests and ideas under the same roof.
Alexander Mackenzie, Canada's second prime minister, once said that there is
"no sinecure in trying to keep together a crowd of French Liberals, Irish
Catholics, Methodists, Free Traders, Protectionists, Eastern Province Men,
Western men, Central Canada men, Columbians, Manitobans, all jealous of each
other and striving to obtain some advantages or concession." And now they
have the ethnics too!
Once Trudeau's and Mulroney's influence disappeared, the collage fell apart.
The Conservative Party's "de-Mulroneyization" was sudden and traumatic
(reduced to two seats in 1993) and they are still trying to recover.
The Liberals are going through the same thing, but in slow motion. The "de-Trudeauization"
of the Liberal Party started with John Turner, it was put on hold during
Jean Chrétien's era, but now is in full swing with Paul Martin. The Liberal
Party is no longer the house of many ideas, groups and people. It is
restricted to a sect of a few young individuals whose lack of ideas and
vision for this country is second only to their ambitions and
presumptuousness.
The boys have abolished the Liberal Party but, incapable of building a new
one, they want to destroy the alternative, the Conservative Party. The
Conservatives can't help but react in kind.
So, with no charismatic leader and no public policy to unify Canadians,
watch for the skunk fight in the long, drawn out, upcoming winter election.
|
