It’s been more than two years since Paul
Martin took over the leadership of the Liberal Party and became Prime
Minister of Canada, but hardcore Liberals are still asking themselves why he
forced out his predecessor and almost destroyed the party.
For those of us who cover
politics and speak to MPs on a daily basis, the excitement of this election
race has given way to sadness. Liberal MPs want to know how the party got to
this low point of being reduced to a minority government and potentially
being relegated to the opposition benches.
Under Jean Chrétien’s
leadership the party was healthy‹they won three back-to-back majorities;
Canadians were working, the economy was booming with a very low prime rate
and inflation was under control. The political opposition was in disarray
and the Liberals had a 60 per cent popularity rate in Quebec. Yes, the
opposition was dead because of internal squabbles and the international
economic environment helped big time; however, there were no national
reasons to get rid of a leader at a time when the country and the party were
very prosperous.
Nonetheless Chrétien was
unceremoniously forced out.
Many Liberals, privately, for
now, ask themselves: Why, Mr. Martin? They know the answer.
They believed, along with many
Canadians that although the economy was important, the respect of
Parliamentary institutions takes precedence over everything. Under Chrétien,
the weekly caucus meetings were only an opportunity for the non-elected
members of the PMO to give marching orders to the "trained seals" or "cry
baby" MPs. Many Chrétien Cabinet ministers were treating their colleagues
with disrespect.
This is why Martin took over.
He shouldn’t believe for a moment that he became leader and Prime Minister
because he had a group of young skilled organizers around him. Considering
the events of the last few years they, as someone put it, don’t even know
how to organize two shoes in a box.
Martin’s success goes to most
of the MPs and hard-working Liberals who elected him, hoping for a more open
party and more respect for Parliamentary institutions. It was not because he
had to deal with separatism, the economy or the Americans that he was voted
in‹it was already dealt with‹his predecessor did a pretty good job. When
Martin took over,however, he disappointed the party faithful not only
because he failed to address the democratic deficit issues, but because he
made them worse. While there was no respect for the caucus under Chrétien,
Martin neutered the Cabinet. Ministers are treated like a necessary nuisance
and the power, now more then ever, is in the hands of a few non-elected
people. They believe they can win not with the power of their ideas, but
with the brutal force of the political elimination of every opponent.
Martin would have won the
Liberal leadership even if he had a normal race with 10 candidates against
him‹most of the MPs and the rank-and-file had already made up their minds.
It was in Martin’s best interest to have a fair race rather than weed out
the Chrétien camp successors‹he would’ve had a united party behind him now.
Unfortunately, some in his
group now who are running the election campaign still don’t believe in the
strength of their own ideas and feel more comfortable winning a race with no
opponents.
That’s how they are trying to
hang onto power on Jan. 23‹only rude, shroud fights against whatever happens
to be in front of them. They do not seek a dialogue with the opposition to
try to win the debate; they feel comfortable with no opposition.
Can you imagine? They threw a
lavish party in 2004 when they lost the majority and were only able to save
the day with a miniscule minority. I’m wondering what kind of celebration
they’ll organize if they relegate the once undefeatable party into the
opposition benches.
