As I begin this Blog I have no idea – beyond a vague sense – of what it will contain.
So here goes…
First off, Bob Rae had baggage – he single handily damaged Ontario’s Economy during his tenure as Premier – albeit not to the extent done by the Office’s current holder and he jumped parties – NDP to the Liberals.
These two transgressions would not nor should not be forgotten.
But the guy has class and as such, stands head and shoulders above just about everyone else currently on the political scene. That he decided to not seek the permanent Liberal Leadership, is a death blow for that Party.
Two main reasons for his decision have been bandied about – first that he believed he could not beat young Trudeau and second that he was losing heart in trying to revive a dormant party. Personally I put little faith in the former explanation but I think that the second is more apt to contain the truth; he was getting increasingly tired of beating a dead horse.
Many pundits like to say the Liberals must “reinvent themselves” as if that was saying something profound. But I, like you, have no idea what that truly means and I suspect that many of them do not as well.
But I do know the Liberals too have a great deal of baggage that they must distance themselves from if they ever hope to regain a modicum of Electoral Success:
- Official Bilingualism has been an abject failure, it has pitted French against English, Quebec against the Rest;
- Multiculturalism too has been most divisive and we are now seeing the spoiled fruits of that vision, coming home to rest;
- The Charter of Rights has taken away democratic power from the people and handed it to the Courts; and finally,
- The out of control spending evidenced by successive Liberal Regimes – plus Mulroney’s, from the 1960s onward.
How does a Party “reinvent” itself when it sees the above as Pillars of Greatness?
The fact is, it cannot but unless it does, it is doomed and I believe Rae, of all people, understood that.
That said, the Liberals still have an Ace up their sleeve and that is Tommie Mulcair. I have predicted great bungling on his part and so far he has not let me down. I continue to have a great faith that he will continue in this vein.
I said when Mulcair ran for the NDP Leadership that he would in all likelihood win but that would be the worse thing that could happen to his Party.
The same holds for the Liberals – albeit in reverse – Bob Rae not taking over their permanent leadership is the worse thing that could happen to them.
All eyes are now on young Justin – but he is no Pierre and if he does decide to run – which he shouldn’t – and wins – which now is likely (although Rae would have whooped him) – he will be just an airhead fighting along with Mulcair for the rights of Quebec.
That’s it.
As I see it…
‘K. D. Galagher’
