Dion has signed the Liberal party death certificate

[Walter]

Thursday, Dec 4
Bedrock Lib weighs in: Realist Liberals should cross the floor
As a lifelong Liberal, may I suggest that two can play this lethal Coalition game.
If Dion can rule in a sleazy new order driven by the separatists (rest in peace, PET!), logic dictates that some centre-right Liberals might regard Harper as the lesser of the two evils and cross the floor to join him, at least temporarily. According to reports on the Web a few of the Ignatieff stripe are already entertaining this prospect. The upshot would be a true division of political authority in Ottawa at last: The forces of the Left, embracing Dion's expedient, power-mad Liberals, the NDP and the equally socialistic Bloc and a Centre-Right group, consisting of the necessarily more moderate Conservatives and Realist Liberals. After all, Harper, even though he is a bully and who inflicted this crisis on himself, at the very least supports a strong, united Canada, unlike Dion's separatist allies.
Meanwhile, may I recommend to Dion and his caucus drones that they read the essays of the late Oxford historian, AJP Taylor, on the decline and fall of the British Liberals. By seeking a coalition with the Loony Left and the separatists, they are on a similar march of folly to the one that destroyed their equally arrogant British cousins who made deals with devils.
Oh, a final thought: Surely all paid up members of the Liberal Party should be allowed to vote on whether to enter a coalition with our hitherto mortal socialist and separatist foes? Or is the Liberal party now the preserve of a clique of self-empowered MPs who would liquidate the noble legacy of Trudeau to consort with the likes of the triumphant Gilles Duceppe and the smarmy Layton? Raymond Heard

Bourque HotNews

 

[Walter]

Dion's errant TV tape: These guys want to run the country?
Posted: December 04, 2008, 8:25 AM by Kelly McParland

Liberals apologize for late delivery of Dion video

Updated Wed. Dec. 3 2008 10:48 PM ET
Josh Visser, CTV.ca News
The Liberals have apologized for Liberal Leader Stephane Dion's taped televised address, after it was delivered to Canadian networks almost an hour past deadline and in near-cellphone quality.
"I apologize for what happened tonight. I apologize for the poor quality and the lateness. I am livid and am doing an investigation as to how this happened," Johanne Senecal, Dion's Chief of Staff, said to CTV News tonight.
Dion was supposed to deliver the networks a pre-taped statement to the nation Wednesday between 6: 15 p.m. and 6:30 ET. It was to air after Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the country at 7 p.m. ET about the political crisis on Parliament Hill.
CTV, along with other major Canadian networks, pre-empted regularly scheduled programming to deliver the addresses. Harper went to air shortly after 7 p.m. but networks were left scrambling to fill airspace when Dion's tape was nowhere to be found.
Alphée Moreau, a senior Liberal communication staffer, explained how the series of technical mistakes on their part resulted in an embarrassing snafu.

The timeline (all times ET):

• 6:15-6:30 - The Liberals miss their promised deadline to deliver Dion's statement to the television networks.
• 6:40 - Liberals arrive with a single tape at the press gallery in Ottawa. They were supposed to deliver two tapes: one in French, one in English. They arrived with a single tape in DVD-minicam format, which is not broadcast quality.
• Shortly after 6:40 - The Liberals decide to run back to their offices -- a block away -- because the French portion of the tape needs another edit.
• 7:05 - Liberal staffers are still in their offices as the networks go to air with the Harper address.
• 7:07 - Harper's statement finishes and network anchors are forced to kill time as they wait for Dion's address.
• 7:10 to 7:15 - Liberal staffers arrive back at the press gallery on Wellington Street with a DVD-minicam player that they had taken from their own offices, along with the associated cables. There is still only one tape, not two. A press gallery official tells the Liberals that the gallery is not the feed point and an argument ensues. The Liberals ask why they weren't told that earlier. The feed point is next door at the CBC building, which is the long-established feed play point for all network pools. The Liberals are informed that they need to be walked into the building by authorized staff.
• 7:20 - English network anchors are still live on television, wondering where the tape is. CTV has still had no communications from the Liberals about Dion's address.
• Approximately 7:15 - CBC receives the tape and begins dubbing into French and English versions. This takes about 10 minutes.
• 7:28 - CTV decides to go off-air and back to regular scheduled programming at 7:30. CTV has still not seen a feed of the tape.
• 7:28 - CBC incorrectly punches out the finished feed only to their network.
• 7:30 - CTV signs off broadcast at scheduled time.

"We missed our deadline," Moreau said. "The shot was not all that professional. It was soft-focused."
CTV received angry emails within minutes of signing off. Some viewers thought CTV was ignoring the Liberal leader, while others thought Dion was purposely snubbing the network.

 

[Risus]

I could have done a better job of taping the talk with my cell phone.

 

[Northboy]

Thursday, Dec 4
Bedrock Lib weighs in: Realist Liberals should cross the floor
As a lifelong Liberal, may I suggest that two can play this lethal Coalition game.
If Dion can rule in a sleazy new order driven by the separatists (rest in peace, PET!), logic dictates that some centre-right Liberals might regard Harper as the lesser of the two evils and cross the floor to join him, at least temporarily. According to reports on the Web a few of the Ignatieff stripe are already entertaining this prospect. The upshot would be a true division of political authority in Ottawa at last: The forces of the Left, embracing Dion's expedient, power-mad Liberals, the NDP and the equally socialistic Bloc and a Centre-Right group, consisting of the necessarily more moderate Conservatives and Realist Liberals. After all, Harper, even though he is a bully and who inflicted this crisis on himself, at the very least supports a strong, united Canada, unlike Dion's separatist allies.
Meanwhile, may I recommend to Dion and his caucus drones that they read the essays of the late Oxford historian, AJP Taylor, on the decline and fall of the British Liberals. By seeking a coalition with the Loony Left and the separatists, they are on a similar march of folly to the one that destroyed their equally arrogant British cousins who made deals with devils.
Oh, a final thought: Surely all paid up members of the Liberal Party should be allowed to vote on whether to enter a coalition with our hitherto mortal socialist and separatist foes? Or is the Liberal party now the preserve of a clique of self-empowered MPs who would liquidate the noble legacy of Trudeau to consort with the likes of the triumphant Gilles Duceppe and the smarmy Layton? Raymond Heard

Bourque HotNews

This is sure going to be an interesting time now that we've got to watch this thing play out for the next month and 1/2.

I could see a few MPs crossing the floor as the coalition gets shaken and stirred.

One thing, its not going to be dull...

 

[JLM]

This is sure going to be an interesting time now that we've got to watch this thing play out for the next month and 1/2.

I could see a few MPs crossing the floor as the coalition gets shaken and stirred.

One thing, its not going to be dull...

You sure got that right. Anyway in my opinion Michele Jean did the right thing. A lot of people are getting two things confused = Coalitions made up of like minded parties are democratic, coalitions made of up of philosophically opposed parties are nothng more than the cheap shot at trying to dump the gov't.

 

[JLM]

Walter,

In my humble opinion you will have nothing to watch. No-one is going to cross the floor.

My opinion and personal observation.

regs
scratch

It might take me awhile to agree with you on that one, Scratch, knowing how fickle politicians can be. I doubt very much if either the Liberals or the N.D.P. have everyone on board with this coalition scheme.

 

[JLM]

JLM,

With all due respec to you and your opinion and I hope that this would be reciprocal,

Untold and unknown damage has just been inflicted on our country and we will all have to live with it.

A very sad and irresponsible occurrence happened today.

My personal opinion and personal observation.

scratch

You mean the G.G.'s response?

 

[Northboy]

Walter,

In my humble opinion you will have nothing to watch. No-one is going to cross the floor.

My opinion and personal observation.

regs
scratch

Hey scratch,

I think that has more to do with events that unfold.

Watch for at least one squeeze play politically, one defining point of decision.

All sides will try to bring one forward. The Bloc will try to make it Quebec, but I don't think that'll be the Big One, but it could.

 

[Northboy]

You sure got that right. Anyway in my opinion Michele Jean did the right thing. A lot of people are getting two things confused = Coalitions made up of like minded parties are democratic, coalitions made of up of philosophically opposed parties are nothng more than the cheap shot at trying to dump the gov't.

The GG did her job.

It comes down to how both sides play it over the next few weeks. I think it'll look like an ongoing election campaign. I hope not because I can tell you from my work that everything that we're trying to do in ec dev is being put on the back burner at a critical time, but that's the nature of our parliament.

Where do the Premiers sit in all oif this? Do they have a say I wonder.

 

[#juan]

I think Dion is gone. The Liberals will have to pick themselves a more viable leader. Dion, while he was probably a hell of a nice guy, he didn't have the required political acumen and his English, while understandable, was an albatross around his neck. The conservatives will also have to find themselves a new leader so I guess it depends on who they both pick.

 

[JLM]

I think Dion is gone. The Liberals will have to pick themselves a more viable leader. Dion, while he was probably a hell of a nice guy, he didn't have the required political acumen and his English, while understandable, was an albatross around his neck. The conservatives will also have to find themselves a new leader so I guess it depends on who they both pick.

Hey- I'm thinking of Gordon Gibson out of North Vancouver, but he may be getting a little long in the tooth.

 

[Walter]

Simma Holt
Author / Lecturer / Broadcaster
Member: Canadian News Hall of Fame
Member: Order of Canada
Member: Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians
Member: Editorial Board: Beyond the Hill (CAFP)
The only way the three losers can get power is by total contempt of the Canadian voters–with this Coalition. They jeer and yell across the floor of the House of Commons charging Stephen Harper with only one motive–wanting to hold power. The only sound we hear across the miles is their hysterical demand for their own power–power none of them could get from the voters. Canada did not vote for Stephen Dion as the leader of this country.
I was a Liberal MP in the Government of Pierre Elliott Trudeau 1974-79. But there is no place in the Liberal Party of Canada for a true Grit. Nor is there a place for western Canadinans in this Insane Hysteria from the eternal losers–the NDP, the Bloc, and their chosen leader Stephen Dion — to succeed in this Contemptible Coup.
This cries out to us on the Pacific Rim: “if any part of Canada should separate it is British Columbia.
The contempt of the voters of Canada, and indifference to the economic and political crisis not only of Canada but the world, makes all of these power seekers unfit to service in the Nation’s Parliament…
Simma Holt
​

 

[SirJosephPorter]

By seeking a coalition with the Loony Left and the separatists, they are on a similar march of folly to the one that destroyed their equally arrogant British cousins who made deals with devils.

Walter, then shouldn’t you be celebrating? If Liberals are dead, your Conservatives will be able to rule Canada in perpetuity, what are you bellyaching about?

 

[Northboy]

Simma Holt
Author / Lecturer / Broadcaster
Member: Canadian News Hall of Fame
Member: Order of Canada
Member: Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians
Member: Editorial Board: Beyond the Hill (CAFP)
The only way the three losers can get power is by total contempt of the Canadian voters–with this Coalition. They jeer and yell across the floor of the House of Commons charging Stephen Harper with only one motive–wanting to hold power. The only sound we hear across the miles is their hysterical demand for their own power–power none of them could get from the voters. Canada did not vote for Stephen Dion as the leader of this country.
I was a Liberal MP in the Government of Pierre Elliott Trudeau 1974-79. But there is no place in the Liberal Party of Canada for a true Grit. Nor is there a place for western Canadinans in this Insane Hysteria from the eternal losers–the NDP, the Bloc, and their chosen leader Stephen Dion — to succeed in this Contemptible Coup.
This cries out to us on the Pacific Rim: “if any part of Canada should separate it is British Columbia.
The contempt of the voters of Canada, and indifference to the economic and political crisis not only of Canada but the world, makes all of these power seekers unfit to service in the Nation’s Parliament…
Simma Holt
​

Well said, Simma

 

[SirJosephPorter]

This is sure going to be an interesting time now that we've got to watch this thing play out for the next month and 1/2.

I could see a few MPs crossing the floor as the coalition gets shaken and stirred.

One thing, its not going to be dull...



Northboy, no doubt that is Fidel’s strategy. He is not interested in compromising with the opposition, in reaching out. I expect an extremely vicious, nasty smear campaign against Libs, NDP and Bloc for the next two months, Fidel hoping to bully enough opposition MPs into voting for him.

It remains to be seen if it works.

 

[Northboy]

This is sure going to be an interesting time now that we've got to watch this thing play out for the next month and 1/2.

I could see a few MPs crossing the floor as the coalition gets shaken and stirred.

One thing, its not going to be dull...



Northboy, no doubt that is Fidel’s strategy. He is not interested in compromising with the opposition, in reaching out. I expect an extremely vicious, nasty smear campaign against Libs, NDP and Bloc for the next two months, Fidel hoping to bully enough opposition MPs into voting for him.

It remains to be seen if it works.

Local chatter is getting pretty heated.

It could get a bit nasty.

 

[Inteligento]

I could see a few MPs crossing the floor as the coalition gets shaken and stirred.

How many do you think have the courage to commit political suicide ?

 

[JLM]

How many do you think have the courage to commit political suicide ?

Maybe a lot - more out of frustration than courage- saw on the T.V. last night where on Lib. M.P. from northern Ontario was yapping off about the Coalition being a bunch of nonsense. I can see it too- there's a lot more in it for the party heads than for the back benchers.

 

[Risus]

Maybe a lot - more out of frustration than courage- saw on the T.V. last night where on Lib. M.P. from northern Ontario was yapping off about the Coalition being a bunch of nonsense. I can see it too- there's a lot more in it for the party heads than for the back benchers.

Several liberals are unhappy with the coalition. They are unhappy with dion. The Government will survive a nonconfidence motion in January if there is even one.

 

[JLM]

In my opinion, 30% yes--70% no.

That may be a tad optimistic- I'd say (for now) 15% yes, 85% no.