Bob Rae Will Have To Go Back to Diving Naked Off His Boat Dock - Opinion 250 - News for Northern and Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada

Bob Rae Will Have To Go Back to Diving Naked Off His Boat Dock

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 03:53 AM

Michael Ignatieff , leader without one single vote taking place. Only in Canada you say? “Pity”.

The Party Brass, not the rank and file, greased the pole and sent Stephan Dion on the slide down earlier this week.

Bob Rae, the former NDP Premier of Ontario(did I say NDP, not Liberal?) will have to be content with a nice portfolio, and a senior post should the Liberals ever be elected.

Rae, and the man who wanted to control parliament, Jack Layton, suddenly find themselves on the outside looking in. Layton who at one point last week was scheduled to have six, count them, 6 cabinet ministers in the new government and six secretaries, no easy chore, when you consider that the Liberals who were bringing 77 seats to the coalition , while the NDP had 37 and an 18% popular vote in the country. Layton who some years ago was living in subsidized housing while earning a big fat salary must have been thinking that life is good when you get a cabinet Minister's salary and the perks that go with it.

All last week Layton would have trouble getting to sleep thinking about what he was about to pull off, well with a little help from his former associate Bob Rae.

While there will be much written about the fact that the GG allowed Harper to prorogue parliament thereby escaping the knife from the opposition, in the end, the decision will go into history as a wise one.

Ignatieff quietly stayed away from the effort to get the three parties together. He could smell an election and with it, a pitch by the Conservatives that if you vote either Liberal or NDP you are voting for the same party along with those damn separatists. Ignatieff knew the Party, already riding at one of its historic lows, could be cast as just another left wing party. He stayed clear and while he got to the front of the class by the back door, sits in a position to re build the party before heading head long into an election that Harper would have been happy to hold last week.

As for Stephan Dion, he has learned that in the game of politics one minute you’re a hero, the next you are a bum and as for Bob Rae, he will have to be content to dive off his dock buck naked to get some play in the future.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 03:53 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

Comments

Posted by: Eagleone on December 10 2008 6:11 AM

That sums it up pretty good I think.

I think Ignatieff will make a good opposition leader, and so Canada wins in the end. A weak opposition means Canada loses in every case no matter who is in government.

I think Ignatieff is the wisest MP in parliament on international issues... and I really hope that Harper takes this into account in a bi-partisan effort to make parliament work.

Canada could be at war with Pakistan and Iran... if Israel gets its way... and we will need wise men to keep the neo-con machine in line when that time comes. I think Ignatieff is the only MP that would have the credibility as opposition leader to provide guidance in such a situation IMO.

Posted by: ammonra on December 10 2008 9:08 AM

Rather than argue rationally against people whose opinions are disagreed with, it is very common to resort to ad hominem attacks. It can be a very appealing practice as it usually leaves the attacker with a self satisfied feeling of having done something, when they have merely insulted, no matter how pleasantly. Self satisfaction should not be confused with valid comment, they actually have no connection to each other, and usually allow the prejudices of the attacker to show through.

As an example, no comment is made about Harper's refusal to work with the Opposition, behavior which stimulated the whole event in the first place. This despite the electorate clearly expecting him to do so, and after he had promised he would.

How anyone can possibly know what another person is thinking while waiting to fall asleep is beyond me, except perhaps when they write an opinion piece the next morning. Likewise, what the eventual opinion is of these events will have to wait for 50 years or so, unless one is a clairvoyant, of course, and even then I would be wary.

Interestingly, although the NDP got 18% of the vote, Harper only got about twice that, showing that the Conservatives have merely twice the support of the NDP, hardly a level of support that justifies "my way or the highway" attitude towards government.

I don't know how all this is going to work out and I wouldn't presume to guess, but I suspect that it is not over yet. Let's not forget that, despite the propaganda campaign presently being conducted by the Conservative Party, the opposition parties still control more seats in Parliament than does Harper and that our Parliamentary system allows them to vote however they choose in the House. They could depose Harper at the first confidence vote if they wanted to, whether they will do so remains to be seen.

Posted by: Bridge on December 10 2008 10:17 AM

ammonra, You got it right. Makes me think that Ben is one of the 63% that would vote conservative if an election were called.. Dont forget Ben there are others across Canada that do not vote conservative. Only in Prince George.

Why is it that some are so blinded by who the cooalition really are. Could there be a biased oppinion be cause the bloc are involved? One should not forget that they were also elected by citizens of Canada.

Taking cheap shots at at the NDP and origins of their leaders doesnt show much class. Its one of the things that has always attracted me to the NDP are the grass roots and honesty of these people.

As for Bob Rae he is a very intelligent and has a lot of class and at times a humble person. It is unfortunate that people see him as a failure to govern our great country becaues the past now haunts him.

Cheers

Posted by: seamutt on December 10 2008 10:41 AM

"if Israel gets its way",Eagleone your funny.

Don't forget Bob Rae tanked Ontario.

Posted by: Eagleone on December 10 2008 1:50 PM

Seamutt, Israel (Ehud Barrak (spl) Defence Minister), said only last week that they will attack Iran on their own without the Americans before the Jan20th inauguration.

The Americans have warned them against this, and said it would impact their relations with America, but the Israeli's are confident that is a risk they can afford to take. Israel is hell bent on starting a mid east war with Iran and Iran is hell bent on ensuring no oil gets out of the middle east if they are attacked.

Canada would very likely get sucked in if the neo-cons have their way because the neo-cons have their speeches and foreign policy platforms written by Mossad agents.

Furthermore Israel is very active in India encouraging them to attack Pakistan and the Pakistani nuclear program that their Israeli air force can not reach. I think they will coordinate both attacks at the same time triggering a regional nuclear war... Canada will be asked to get involved because our troops are in the strategic middle of both nations under proposed attack. A nuclear war with extremists suicide soldiers employed by all sides involved.

At least Ignatieff realizes it is the aparthide policy of Israel and their generational genocide of the Palestinian state that inflames the mid east animosity. That is a far more independent thinking then we see from any of our other timid Mossad influenced politicians that are in it for power only and the service of the B'nai Brith party bosses.

Awareness of the geo-political traps is the kind of thinking we need to keep us out of getting into their wars for their moral reasons IMO. Harper lets them write his speeches, so I have no faith in him keeping us out of their wars.

Posted by: Eagleone on December 10 2008 2:01 PM

Only weeks ago Harper was awarded for his efforts to advance the war on terror. The only Canadian ever to receive the zionist gold medallion.

----
Canada's prime minister was awarded B'nai B'rith International's highest honor, the Presidential Gold Medallion for Humanitarianism.

"We have only presented our Presidential Gold Medallion for Humanitarianism to a handful of outstanding, exemplary, and distinguished recipients," said Moishe Smith, B'nai B'rith International's Ottawa-based President. "This highest of honors is reserved for only those individuals who have demonstrated inspired international leadership and service to society well beyond the call of duty." Canada's prime minister joined the ranks of the past recipients of this award who include David Ben Gurion, the founding prime minister of the State of Israel; Golda Meir, the first woman prime minister of Israel; and U.S. President Harry S Truman.

Posted by: Eagleone on December 10 2008 2:03 PM

With the budget pushed back Harper allows for new emergency spending in January without it being tied up all ready with other commitments. The stimulus package could be far different then most Canadians are anticipating....

Posted by: Eagleone on December 10 2008 2:09 PM

PS In Harpers acceptance speech to the B'nia Brith he indicated Canada fully supports Israel's struggle... thus Israel's planned new war.

Posted by: Bridge on December 10 2008 2:43 PM

seamutt, dont forget that Mulroney and the PC's have tanked us for years. And then there is Afghanastan.

Cheers

Posted by: MrPG on December 10 2008 3:04 PM

Eagle, still beating the same old drum I see.

Conspiracy theories are fun but one shouldn't get too involved with them.

Posted by: Eagleone on December 10 2008 3:43 PM

Its a different perspective that fits the known facts. Time will tell. I would prefer to be wrong.

Posted by: gus on December 10 2008 7:34 PM

Eagleone. What is your opinion about the Israeli-China connection that people seem not to want to talk about?

Posted by: dow7500 on December 10 2008 8:20 PM

Eagleone/chadermando, you can change your name but the Israeli conspiracy is still alive and spamming a thread that has nothing to do with it. You need help.

Posted by: dow7500 on December 10 2008 8:32 PM

Ammonra, you can make the argument that the opposition refused to cooperate with the government. The NDP has already said today that they will vote down the budget regardless of whats in it. That dosen't sound like cooperation to me. The cooperation argument is a red hering.

This editorial sums it up nicely

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=557&id=165151&task=viewen

hope the link works

Posted by: Eagleone on December 11 2008 5:19 AM

Dow7500, I don't get it... I put out some facts and I'm called a conspiracy theorist? Coincidence maybe, but conspiracy? Foreign affairs and war are the most important role for any government to play and so I think Canada's role in war as it relates to the party leadership in parliament is a valid subject.

Mike will act I think as a decent check against the neo-con war agenda of Harper.

Posted by: Eagleone on December 11 2008 5:19 AM

Gus, my opinion on the China-Israel connections is that Israel sells China technology that Mossad agents and the IDF steal from western countries. When they get caught they plead ignorance. I think its purely financial though and don't see any strategic motives other than greed from the arms trade.