Jack Layton vs. Bob Rae: The “battle” we deserve.
Michael Ignatieff should give Bob Rae a mission: win Toronto-Danforth.
Stay at home. No national critic’s role. Go hand to hand and share the infectious passion that made you a Liberal where it is needed most.
Raise money. BBQs & coffee parties. Play the piano. Do what it takes and get it done.
This is a solution that is plausible, desirable and optimal.
Bob could put this battle into a proportionate crucible that serves the country well. This frees Mr. Ignatieff and other high profile Liberals to focus on the war with Steven Harper and reaching out across party lines to the array of progressive Canadians including authentic fiscal Conservatives, Green Party environmentalists who know in their hearts the only achievable route to Canadian leadership on climate change and NDPers who for example, want national day care now rather then more talk about it.
Jack Layton style politics are giving us Steven Harper’s Canada.
Jack knows he is not playing to be Prime Minister. His is not the battle for the leadership of Canada.
Jack is welcome to join the Liberal Party. Bob did. Scott Brison did. Belinda Stronach did (and this list can go on). Each joiner brings new strength in diversity. This is not about the leadership or culture of the Liberal Party of Canada.
This is a battle for the commitment of all Canadians who really want an alternative to Steven Harper. It is up to everyone who is authentically dedicated to progressive, responsible government in Canada to make a personal commitment to deliver it.
Talk about a coalition between the NDP and Liberals maybe a great headline grabbing tactic but defeating Steven Harper is not about grabbing headlines.
A merger between the NDP and Libs is only the most controversial possible solution to defacto PM Harper but it is not the most plausible, the most desirable or the optimal solution.
This pattern of kicking around the most controversial for the sake of grabbing headlines propagated by a few (less than a dozen?) old school power seekers in Canada is the Jack Layton style of politics that we need a strategy against. When more than 70% of Canadians do not support the current government, these antics sell newspapers and light up televisions with political theatre but they only secure Mr. Harper further.
You could even have Bob Rae and Toronto-Danforth Liberal candidate Andrew Lang swap ridings. But I don’t advise it. That is a waste of time and energy and it would defeat the purpose.
The purpose is to call on Bob Rae to focus his talents and make a difference. Toronto-Danforth is the battle. Liberal Party President, Alf Apps calls it “ground zero in the next election”. I think a D-Day/Normandy metaphor is appropriate. This is the beach head that turns the tide. Get engaged in the heat of this battle and everything else will fade as a distraction.
By the way, this is a call that goes beyond the duty of Michael Ignatiff. This is a call that red liberals across the country can make. (Side Note: What is a “red liberal”? Anyone committed to the centre. Kinda like a thinking-type “Mama Grizzly” only better looking and smarter.)
Leave a comment below. Write to Mr. Rae in Ottawa (raeb@parl.gc.ca) or Toronto (raeb1@parl.gc.ca). Leave a comment on his Facebook wall.
While you are at it, feel free to write to his brother John Rae who has a hand in Canadian power politics. Write a blog post or change Roy Romanow’s wikipedia page. Let’s make him Captain to General Bob Rae. Warren Kinsella – I love you man and your nasty past so I am sure that you will take this in the best punk rock spirit possible – time to be a Soldier Boy in Toronto-Danforth.
Attention all Canadians looking for an alternative to Steven Harper’s smack down of progressive government in Canada: you can make a difference.
Join the battle. The purpose is to call on you to change the course of the war.
Track down a vote swap. Man up on Liberalist for Toronto-Danforth. Support Toronto-Danforth through social media. Put your money down.
16. June 2010 um 04:45
I can appreciate your desire to depose Layton, but I think pitting Rae–one of our most skilled MPs–to do this won’t work. Firstly Layton polls higher in popularity than any other leader or politician in Canada. Second, the Grit’s challenges are systemic, cultural, and organizational. Even if Rae did win that seat it wouldn’t mean Ignatieff would form government. Also it would be seen as a very aggressive tactic–and rightly so–which would prevent frustrated NDPers from voting Liberal in swing ridings. All in all I think the Liberals need to focus more on themselves and becoming the strong opposition Canadians want them to become. Libs also need to restructure the way their party functions and thinks. These are the adaptive challenges that must be overcome before we begin to gain ground IMO.
Jason Lamarche
http://Twitter.com/Lamarche
16. June 2010 um 17:23
Thanks Jason for your comment.
I do not agree that LPC challenges are entirely “systemic, cultural, and organizational”. It is not all about us my friend. The navel gazing is over.
LPC culture has attracted people like Bob Rae and others from across the political spectrum. There is no question about that.
Who do you think should be responsible for debating whether Jack Layton is helping or hurting the advancement of progressive government in Canada, if not one of our most skilled MPs (and I agree Bob Rae is absolutely the best one for this job)?
Is this not an important critical question that must be raised in the minds of a segment of progressive Canadians across the country? Can you suggest a more contained way to focus this question?
Or do you think that the battle for voters on the left is the main event?
I am not a poll watcher, but do you think that Jack Layton’s position is built on avoiding aggressive tactics? Does Steve Harper avoid taking aggressive steps to advance himself and his party? Did Jean Chretien? Brian Mulroney?
I think defining the battles and leading the charge is the strong opposition Canadians want.
Of course this is only another piece of the overall strategy. This blog was formed to try to instigate action like Can150. Bravo! Engagement, big thinking, great policy are all parts of the winning formula.
But so are political dog fights.
Canadians understand that. They know leadership takes great ideas AND the willingness to win tough battles. The commitment of Bob Rae to a local battle would illustrate Liberal commitment to authentically reconnect at the grassroots.
Do you understand that I have not proposed a personal attack on Jack Layton? Personally, I have great respect for anyone who has dedicated their life to public service, particularly Jack Layton.
Nevertheless, his style of politics, however well intentioned, ignore complexity in favour of controversy.
He runs unaccountable for actually implementing a workable government agenda and unaccountable for the net effect of his actions – which is a Steven Harper led government.
This can not go unchecked.
Beat Jack in Toronto-Danforth and you are contesting more than the votes of a few disenchanted NDPers. You free people across the country. You remove the theoretical and highlight one question, “What choice delivers an alternative to Steven Harper?”.
16. June 2010 um 17:39
I’m still going to have to disagree with your Toronto-Danforth plan. Rae is a skilled asset to our party because he is an MP. To put him against Layton would be extremely risky and we would almost certainly lose that fight. Again, the LPC needs to define their policies and introduce positions that will strike a meaningful chord with Canadians. Now is also the time for alliances with other progressive parties, not more division and attacks. Finally, keeping an eye on the real goal—forming government—all of our resources should be invested in that task. This is done by aiming all cannons at Stephen Harper. By even acknowledging Layton would diminish the status of the LPC and would be a step in the wrong direction i.e. beating Jack won’t collapse the NDP nor will it allow the Grits to form gov.
16. June 2010 um 20:03
Interesting idea. I love the use of the word “crucible”.
19. June 2010 um 03:49
Go Bob Go!
http://bobrae.liberal.ca/journal/why-jack-layton-has-to-fire-libby-davies/
23. June 2010 um 09:09
Tell me (and all Canadians) what you Liberals stand FOR. All we hear are the same old platitudes. Give us something specific and concrete. Getting rid of “evil Steve” just doesn’t cut it. Earn our votes. More and more of us see a policy vacuum and assume Liberals just want power at any cost. Do the hard policy work this summer, work that should have been done during the authentic leadership campaign that never happened. Stop the scandal-mongering. You got caught with Adscam. Don’t try to even the score. Come back to us this fall with something positive to believe in.
25. June 2010 um 17:32
@Jason – I have not suggested that Bob resign as an MP or give up his safe seat in Toronto-Centre. He does not need to do that to lead the mission to win Toronto-Danforth.
@Chris – I don’t think Steve is evil. Again, I have great respect for anyone who enters public service. I appreciate the changes that the Federal government have made to make easier for US venture capitalists to invest in Canada, so I am not just full of complaints.
In terms of transparency, Harper has a different vision of Canada than red liberals do IMHO.
Harper preaches fiscal responsibility but runs deficits just like Brian Mulroney did.
In coalition with Jack Layton, Mr. Harper derailed:
- a reliable of record of sound fiscal management,
- tax reduction rooted in sound economics not populism,
- child care policy that is designed to improve the lot of high risk children not exacerbate their problems,
- leadership on the climate change file, and
- the potential to rectify our relationship with aboriginal peoples.
Mr. Harper and Mr. Layton sabotaged these initiatives, not because they were bad for Canada. They did it only to satisfy their thirst for power.
Even worse, Mr. Layton knew then and knows now that he will be unaccountable for his actions.