Earlier this week we learned that David Emerson and Loyola Hearn won't run for the Conservatives in the election that will happen, but hasn't been called.Today, Monte Solberg announced that he won't be running either. The other two were not all that much of a surprise, but I think few saw this coming.
In fairness, he's been at this since '93. That's a long time, but one has to wonder what the real driver is here.
Funny too, when Liberal MP's resign there are stories about mutiny and party disarray, dissatisfaction with Dion etc. Not so with the Con's leaving. I think they now have more people who have resigned than the Liberals have.
While indeed he has been an MP for a long time and there is no question that the life style must take a toll, it seems odd to me that you'd leave once you'd actually formed a government.
Will there be more? Who knows? But given that Harper is calling this election on Sunday, they'd best speak up now.
Boy, their benches are looking weaker and weaker aren't they?
Update - Make that 4.
13 comments:
He knows that no matter what happens in the upcoming election he will not get a senior cabinet post.
He is one of the originals, having come into Parliament with a fellow Reform MP named Stephen Harper. That same guy has shafted him three straight times in selecting cabinets.
Your statement about the media hyping up Liberal retirements while downplaying Conservative ones is dead on.
Get used to it. I just published a post regarding the media and the upcoming election. You can read it if you would like details but I will say that the Liberals should not expect any favours from the media during this election and should be prepared for it.
I will go to your post ottlib, but to your point, it's already started and I'm angry about that.
I know raising my blood pressure isn't going to help anything but my gawd, it's so in your face I really don't get how Canadians are so blind to it.
Indeed the Lib's should prepare to see that happen. It won't exactly be new of course. The media has been on Dion since he became leader, but still.
Good grief. Many of them were out today promoting Harper's ridiculous ad's.
We're in trouble as a country when we see this and I'm not sure how to escape it.
Environics has the Conservatives at over 40% in Ontario? I find that a little hard to believe, but nothing surprises anymore. All I can say is if you guys send a bevy of CPC MPs to Ottawa it will be very difficult to forgive you.
I'm still stewing about that poll Omar.
It doesn't make sense to me but I want to digest it a bit.
'Sweater vest man' has been all over the airwaves and that may be top of mind, but I cannot believe that suddenly Ontario changed it's mind in a week.
If you see the '905' quoted in the news as it relates to the GTA, that is where I live, so I will tell you what is happening here as things unfold.
(great pic btw)
I'm still stewing about that poll Omar.
It doesn't make sense to me but I want to digest it a bit.
'Sweater vest man' has been all over the airwaves and that may be top of mind, but I cannot believe that suddenly Ontario changed it's mind in a week.
If you see the '905' quoted in the news as it relates to the GTA, that is where I live, so I will tell you what is happening here as things unfold.
(great pic btw)
Ottlib
I posted a comment at Garths abot an hour ago about the media when I read another article which used the "so called green shift" and got really angry.
The only way the opposition can get a fair shake from the media is if Dion calls a press conference and asks a single question. "is the MSM trying to alter the ouytcome of the coming election?" By pointing out that every time the NDP calls for a solution to a social issue they are left winged socialists or when the bloc looks for a better deal for Quebec they are automatcally seperatists. The current topic of every time a Liberal leaves politics it is to flee a sinking ship while not even questioning why Conservatives retire.
All it would take is a single question then throw it open to reporters questions. There are still enough real reporters who would write an honest story from this scrum to make it uncomfortable for the rest to just continue regurgetating Harpers talking points.
It would then be fair for the opposition parties to put down any pro Conservative MSM article after that as just another Conservative attack ad from that particular media source. Since all he asked for was fair treatment for all parties not special treatment even the appathetic public would take notice that he is more than "not a leader" but a true leader unlike Harper.
The poll you're referring to is the CBC/Environics Poll. My stomach hit the floor when I heard it on Newman's show. I can't believe the no.'s can be that high in Ontario. Especially with the Listeria deaths reminding us of Walkerton & Flaherty's bad mouthing Ontario, etc. People here have not forgotten the Harris govt.
And I honestly don't know what's with the MSM. Harper has been rude/mistreated them according to "them" & yet they tout his talking points - hook, line & sinker. Every headline involving Dion & the Libs has a negative taint to it even if the content does not. Why? I'd really like to know if someone can please explain. There's more to this than meets the eye - mine anyway.
Oh, & I do know that an extremely large portion of the MSM is right-wing owned so that explains some of it. But not all.
And thats "Listeriosis" even.
The media is falling all over themselves for Mr. Harper because he is the leader of the government.
The National Press Gallery receives most of its content from the government so it has to make nice to it. Many of them fear they will lose their access, and therefore their reason for having a job if they do not.
This dynamic will change somewhat with an election as they will have other sources of news to cover. Then we will see if the MSM delivers some consequences to Mr. Harper for his shabby treatment of them.
If not then Liberals should take a page out of Mr. Harper book and treat the media with the same contempt as he treats them. Personally, I believe they are contemptable so it fits.
As well, if about a week to ten days into the election the Liberals are holding their own then you may see some change in the media narrative.
If the Liberals actually take a lead then watch for a sea change in the media narrative.
It should also be noted that the media narrative at the end of an election is rarely the same as it was at the beginning. Heck, the media narrative can sometimes change on a weekly basis. That is why elections are so risky for all political parties.
The media is falling all over themselves for Mr. Harper...
And we should fully expect the media to keep sucking Harper's yard-arm and gulping his goo so long as his high numbers hold. If and when the polls start dropping, the media shall turn on him, as they turned on Martin half-way through the last election.
The media is comprised mostly of pack animals, and they attack as soon as they smell blood--not before.
Ottlib & Sir Francis - Thankyou for explaining the media bias & how it works. It's pathetic that reporters no longer just "report" & speak truth to the issues instead of couching it in salacious headline sound bytes as that's what sticks in the voters mind - for a lot of them anyway.
Can only hope the Libs pull ahead in the polls during the campaign, as you said.
I think the bottom line is this: Harper has produced credible government over the last two and half years and will be given a new mandate. Meanwhile, Dion has not created a government-in-waiting dynamic for the Liberals. The only question is whether it will be a Conservative minority or majority.
Parties should be patient with their leaders, that's the general rule, but there are exceptions, and I don't think Liberals should be patient with Dion. For starters, he's failed to deliver his home province.
Post a Comment