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politicians

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Tonight our Prime Minister did a Presidential thing, and addressed the populace through a direct, televised statement. This has happened from time to time in the past, during rough patches in Canadian history. Right now we're not really going through one of those times, but are instead enduring a phase where the ruling party is tearing itself apart.

It's been on the go for quite some time, now (maybe three years or more) and I'm not sure that it warrants a moment when Canadian are supposed to be glued to the television. However, since our household of two consists of a Green (left of centre, anti-labour, anti-big-business) and a small-'c' conservative (a former 'red' Tory financial type), our discussion that followed the PM's broadcast and the replies by the other party leaders was interesting.

Here's what we thought:

1) Martin (the PM) almost has it right. He didn't make this mess by participating in the scandal that is bringing down his government, but he set the stage to make it possible through the mechanics of the route he took to power. His heart seems to be in the right place, but he seems somehow unable to grasp the nettle. It's almost as if he just needs to relax and we'd really see what he's made of.

2) Harper (the Conservative opposition leader) is from some other world. A reptilian world where naked ambition wears a quasi-religious demi-mask that fails to hide the hate-filled eyes. Railing against the PM to try to score a few votes in Quebec is futile for the socially right-wing rump of the party that built this country.

3) Duceppe (the separatist) - the only class act out of the bunch, but irrelevant outside of his provincial domain.

4) Layton (the classic Labour) - impressed me, for once, by seeing the situation from a larger perspective and by indicating a sensible willingness to work with the government and the legal system. Tracey granted him some kudos for his 'crafty' tactics and thought that he did his thing without comprimising his ideals.