Liberal leadership race, 2006

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Apparently that Kennedy guy is likely to run

[Hatman 🍁]

Apparently that Kennedy guy is likely to run

Canada needs our own Kennedy

[Gabu]

Apparently that Kennedy guy is likely to run

Canada needs our own Kennedy

That would be kind of funny, as that would make America the only country out of America, Canada, and the UK that would NOT have a man named Kennedy as a leader of one of the major political parties.

[Hatman 🍁]

Apparently that Kennedy guy is likely to run

Canada needs our own Kennedy

That would be kind of funny, as that would make America the only country out of America, Canada, and the UK that would NOT have a man named Kennedy as a leader of one of the major political parties.

Have you not heard? The LibDems have a new leader.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Does this Kennedy drink as well?

[Gabu]

Apparently that Kennedy guy is likely to run

Canada needs our own Kennedy

That would be kind of funny, as that would make America the only country out of America, Canada, and the UK that would NOT have a man named Kennedy as a leader of one of the major political parties.

Have you not heard? The LibDems have a new leader.

Oh, that's right, I forgot that he isn't there anymore.

[Hatman 🍁]

Fourth candidate: Maurizio Bevilacqua.

Somebody shoot me. These candidates suck.

[minionofmidas]

BAM!

Happy now?

[Hatman 🍁]

Gerard Kennedy is now in the race. I hope he loses- his riding is held by the NDP federally.

[Hatman 🍁]

Myron Wolf Child (former?) leader of the Aboriginal Peoples Party of Canada will run if he can raise the $50,000 needed to do so.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Ignatieff is in; and has picked up a ruck of endorsements already.

[Hatman 🍁]

Ignatieff is in; and has picked up a ruck of endorsements already.

I'd have to say he was the frontrunner at this point. I would also like to note that Belinda Stronach announced today she will not be running.

Clifford Blais, a former member of the PQ will also be running. So will be former cabinet minister Stéphane Dion.

Just to recap, here are the declared candidates so far:

*Maurizio Bevilacqua
*Clifford Blais
*Stéphane Dion
*John Godfrey
*Martha Hall Findlay
*Michael Ignatieff
*Gerard Kennedy
*Ashley MacIsaac
*Myron Wolf Child

[minionofmidas]

Wolf Child ran as an independent in the last elections ... polled about 5% in some Alberta prairie riding (the one including the large Blackfeet reserves, o/c)

[Hatman 🍁]

Wolf Child ran as an independent in the last elections ... polled about 5% in some Alberta prairie riding (the one including the large Blackfeet reserves, o/c)

He finished in 2nd in a number of polls but didn't win any. The riding was Macleod.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

New environics poll... might... er... concentrate... a few minds...



Statistically tied with the NDP nationally and fourth (!) in Quebec...

[minionofmidas]

So whenabouts and how will the new leader be picked?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

So whenabouts and how will the new leader be picked?

I think it'll be in the autumn. The Liberals pick their leader by some sort of delagate system I think.

[minionofmidas]

So whenabouts and how will the new leader be picked?

I think it'll be in the autumn. The Liberals pick their leader by some sort of delagate system I think.

Wow, that's a long time to go. If I were Harper I'd be tempted to hold a snap election before then...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Wow, that's a long time to go.

Isn't it just? I've read somewhere that the final part will actually be in early *December*...

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It would look pretty bad to do that though... besides the more attention that goes on the Liberals, the more they sink further and further in the polls.
Methinks he'll call a snap election early next spring.
O/c with the numbers seen in recent polls, he'd likely win a majority.

[Hatman 🍁]

That poll is friggin insane, Al.  The Liberals will suffer even more if they choose Bob Rae or Ignatieff.

The election is on December 3rd and will be conducted by delegates. The delegates are elected by party members in their ridings. It's kind of like the electoral college.

To Lewis: No election will be called for some time, it would be political suicide. I can only see it happening of the tories can't get anything done in Parliament.

[Speed of Sound]

Excuse myignorance on Canadian politics, but what is the average timebetween elections in Canada?

[minionofmidas]

The nominal term is five years, but early elections are very common.

[Lincoln Republican]

I would dearly love to see that poll translated into the results of the next Canadian election.  Stephen Harper and the Conservatives would win a smashing majority, and the Liberals would be reduced to a rag tag, squaking bunch of leftist rabble, and deservedly so.

With those numbers, the Liberals would very likely finish third.  That would be sweet. 

[2952-0-0]

The problem now is that the Liberals don't know what they stand for. Until Chretien left office they were able to rally around his charisma. When Martin came in (creating boardroom fistfights, which nearly cost them the 2004 election), they've lost a sense of direction and purpose. In the last few months in office they've been spending 100% of their time either trying to buy votes or CYA. So, they rightly deserved a time out. They'd better get their shiite together if they're serious about winning the next one.

Of course, not that the Tories have an easy ride. First their rocky start (whatever cabinet appointments, shutting down investigations, etc), and now it will be hard for them to push through child care agenda. And I can't see anything more ironic than introducing a Federal Accountability bill while also shutting off access to the media. Federal Accountability my ass!!!

Can it be that, a few months down the road, it is revealed the Tories
1. accepted kickbacks from a shadowy lobbyist
2. pushed aside candidates who opposed Harper
3. gave out no-bid contracts to favoured ad firms to stop Quebec from separating
4. let strippers immigrate to Canada if they work at a strip club owned by a cabinet minister's relative
5. revealed to favoured speculators of an impending income trust tax cut hours before it is public

or any combination above? Hey, the Liberals did all of the above in a very short time!!

Or will Manning or other Alberta Reformatories denounce Harper as a sell-out? Mulroney crashed because of this.

I would dearly love to see that poll translated into the results of the next Canadian election.  Stephen Harper and the Conservatives would win a smashing majority, and the Liberals would be reduced to a rag tag, squaking bunch of leftist rabble, and deservedly so.

This is Canada, so support can change literally overnight.

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Don't underestimate the Liberals' machine politics

[Gabu]

Excuse myignorance on Canadian politics, but what is the average timebetween elections in Canada?

Depends on whether or not it's a majority government.  If it is, then it usually goes for four years (barring war or insurrection, there must be an election after five years).  If it's not a majority government, the average life span of a minority government is about one and a half years (although I should also note that the average life span of a Conservative minority government is just over six months).