It’s no Party at the Liberal Party

April 10, 2008

It’s not a fun time to be a Liberal Member of Parliament.

The escalating crisis in confidence the surrounds Stéphane Dion’s leadership has left the Liberal leader searching for friendly faces. Where can he turn for support in his caucus?

Can he turn to senior party members? On one side, he sees newly elected MPs Martha Hall Findlay and Bob Rae. These new additions, together with Michael Ignatieff, Scott Brison, Ken Dryden and Joe Volpe, mean that the benches of the Opposition are filled with former leadership rivals, salivating at the chance to fill his shoes.

What about support within the rank and file Liberal MPs?

Mr. Dion’s caucus is full of Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff supporters. His decision to demote Denis Coderre further undermined his relationship with the shrinking caucus from his own province.

His right-hand man, Ralph Goodale pressured him to hand-pick the candidate who lost a formerly Liberal Northern Saskatchewan riding in a by-election to the Conservatives. And the few remaining Liberal MPs in BC are more nervous than ever since the Conservatives nearly toppled the Liberals in Vancouver Quadra, formerly one of Canada’s safest Liberal seats.

While Liberal Members of Parliament still manufacture outrage for the spectacle of Question Period, more and more of them resent becoming a laughing stock after Mr. Dion has threatened to call an election time and again, only to back down and abstain each time.

The Liberal Party has no leadership, no policy, no plan for the country and nothing but imaginary scandals with which to smear the Government. They have long since abandoned any pretence of being a government in waiting. No wonder they are in no rush to go to the polls.

Stéphane Dion. Not a leader. Not worth the risk.