PIERRE POILIEVRE ON THE HOT SEAT FOR A SEAT!
I have always been fascinated by politics as in the
Machiavellian aspects of the game, the intrigue behind the scenes, the jostling
for position and who will get to wear the slightly tarnished crown of leader,
anointed for an unspecified amount of time because politics is a fickle
enterprise and the only certainty: it will all come to an end, sooner or
later. Poor Pierre is struggling after
losing his own Ottawa riding in the general election. A party leader without a seat can’t attend
any parliamentary sessions. Rather
embarrassing for a leader who anticipated a majority win, a coronation of sorts. So did his party. Until it all unraveled in the form of Mark
Carney and a Liberal party always willing to seek out partners across the
political spectrum.
There is no such thing as a guaranteed win.
It had all the political pundits baffled. Riding high in all the pols leading up to the
election? Why did he lose an almost
forecasted win? And . . . after losing
his own riding, why didn’t he step down?
Why are the voters from Battle River-Crowfoot contesting Poilievre’s
nomination with such vehemence and hostility?
The riding held by former MP Damien Kurek should have been a shoe-in as
he won it with 83 percent of the popular vote.
Alberta has been a hotbed of political discontent for a very long time
and with Daniele Smith at the helm stirring the pot at regular intervals it has
been playing with the hearts and minds of Albertans. All provinces take turns feeling sorry for
themselves, it is an ingrained phenomenon in all nations that have provinces,
states or territories. Most of them
conveniently forget that predominantly federal initiatives have helped shape a
nation. Consistently pulling together
only happens under extreme circumstances.
Proud to be Canadian.
Proud to be nice.
Canadians are not Americans.
For Canadian voters trust is important.
Confidence and a steady as she goes approach. By and large Canadians are nice, hard-working
people. What they crave most is economic
stability, predictable progress and a healthy and safe environment. Canada didn’t have a Wild West, a Civil War,
slavery and an urge to be the biggest and the boldest player on the world stage. We‘ve had our flirtations with upheaval but
not to the extent of our neighbor to the south.
Poilievre’s brash attitude and attacks made a lot of people
feel uncomfortable. Too much of an
imitation of the tempestuous leader that emerged in the United States.
We love our nation.
Mark Carney struck a lot of the right notes at the right
time. He appears calm and decisive and
not prone to rash statements. He also
has a remarkable legacy and pedigree in all things economic and the state of
the economy is front and center in the minds of all Canadians. Especially since there is this one particular
person south of the border who is determined to wreak havoc with the global
economy. Carney’s message was simple and
it stayed on point: protect Canadians and the Canadian economy. Protect Canada!
So, why didn’t Poilievre step down as leader? Most leaders would!
Why didn’t he step down and why did the Conservative Party
stick with Poilievre as their leader?
The Conservatives came awfully close to winning and at one point all the
poles suggested a huge Conservative majority.
Close but no cigars and no brilliant heir apparent waiting in the wings
willing or able to reignite the party.
The loss was too sudden and unexpected.
Poilievre may win this by-election, but it could well be by the smallest
of margins.
What do Canadians look for in a leader?
An astute leader needs to be able to “read” the temperature
in the room and messaging has to be strong and believable. Carney’s greatest strength is his ability to
keep his mouth shut, especially if he’s not sure about the right answer or how
to best answer an awkward question.
America’s infatuation with Trump is shrinking at an alarming rate
because he can’t keep his mouth shut. A
volatile, loose cannon, fun for a while and highly entertaining, but his value
as a trusted leader is diminished with every new gaffe, lie and fabrication.
A great leader has to have the right mix of decisive
leadership, a sense of humor that comes shining through at the right moments,
but also a person who demonstrates an ability to connect with people on many
levels.
Sensitive Western toes.
A record number of candidates have come out to challenge
Poilievre in the upcoming by-election.
The voters in Battle River-Crowfoot feel betrayed by their own MP; And .
. . by someone from Ottawa! Of all
places! Had it been a backwater riding
in Ontario or Quebec it may have created a stir, but for many in Alberta,
Ottawa is like a red flag being waved in the face of an angry bull. And Smith has stirred that pot to the max!
Politics is all about timing and seizing the moment and
momentum. Justin had his Dad’s name and
reputation to fall back on. He was also
a dapper, good-looking young man, affable and congenial. Mark Carney has a rock-solid financial
pedigree and being able to steer an economic ship in the right direction in
these precarious times, especially when we’re faced with an American president
whose economic ideas border on the insane, on bluff and bluster and lacking
substance, couldn’t come at a better time.
Voters are fickle and any form of permanence is lacking in
the world of politics as voters get easily bored. It is not the die-hards that swing the votes,
it is the fickle swing voters that cast the deciding ballots. Regular mandatory elections are the bane of
all political parties and the reason why so many wannabe autocratic hopefuls
crave dictatorships. Dictators are
overthrown in rebellions and civil wars and everybody else gets defeated at the
polls. In democracies it is the unhappy,
the grumpy and dissatisfied that sway the balance on the political
teeter-totter, never the die-hard party faithful.
The lure of winning.
It is always about the win.
You can analyze Poilievre’s rise and battles from any angle,
from gains to losses, costly mistakes and successes, from what if only, to what
if he only had done this or that, you will never find certainties in politics
and a win is never guaranteed. But
Poilievre is desperate to hang on and it goes a long way in explaining why
those who get the kiss the brass ring and wear it for a while are always reluctant
to give up the crown and to gracefully retreat into public obscurity. Power is a weird aphrodisiac. Especially when it comes with some mighty
attractive perks. You only have to take
a close look at the antics from the clown running the White House!
An anxious Pierre will be holding his breath as the moment of
truth will arrive on August 18. But even
a win may not be enough to convince the party.
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised when a new leadership run is
announced. All parties want their leader
to win. Losing or second best is never
an option in politics.
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