Where's Peter Donolo?

You can count me amongst those happy about the move to bring in Peter Donolo. We had begun to drift around for most of the fall without a real focus.

But I have to say, now, where is he?

I'll admit, I thought we could make a winner for ourselves out of the H1N1 vaccination too. The poll out today basically proved me wrong though.

Now we're trying to make an issue out of Remembrance Day? And again it's blowing up in our face.

Mr. Donolo, where ever you are, get up here quick! We need you.

Nigel Hannaford in PMO?

I'm probably going to get jumped all over for writing this, but I'm going to do it anyways:

It's disingenuous to get worked up about Harper bringing in anti-gay Calgary Herald columnist Nigel Hannaford to write his speeches.

After all, he also hired openly-gay Dave Forestell as a policy advisor.

Hannaford is just writing speeches, Forestell is actually advising on policy. If Hannaford is all-of-a-sudden setting government policy, this corner will be the first to call them out on it.

Sure, I'd be happier if Harper's new speechwriter was a progressive. But this is pretty much a wash, imo.

Why can't we shoot straight?

We had a really good week last week highlighting the Reform-Conservatives abuse of handing out cheques for stimulus spending as if it was coming from their own pockets. But let's not spoil it.

The downside of that good week is that some of the leader's policy initiatives got overshadowed. I know that's bound to happen from time-to-time, but the house is back this week. Let's put some of our own policies in the window.

Today was looking like it was going to be one of those days, with the release of our Pink Book on women's issues. Instead, we get this:

Three sombre -looking Liberal staffers stand behind Easter with 8 x 10 photos of Conservative MPs who have, according to Easter, denounced the whole cheque-signing "scandal".

Easter explains how this is must be stopped.

Wouldn't be a bad little stunt if only: in the room right next door the Liberal caucus is launching the Pink Book on women's issues.

Cameras and reporters gathered around Easter.

And although there were other reporters and cameras in the room for the launch, one media event can't outdo the other.

Suddenly, Ignatieff's director of communications, Jill Fairbrother arrives in the scrum and abruptly whisks Easter away.

She didn't look pleased.

And the "stunt" ended awkwardly.

A sign of duelling communications strategies?

Hopefully our message about the Pink Book still gets out. I'd still like to see our Clean Energy policy from last week rehashed somehow since it was lost in all the cheque coverage.

Are we being iffy about tax hikes?

Just before going out for dinner tonight I received this:

OTTAWA - Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is gearing up to talk about tax hikes and cost-cutting to slay the country's ballooning deficit. Senior party sources say it's part of a politically risky `adult conversation' he wants to have with Canadians about the painful measures necessary to deal with the debt.

At dinner, a parliamentary friend told me this was deliberate pre-positioning by the OLO. I was thrilled by this sudden – and unexpected – progressive turn from our not-so-progressive leader.

When I returned home from dinner this was waiting for me:

OTTAWA - Michael Ignatieff insisted Wednesday he has no plan to raise taxes, denying a report that he's about to embark on a politically risky ``adult conversation'' with Canadians about the painful measures necessary to eliminate the country's ballooning deficit.

May I politely ask: what the hell is going on and which inmate was running the asylum on Wednesday night? Seriously. Day-by-day we are losing our credibility because of self-inflicted wounds. It’s time to clean house.

Time to shake up the Rosedale Gang?

Although, I am not as anti-Ignatieff as Eugene Foresy. I do have concerns about the advice our leader has been getting lately.

This (below) is only going to get worse.

Infrastructure Funding: Earth to the OLO

To win an election, we need to defeat sitting Tory MPs. A lot of sitting Tory MPs in fact.

So why are we running around the country and making the case that Tories disproportionately deliver for ridings they already hold?

Earth to OLO...

People vote for MPs to bring home the bacon. We may not like this fact. But all politics is local. Always has been.

By pushing this line of attack, we are actively making the case for the re-election of Lee Richardson, Daniel Petit, Mike Allen and every other second rate Tory MP seeking re-election.

Have we really given up on winning Tory MPs and are only interested in holding the reddest of core Liberal ridings?

Have we?

Some thoughts on the recent developments

Alright, with an election almost certainly to come soon, I figure I better get in the habit of posting again.

While I would love nothing more than to have an election and watch the Reform Conservatives crash and burn, I think we can benefit from the NDP and Bloc’s decision to vote with the government in a few ways:

a) the video and the ensuing massive media flurry about it has shown Canadians that Stephen Harper truly hasn’t changed. He can preach tolerance and put on a fuzzy sweater, but at the end of the day he is still the same right wing extremist he has always been. We use it in some ads, hammer it home and let Canadians digest it.

b) the NDP are polling so horribly, and have nowhere to go but down. This could open up strategic doors for us, appealing to the left.

c) we can slam the NDP and Bloc for voting with the Conservatives, and play up the angle of a Bloc-Dipper-Conservative coalition.

With all the polls now saying that no one wants an election anyway, we should be viewing this in a positive light. More time to campaign, more time to gain traction, more time to annihilate Harper. And victory will taste even sweeter when it finally happens.

Is this professionally appropriate?

"In interviews last week some said the new staffing choices have created an awkward situation, as Mr. Davey and Ms. Fairbrother have been a couple since they met while working on Mr. Ignatieff's first run for Parliament, in 2005. The Liberal power couple live on Sparks St., near Parliament Hill, in the small apartment which Mr. Ignatieff and his wife, Zsuzsanna Zsohar, vacated when they decamped to Stornoway, the official residence of the leader of the opposition, when Mr. Ignatieff took over from former leader Stéphane Dion (Saint-Laurent-Cartierville, Que.).

"How can you be critical of her?" said the Liberal source.

"[It's] awkward in the sense that you have two people dating and if somebody has an issue about how communications are done, or with a quote, or a story, or just media, who do you take it up with? And so if the buck is supposed to stop with Ian then it's kind of an awkward situation that you're going behind her back to complain to Ian about it. If that relationship didn't exist, that would just be sort of the norm."

http://hilltimes.com/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2009/august/24/himelfarb/&c=2

I am a huge believer in gender equality.
However, I don't know how the OLO can be effectively managed when the Chief of Staff is romantically involved with the Director of Communications. If I worked in the OLO I would be terrified to criticize Liberal communications practices in the Chief of Staff's presence. The whole situation just doesn't seem right. But what do I know? I'm not a Toronto lawyer and I don't live in Rosedale.

Alfred Apps: Not cool anymore

Forgive me for saying this, but I think Apps is slowly being put out to pasture by Michael. Of the big three who went to down to Boston to lay the groundwork for his homecoming and ascension to leader, Apps is the one guy who isn't getting a reward from the big guy.

Dan Brock has been lured away from a high-paying gig in Toronto to be Michael's Principle-Secretary. He's on the upswing in the inner sanctum of Stornoway and getting accolades from the media.

Ian Davey has been elevated to the pinnacle position of Chief of Staff and comes from the pedigree Rainmaking bloodline.

Meanwhile, where's Alf? Seems like Michael only trots him out to respond to Conservative attack ads. Some reward.

Dan Brock = Promoted.
Ian Davey = Promoted.
Alf Apps = Go mop up the Conservative attacks on us, and make me a sandwich while you're at it.

The Americanization of the NDP

So it seems the NDP's major speaker is Betsy Meyers. She has a 20k
speaking fee and worked for Obama in some capacity.

http://www.speaking.com/speakerindexes/governmentpolitics.php

I find it strange after decades of America bashing by the NDP their
great hope is bringing in strategists from the US. Also I don't know
if she meshes with the current NDP strategy.

Layton's current plan seems to be "Keep Harper in power by shooting
the left in the foot."

I think someone from the 2000 Nader campaign would be apropriate. You
remember him.

He gave us Bush.

Ottawa, we (may) have a problem

http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/07/17/'bogus'-peacekeeping/

Although I strongly support Michael Ignatieff on the economy, social policy and national unity, he was never my first choice during the 2006 leadership race. I worried that he was too far to the right, too “American” on foreign policy.

Now, I am really beginning to worry about exposure on our left flank. The current issue of Macleans contains some very damaging comments by Ignatieff. In particular, he told an international audience that Canada’s peacekeeping record was “bogus”. The problem is, he made the comments in 2005 when WE were in charge. He also said that he was disgusted by Canadians’ “bitching” about the United States and praised George W. Bush as a human rights champion.

In the article, Liberal HQ refused to tackle the quotes specifically and instead forwarded the writer past controversial statements by Stephen Harper.

I’m sorry, but fighting the Tories to a draw on which party is the most pro-American, anti-Canadian is not a victory for Liberals.

Bush-loving, old Reform Party voters are not going to vote Liberal.

There are no votes to be had by occupying this part of the spectrum. We need to neutralize this issue fast.

Does positive work?

I have my doubts about this "positive politics" business.

Attack ads seem to work. Dion was irreparably damaged, Ignatieff seems to have lost his momentum for now.

Perhaps we should stop complaining and give this charter assassination business a try.

Yet another lame attack website.

Republicans for Ignatieff

Weird.

Don't attack NN

In response to CanPolitico, I think it's pretty clear that he's wrong about National Newswatch.

After all, the Liberals run ads on NN.

However, I think we've all seen anti liberal articles on that site.

Supporting news sites

It's good to see that the party is supporting National Newswatch by buying ads. If the site shuts down and Bourque becomes the only major Canadian news site it would be a very sad day.

However I think that 'Join Now' is a poor idea for the campaign. Most news junkies have already bought a membership in one party or another. 'Donate Now' would be a friendly reminder to Liberal supporters who have let giving money slip their minds.

Christine Elliot is leading in the Ontario Con Leadership race

You know, I can't recall a conflict of interest quite like this.  It's just a little strange to have the wife of the Minister of Finance be a provincial opposition leader.

I suppose that there's no real issue if Flaherty gets turfed before she becomes leader.  That seems likely, so there's no real point in getting upset.

Follow up photos

Michael proves that you don't have to look silly.

And also that you should keep an eye on Martha Hall Findlay.
Photos from here.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I fully support the gay community and the pride parade. However, this picture amuses me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75511860@N00/2877494976/

Ignatieff Button?

UPDATE: Never mind, it was just removed because it had the old logo

So I’ve got a question for everyone…

Is it just me or did Warren Kinsella get rid of a Michael Ignatieff banner? I could have sworn there was one before, but now I see nothing.

Star Trek Follow Up

I was reading Susan Delacourt's latest blog post, and it was somewhat familiar.

I did notice one line -- "Too busy," she said. "We have to work."

I think the real reason is that they are true trekkies after all. At least according to The Onion's take on the subject.

Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

Best of Flickr - Jack Layton Time

In honor of the new Star Trek movie, it's the right time to post this.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scotteh/2939330287/

Worried about Ontario?

Have you been concerned about Dalton McGuinty's re-election chances, as the world economy continues to decline?

Worry no more.

Worrying about Kinsella

It seems like there is only one thing that can actually motivate me to post these days.

Once again, our supposed War Room genius is making himself the the issue.

First he insults Chinese Canadians. And then he makes the situation worse by engaging in a public slap fight, apparently unconcerned that it wasn't just him getting cut up and dirty in the press, but the entire Liberal Party.

Now, it appears the author of Kicking Ass is getting his ass kicked (again) by trying to intimidate both a respected journalist and a public broadcaster by leveraging his political connections to pursue one of his online sandbox fights into the real world.

Kinsella's (a) ego and (b) temper are a lethal combination for a party that wants to/needs to make Stephen Harper, and not our warroom staff, the issue.

I could care less that private companies want to spend their moneu on Kinsella but I don't want my party throwing another election out the window because we've entrusted our War Room to a frat boy.

Is Kinsella slipping?

Oh god, the author of "Kicking Ass" is getting his ass kicked. Didn't this happen to him just before the last provincial election, too?

Kinsella's own rules:

• Rule #1 for political advisors: never make yourself the issue.


• Rule #2 for political advisors: when you fight back with facts make sure you've got your facts straight.

Except he's now breaking both of them.

He says here that "I had an email exchange with the Conservative Chinese Association about that. I asked their representative, Karen Sun, what her organization thought about Jason's plan to present a fake award..."

The problem is that Karen Sun is actually seems to be the Executive Director of the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter - a group that has nothing to do with the Conservative Party.

Warren. Please stop talking about this.

Perhaps Kinsella has simply had a rough month. Or maybe he's just not that good. Sure he won elections for Chretien but Chretien faced a divided right. Ignatieff better have a plan B in case Kinsella flames out totally.

UPDATE (Feb 4): Kinsella has corrected his post to correctly identify Karen Sun as being the Executive Director of the CCNC and not the CCA.

Some Thoughts on the Olympics

I've been thinking a lot lately about the Beijing Olympics, and I haven't quite yet made up my mind about them. As I write this, the Opening Ceremonies are being broadcast. While I do acknowledge the necessity for China to continue working to improve their human rights record, surely we also should commend them for the progress they have made on the issue. Conditions in China have improved; no they aren't perfect, but if we don't make use of positive encouragement, can we ever expect them to get there.

It is also important to distinguish between China's people and the Chinese government. The Chinese people have worked hard and want to show off their pride in their nation. They cannot and should not be faulted for the actions of the government. The Chinese people deserve a place on the world stage - while it would be preferential for them to do so in a true democracy, this is not the case. Do not punish the people for the actions of their government.

I guess that my position on the Olympics is to enjoy them but not pretend that the problems aren't there. I believe we can simultaneously enjoy the sports while remaining aware of and recognize the progress that has yet to be made.