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Conservatives have a golden opportunity |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Sunday, 07 December 2008 |
It was quite telling, watching Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrive for his meeting with the Governor-General, Michaëlle Jean. As his ever lengthening motorcade pulled up in front of Rideau Hall, I couldn’t help but think back to the day when Prime Minister Paul Martin made the same trip. Not for the same reason, but he travelled the same path, from 24 Sussex Drive to Rideau Hall.
The difference was that Martin, along with his wife Sheila, walked to the meeting.
Who is this guy Harper? I am beginning to get the feeling that the only way he will be removed from the PMO is by brute force. I am not a big fan of coalitions, in fact, what the three parties sitting opposite the government cooked up was scary. Yes, it was legal, but very frightening on examining all aspects of their proposal.
When Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc come out the winners, scary is hardly the right adjective.
Stephen Harper is the classic school yard bully and those who taunt him act like immature brats. There was a wonderful letter to the editor in the December 6th edition of The Globe and Mail. A reader from Mississauga, Ontario, Ab Dukacz wrote:
“As a retired teacher, I’m dismayed all of my former students have been disqualified from serving Canada as prime minister. Their fatal flaw? They grew up.”
My thoughts exactly, grow up!
Our country is in dire straits, and we have our decision makers playing a game of political chicken. Yes, the bully started it, and like all bullies, when he was confronted, began back pedaling. He pedaled right back to hide behind the skirt of the governor-general.
The antics played out in Ottawa this week are not helping the thousands who have lost their jobs, and the thousands of other Canadians who will join them over the next 18 months or so. This fall alone, 71,000 jobs disappeared (more than twice than was forecasted) and we are yet to feel the full force of the recession. The two hardest hit provinces were Ontario and Nova Scotia. Fiddle with that, Rodney.
If there is a silver lining in all of this, it is the fact that the Conservatives (please don’t call them Tories, because they are not, and to do so is lazy journalism) have Harper right where they want him All they have to do is muster enough courage to meet him head on. Face to face they need to tell him, “You got us into this mess and we are going to get us out.”
Tell him it is no longer his way or the highway. He takes his directions from the cabinet and caucus or he takes a hike. The government members are not stupid. There are good and highly intelligent people in their ranks. With a moderate leader, they could be a very effective government. Instead, as long as Stephen Harper rules the roost, they will be fighting for survival.
Unlike our neighbors to the south we do not elect our prime minister. We elect a Party to govern. The party caucus can hold a confidence vote on leadership and remove the leader if they feel s/he is taking them in the wrong direction or is affecting their ability to be reelected.
The events of the past ten days should give them reason to consider removing the man that I firmly believe, will eventually destroy the conservative movement in Canada.
(Al Hollingsworth is a retired journalist and broadcaster)
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