Canadian Politics at a Crossroad

Is Stephane Dion Getting the “Joe Clark Treatment?”

By Richard Sharp

The Conservatives have vilified Stephane Dion’s leadership for over a year now, everything from repeated and vile attack ads to ongoing, talking point slurs from the chosen few who are allowed to speak to the media. Most pundits in the mainstream media have succumbed to this smear job, even many of Canada’s most seasoned political commentators.

Not so, I’m certain their response. Mr. Dion earned our displeasure. But let’s look at the facts.

Sure, the Liberals lost Outremont and may lose another seat on March 17, but by-elections are politically meaningless when the balance of power is not at stake.

In fact, despite negative press and the huge disadvantage of being in opposition and competition for centre-left votes from the NDP, the Green party and the Bloc, Mr. Dion’s Liberals have hung tough with the Conservatives in the polls to this day. Nanos Research, consistently the most accurate political pollster in Canada, has the Liberals in a slight lead!

Yes, Mr. Dion’s English is imperfect and there are about 20 words his speechwriters should never use. But otherwise his English is quite decent.

The media also criticizes Mr. Dion for not bringing down the Harper government. Come on. Four of five Canadians don’t want another election. If the Liberals had caused one last fall based on an innocuous throne speech of all things, or relatively minor bills, the electorate would not have been kind.

Many pundits predicted an election over Afghanistan and/or the recent federal budget. Instead, Mr. Dion has been widely praised for brokering a deal with the Tories concerning the (doomed) war mission that nudges us towards more peacekeeping and reconstruction. The Liberals also quite wisely refused to force an election over Mr. Harper’s do-nothing budget.

So, the same pundits with egg all over their face now accuse Mr. Dion of “flip-flopping” and of being a “wimp.” Mr. Dion is not getting the “Joe Clark” treatment quite yet, but it’s surely gotten out of hand. The “wolf pack mentality” has set in.

Here is why the mainstream media have got it wrong:

1. Restoration of Trust and Unity within the Liberal Party:

Mr. Dion won the Liberal leadership race fair and square, marked by civility and open debate with many excellent candidates. He has since overcome the fractious Martin-Chretien years, drawing all of his former opponents to his team. He has restored trust and unity within his party, which is surely a remarkable feat and leadership goal number one.

2. The Liberals have Better Policies

Leaders are also only as good as the direction they’re heading. Mr. Dion has it all over Mr. Harper on this count too. Mr. Harper’s singular purpose is to emasculate the federal government except for defence and security, while most Canadians favour the Liberal vision of Canada – an activist government on a whole slew of policy issues, including Afghanistan, the environment, Aboriginal and women’s rights, childcare, fighting poverty, progressive taxation and fair trade.

Mr. Harper’s enthusiastic support for all things American is another clear distinction in Mr. Dion’s favour. No reasonable person still supports the Bush administration’s disastrous wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and on terror generally, further “deep integration” with a sinking ship and so on. With the political demise of Mssrs. Blair and Howard, Mr. Harper is arguably the last Bush poodle.

3. The Liberals Have a Better Team

Good leaders surround themselves with competent people and empower and support their team. Most Canadians surely prefer Michael Ignatief, Bob Rae, Ralph Goodale and the other Liberals over Mr. Harper’s pit bulls and poodles. The Liberals are free to speak while the Tories, even Ministers, have been muzzled, so much so it seems his PR people are running the country!

4. Mr. Dion’s Leadership Style is in fact Superior

Leaders vary from autocratic to democratic and it is clear to which camp Mr. Harper belongs. He’s an arrogant, dismissive and secretive control freak who doesn’t trust his own team. He has centralized power in his office to ridiculous degrees and, when criticized, he resorts to smear tactics and name-calling.

Mr. Harper’s astounding censorship of the federal bureaucracy is so unbelievable that one wonders what all those communications people are doing these days. I suspect mostly preparing talking points for Ministers in advance of forced disclosures of the embarrassing kind under the Access to Information Act.

Wrong on critical policy issues and unwilling to admit mistakes. Obsessed with control and secrecy. Disrespectful of political opponents and even his own team. Is that leadership or is it dictatorship?

In contrast, Mr. Dion is a proven healer with an empowered team and has a vision most Canadians prefer. When it comes to the human side of leadership, building consensus based on right vs. wrong and making choices to help the disadvantaged the most, Mr. Dion is the clear winner.

5. Women and Ontario Will Vote Liberal, No Matter the Media

Finally, when push comes to shove, it is a given that the 52% of the electorate who happen to be women prefer Mr. Dion over Mr. Harper by a wide margin. The Liberals’ superior position on issues of war and peace, human rights and child care will keep that margin wide into the foreseeable future. Women don’t vote for bullies.

For someone who is widely reported as a cunning tactician, Mr. Harper has been unbelievably stupid in his treatment of Ontario (the Maritimes, etc.). Coming up with legislation that shortchanges Ontario by fully ten federal ridings is a gift to the Liberals whenever the next election. And allowing the Finance minister, Jim Flaherty, to run off at the mouth trashing Ontario’s business environment is the height of political folly.

So, Mr. Dion and the Liberals bide their time. The Conservatives are embroiled in an increasing number of scandals that are showing their true colours. The economy is heading south but, because they’ve squandered the budget surplus on useless measures such as the GST cuts and war, the room to take action is limited.

The time for an election is growing on the simple grounds that the Harper government keeps shooting itself in the foot. They’ve not many toes left.

Richard Sharp is long-time advocate for peace and privacy, and a life-long “Dippe.r” He likes Jack Layton but, right now, the only real choice is between the Liberals and Conservatives.