.And how you tried to make it work
Did you really think it could
How you tried to make it last
Did you really think it would
Like a guest who stayed too long
Now its finally time to leave
Yes, its finally time to leave
Take it calmly and serene
Its the famous final scene
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Bob Seger-- The Famous Final scene
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While Stephane Dion makes his plans to take Kyoto the dog for that walk into the political sunset, the numerous contenders and pretenders for the Liberal leadership are beginning to plot their campaigns.
While Dion has suggested that he’ll be hanging around the Hill until April or May to help out with fundraising and transition requirements, the common thought is that he’ll be long gone from the scene well before Spring arrives on the Rideau Canal.
Already the talk is of a transition leader for the House of Commons, yet another Liberal ready to fill in the leaders chair while the Liberals try to get it right this time.
Of late, the Liberals have come to resemble the old Progressive Conservative’s, a seemingly perpetual party of the opposition, one given to devouring its leaders with horrific regularity, forever dashing their chances at the polls long before any election can be called.
The most recent humbling at the polls, has certainly knocked the once cocky and at times arrogant party for a bit of a come-uppance. No longer the sure of themselves Natural Governing Party, but instead a disjointed collective, unsure of where they stand or seemingly what they believe in.
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Having just completed one of their most misguided and stumbling of campaigns in recent Liberal history, the party’s inner circle, it’s fundraising component and the remnants of the old guard probably realize that they haven’t many more chances to get things right.
Each passing election seems to have reduced their seats, left gaps in their support in key areas and provided a wedge for the Conservatives and NDP to try and pry voters and supporters out of the respective wings of the party.
The need to return to the centre of the political spectrum has never been greater for the Liberals, it was once their domain and one they exploited with regular success over the decades.
Since those halcyon days, scandals and less than popular policy ideas have taken their toll, eating away at their core and leaving little room for luring the vast number of Canadians who identify themselves in that fuzzy middle of the political world.
It’s those voters that the Liberals are hoping to repatriate, who the party selects to replace Dion could very well be the difference between continued political relevance, or political extermination.
The rebuilding of the brand will be a daunting task for whichever candidate eventually succeeds the quest, what remains to be seen over the months is whether the Canadian public will become intrigued enough to follow the process through the winter and into the spring.
We’ll do our share to stay motivated by tracking the developments and archiving the details for future consumption and comparison.
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Globe and Mail
. .
Oct 22-- Dion ignored warning about Tory blitz
Oct 22-- Rise and fall of Stephane Dion in pictures
Oct 21-- Rae, Ignatieff work together to avoid leadership clash
Oct 21-- Dion twice believed he had a chance to survive
Oct 21-- Are the Liberals in a death spiral?
Oct 21-- Here's what the Grits must do
Oct 21-- There was no choice: The Liberal ‘prize' is back up for grabs
Oct 21-- When all's said and done, the carbon tax is toast
Oct 21-- Only the first step to fixing their party
Oct 20-- List of would-be leaders rises from Liberal ashes
Oct 20-- Dion quits, but to remain at the helm until May
Oct 20-- The Liberal Party needs more than a new leader
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National Post
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Oct 22-- Canadian-style 'deal' could be in the making
Oct 22-- Dion's expensive goodbye
Oct 21-- Has Dion unilaterally replaced himself with himself?
Oct 21-- The Dion-Manley dilemma
Oct 21-- Nice guys don't last in politics
Oct 21-- He Said, They Said: A Campaign Deconstruct
Oct 21-- He didn't get it: Politics is nasty
Oct 21-- Who's up next?
Oct 21-- Climate madness
Oct 21-- Dion departs as he arrived, listening only to himself
Oct 20-- Stéphane Dion owes his party no apologies
Oct 20-- The two faces of Stephane Dion
Oct 20-- Veteran MPs touted to replace Dion
Oct 18-- Liberals should remove Dion quickly, replace him slowly
Oct 18-- Let Dion leave with dignity
Oct 18-- R.I.P. Green Shift, a noble idea, badly sold
Oct 18-- The leadership that never was
Oct 17-- For the Liberals, a chance for renewal
Oct 17-- Liberal leadership contenders: Frank, Manley and some other adjectives
Oct 16-- McKenna eyeing Liberal leadership: source
Oct 15-- Dion refuses to acknowledge inevitable
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Toronto Star
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Oct 22-- Cauchon eyes the Liberal leadership
Oct 22-- Lester Pearson's lessons for today's defeated Liberals
Oct 21-- No interest in Dion's job, premier says
Oct 20-- Dion resigns but will remain as leader for now
Oct 20-- Liberals cast themselves in leader's light
Oct 19-- McCallum to be interim Liberal leader: Report
Oct 16-- Who's running for the Liberal leadership?
Oct 16-- Volpe calls on Dion to step aside
Oct 16-- Liberals need new leader, plus
Oct 16-- Liberals leaned too far left: Manley
Oct 14-- Defeat means Dion's days numbered, Liberals say
Oct 12-- No plans to step down if election lost, Dion says
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Sun Media
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Oct 21-- McKenna's move?
Oct 21-- Dion falls on sword
Oct 21-- McKenna's move?
Oct 20-- Dion poised to call it a day
Oct 18-- Time for Grits to draft McKenna
Oct 17-- Liberals don't get it
Oct 16-- Dion's only choice: Quit
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