Endorsement: Another self-proclaimed 'Dionista'

After what can only be described as a long period of indecisiveness caused by overexposure to first class, highly qualified leadership candidates, I have finally made up my mind as to who I will support in the Liberal Leadership.

To explain a titch of my indecisiveness, I present to you an unnecessarily lengthy diatribe of the thoughts swirling through my head in the days, weeks, and (er) months, leading up to my decision. I call it UNTITLED (Portrait of Internal Leadership Pathos).

BRISON I just straight up like him. He’s sweet, smart, and hilarious. One of the funniest candidates of the bunch, he’s had me in stitches more times than I can count, and I like him personally. We also share a mutual adoration of tax reform and a few other policy issues; however, at the end of the day, I looked at my two main contemporary concerns with our party, and I realized that- through no true fault of his own- he lacked the ability to solve these problems.

RAE I also adore. Rae has it. In spades. I don’t know what ‘it’ is, exactly but I damn well know he’s got it. Have you heard him speak? Have you seen him interact with others? Have you read his writings? There’s no question that amongst seasoned professional politicos watching and participating in this race, Rae is flawless in every respect, from communication to policy to bilingualism. The people on Rae’s team are inclusive, talented, and deadly convincing. Moreover, I firmly believe their competitor’s rhetoric, “Rae days will kill his chances in Ontario,” is nothing but bullshit. Maybe I just give the voter too much credit but I think the recession and the unexpected nature of the win can go a long way toward exonerating a brilliant politician.

Not to mention that Rae had the most gender-equitable cabinet in North American municipal/provincial/federal history. Amongst equality activists, he will rightly go down as the one politician who didn’t just walk to walk, but talked the talk, and for that I can’t help but feel somewhat guilty about not supporting such a track record.

Unfortunately, again when I looked at my two main concerns about our party factoring into my decision, I realized that Rae possesses the ability to solve one but lacks the ability to solve the other.

And then there is DRYDEN. A man of intense principle, intense dedication, and intense intensity, there is no question that he would make a good party leader in many senses.

Another large attraction to Dryden is his team. They all share Dryden’s honesty, intelligence, and kindness. People always ask me why the magazines I read are addressed to Ken Dryden, and it’s because his office sends me their week-old copies of Time and Macleans because I’m too poor to afford subscriptions! He and his staff are just that nice. They’re also extremely honest. When wooing supporters they’re direct, blunt, and make no promises nor pull any punches.

Of course, returning again to my two main problems with our party, I again think Dryden might be good at solving one, but definitely not effective at solving both.

So what are my two main concerns you ask?

Firstly, I worry about the health of the party in Quebec electorally. I worry that not only are we losing soft federalists votes via a system of appeasement as promoted by Stephen Harper’s UNESCO or fiscal imbalance politics, but that those soft federalists are then turning into soft separatists. I worry that our poor electoral performance is the beginning of a cycle whereby fewer elected representatives makes us less capable as a party of understanding or representing the province, which then makes us less electible.

Secondly, I worry about the health of the party in Quebec internally. Declining interest, participation, inclusion, and integrity are leading to an upsetting “all work and no play” atmosphere. With the recent arrival of the Conservatives as a political force in Quebec, there is fear and concern where there should be motivation and excitement. Instead of feeling threatened and psychologically ill-prepared to do battle with two parties, this should be seen as an opportunity, a chance to highlight what makes us great and what sets us apart from all other parties. The Liberal Party is not the de-facto choice for Quebec federalists, it is the right choice for Quebeckers and communicating this is not a burden, my chers militants, but a challenge.

Linked, but distinct, a party struggling both electorally and internally can never be a cohesive and healthy organization. And to move toward this, I firmly believe we need solid commitment and will from the grassroots as well as strong leadership from the top.

And this, my friends, is why I am endorsing Stéphane Dion for leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Yes, he’s solid in terms of policy- Canada’s role on the international stage, a vibrant economy that is also sustainable, and a commitment to social justice- and he speaks to these issues with a genuineness and conviction not often exhibited in most politicians. But while I don’t mean to downplay his brilliance in any of these realms, we as a party need a leader with even more.

We need someone who understands the country’s separatist sentiments (whether they be Quebec, Alberta, or Newfoundland), and the dynamics at play in the party.

He has been a dedicated member of our caucus for a long time, taking on the tough portfolios, writing the difficult legislation, and all the while being a dedicated member of our party, engaging with the grassroots and actively participating at events and within the policy process.

He’s not a conventional politician in many senses, but to me, that’s one of his greatest attributes. Yes he’s got the ideas, vision, and passion necessary, as well as the rare ability to fully communicate those eloquently and convincingly in both official languages. But most importantly, he’s also got the background and the proven party track record.

He’s always stood up for us as Liberals- at times against the most vicious of criticisms and open hostility from the opposition- and I am proud to now stand up for him.