Second Thots

Sometimes one has to step back, take pause, and have some "second thots"

Sunday, June 24, 2007

 

What in the world is Dion doing?


According to this Canadian Press story posted on CTV.ca, Stephane Dion is criticizing Stephen Harper's motion to recognize Quebec as a nation seven months after it passed. One might also recall that Dion was proudly exaggerating his own role in the crafting of the motion that finally passed Parliament. In fact, my assertion that he might have lied about his own role in that episode has still not been contradicted by the facts.

Anyhow, why was the motion OK then and not now? Is this a desperate attempt by Dion to save his own leadership from troubles in Quebec and beyond?

Let's see, it was only last week when Dion claimed victory for allowing Harper to rule as a vicious right-wing dictator. He later got angry because Harper was climbing down from extending the mission in Afghanistan, which was Dion's latest position on the mission, too. And now he's bringing up the Quebec nationhood issue many months after the potentially divisive matter came and went.

For those that think the guy will ever be ready for an election campaign, I'd think again. Over and over again, I believe that Stephane Dion is providing us with more than enough evidence to show that he doesn't have a clue about what national political leadership is all about. If he did, he sure has a funny way of showing it.

UPDATE (5:13 pm): This CP update from CNEWS has more on the story. Given that it is CP, and that they do have an anti-Harper slant, it's not surprising that they forget to mention Dion's position on the motion seven months ago. Not only did he support it, but he bragged and even might have lied about his role in its creation.

UPDATE (8:02 pm): By the way, the headline and lead for the article should have read: Dion raises Quebec nation question, reopens divisive debate. That's the story, and you know it would have been if you replace the word Dion with the word Harper. Dion's decision to do this, and the questionable judgement possibly behind it, is the lead. Dion should answer for this, not Harper. Yet CP has it the other way around. That is not a surprise.

Then people wonder why Harper doesn't trust the media. CP is one big reason why. I imagine they have a pool going on over there with the writer who tallies up the best bash Harper stories winning a dinner for two to eat a hot dog with a knife and a fork. I also imagine that Jennifer Ditchburn is winning that pool hands down.


Comments:
After we heard of that, I'm sure that life will go on for Quebeckers. In fact, most French Quebecker are satisfied with the symbolic recognition motion because from what I saw, as someone who lives in Quebec, they just interpret it the way they want. In short, they just don't care about the definition of a Quebecker; they just need the motion to be happy, as strange as it might sound.

 
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Does Dion really think this will help his troubles in Quebec? By questioning whether or not Quebecois constitute a nation (most appropriate French-to-English translation being "people")?

Dion's Quebec problem stems more from his closeness to Jean Chretien and his great love of centralized power.

 
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Quite frankly, I'm at a loss to explain why Dion did this, and why he did it now.

I know it's Quebec's nationalistic holiday. But that doesn't explain this move at all.

There's a part of me that thinks the easiest answer is this: someone close to Dion is feeding him a bunch of nonsense trying to undermine his leadership.

It was one of the ways Day got taken out. Some of his so-called closest people were actually stabbing him in the back. It at least explains some of the stupid moves in the last days, such as questioning a judge's motives, etc.

It almost seems like Dion is assuming that his leadership is at stake, so he's acting desperate, and people around him are only feeding the paranoia and the bad advice.

How else to explain bringing this up seven months after the fact? My goodness.

 
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I wouldn't have thought this was so hard to understand. The Liberals have always benefited in Ontario from a national unity crisis with Quebec. So, Dion is trying to stir one up. Simple.

 
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