Thursday, October 16, 2008

Star: Who's running for the Liberal leadership?

In anticipation of Dion's resignation in the next day or so, The Toronto Star puts up it's the first full list of possible leadership candidates.

Who does it put up first and foremost? You betcha. No surprise there. I'd say his plusses are way bigger than Diebel says, and the cons she lists are pretty small.

Who's running for the Liberal leadership?

TheStar.com - Federal Election - Who's running for the Liberal leadership?

Some Liberals are already privately lining up behind favourite choices to replace Stephane Dion. Some ran against him in 2006; others would be new

October 16, 2008
Linda Diebel
Staff reporter

FRANK MCKENNA

Former Liberal premier of New Brunswick and ambassador to U.S., courted in past to run, TD Bank executive, lawyer, 60

Pros: Politically savvy, plugged into financial and cultural elites, good U.S. connections, unflappable.

Cons: Has insisted he's not interested in leadership. Top political campaign teams are already claimed by 2006 candidates planning to run again.

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GERARD KENNEDY

MP for Parkdale-High Park, ex-food bank director, education minister in Premier Dalton McGuinty's government, 2006 leadership candidate, 48

Pros: High marks for grassroots social involvement, good record in education portfolio, not too young, not too old, and has both eastern and Western roots.

Cons: Role as "kingmaker" for Stéphane Dion in 2006, French not great in 2006 but says he has been studying.

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RUBY DHALLA

MP for Brampton-Springdale, first South Asian woman to be elected to national government, chiropractor, actress, 34

Pros: Considered good performer, valuable organizer with the Michael Ignatieff leadership team in 2006, need for more women.

Cons: Youth, inexperience, likely would be running for next time.

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DENIS CODERRE

MP for Bourassa, former immigration minister under Jean Chrétien, life insurance broker and radio announcer, 45

Pros: Passionate about issues, educated himself on Afghanistan, showed tenacity in running three times before being elected MP.

Cons: Under Liberal policy of alternating francophone and anglophone leaders, he should be ineligible.

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NAVDEEP BAINS

MP for Mississauga-Brampton South, heavily involved in Dion's leadership campaign, financial analyst, 31

Pros: Well-respected in Liberal caucus, organized, effective and regarded as "go-to" person for the Opposition leader's office.

Cons: Young, but like Dhalla a candidate who might be running for next time.

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JUSTIN TRUDEAU

Newly elected MP for Papineau, son of the late prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Margaret Sinclair, teacher, 36

Pros: Fast learner, showed grit in Papineau race, Trudeau royal jelly.

Cons: Liberals close to Trudeau insist he will not run, no wish to blow future with a loss now.

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BOB RAE

MP for Toronto Centre, former NDP premier of Ontario and once an NDP MP, left that party in 2002, Rhodes Scholar, lawyer, 60

Pros: Strong debater/speaker, savvy political instincts, would have master strategist – brother John Rae from Power Corp.

Cons: Bad memories of "Rae Days" in Ontario, rivalry with Michael Ignatieff lingers.

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MARTHA HALL FINDLAY

Willowdale MP, 2006 leadership contender, entrepreneur and telecommunications executive, lawyer, 49

Pros: Respected for staying in the race in 2006, loyally gave up Newmarket-Aurora nomination to Belinda Stronach.

Cons: No record of women effectively collecting dues in Canadian politics, top strategists may be committed elsewhere.

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MICHAEL IGNATIEFF

Etobicoke-Lakeshore MP who lived abroad for decades, came second in 2006 leadership, author, journalist, commentator and head of Harvard-based human rights centre, 61

Pros: Smart, sophisticated, political neophyte turned powerful stump speaker.

Cons: Supported U.S.-led war with Iraq in 2003 and was criticized for lending intellectual, human rights "cred" to the war, rivalry with Rae.

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JOHN MANLEY

Held foreign affairs, finance and deputy PM job under Jean Chrétien, chair of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's blue-ribbon panel on Afghanistan, lawyer, 58

Pros: Solid, straight-shooter, strong in foreign affairs portfolio.

Cons: Criticism he was manipulated by Harper in heading Afghanistan task force, not a passionate speaker.

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KEN DRYDEN

York Centre MP, former star goalie for Montreal Canadiens, leadership candidate in 2006, lawyer, 61

Pros: Best-known person in any political line-up, advocate for social justice, does charity work.

Cons: Not one of top contenders in 2006, well-liked on campaign trail but speaking style can be flat.

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SCOTT BRISON

Kings-Hants MP, former cabinet minister under Paul Martin, leadership candidate in 2006, Progressive Conservative who left after merger with Canadian Alliance, investment banker, 41

Pros: Hard-working and loyal to leader, funny and, if McKenna declines, could be only Maritimer in race; ability to simplify financial issues for public.

Cons: Not a strong leadership contender in 2006, soft-spoken and not memorable as speaker.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You should know Warren the K has a link to this site, which might influence voting:

http://www.warrenkinsella.com/index.php?entry=entry081016-173417

Anonymous said...

I also hope Franks thinking about a woman's right to choose has evolved:

http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=005228

Frank4PM said...

Oh, I don't know. Trudeau, Turner, Chretien and Martin were all anti-choice at the same time too.

As noted in your own link: "* Dr. Henry Morgentaler opened an abortion clinic in Fredericton on June 28, 1994. Within the day, the government had reacted by invoking a 1985 amendment to a section of the province’s Medical Act which prohibits doctors from performing abortions outside an approved medical facility. The Act puts the onus on the College of Physicians and Surgeons to suspend the licence of any doctor who does so. Acting on the province’s request, the College restricted Dr. Morgentaler’s license to practise in the province on July 5, 1994. Dr. Morgentaler immediately asked to appeal the College’s decision. The appeal was lost. Are you saying you support private healthcare, anonymous? I'm glad McKenna doesn't.

Besides, as noted by a commenter on your rabble.ca link: "It didn't disqualify Martin. Being personally pro life is different from saying that as a leader you would act to remove the right to choose. Premiers have far more ability to control access to abortion through the administration of healthcare. The Prime Minister only has the very blunt instrument of the criminal code and I doubt that he will advocate the usage of that instrument. I would expect him to answer the question as Jimmy Carter did. Essentially he might state that he is personally opposed to abortion but that he is unwilling to use the mechanisms at his disposal to stop it. That's how I see it. It's one of these issues that is important but can be clarified in a statement."

 
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