06.28.2012 06:19 AM

Justin’s decision

The best thing about this story is that it’s in the Caledon Citizen. Take that, Parliamentary Press Gallery!

Okay, Reformatory and Dipper commenters, start posting dozens of over-the-top remarks about how Justin doesn’t worry you at all, not at all, and how you are simply genuinely worried for Grits who favour Justin. Go!

62 Comments

  1. Brammer says:

    Wow, just…wow!

    He clearly articulates a framework for the bold moves the Liberals need to make to become relevant again. A national vision has been MIA for way too long.

    Refreshing, to say the least.

  2. Matt says:

    It’s truly strange (and pretty encouraging) to hear conversations I have had with many others echoed here in this article. A vision of optimism… what a nice change. The NDP sure did drop the ball with Mulcair…

  3. Byron says:

    Trudeau asserted that Canadians are neither people of the right or left. They are people who want sound decisions that fit in with their values.

    Good line, I hope he uses that more often.

  4. Nic Coivert says:

    Now that’s a leadership speech, and a good one. He’s wily too, give people some hope.

  5. Christian says:

    Very nice. But thats the problem they’re nice words and sentiments. “The world needs more Canada”. I think it was Bono who first said that. But what does it mean? It could mean more troops in Afghanistan or it could mean more money to CIDA. Justin will need to explain and flesh out what he means and what he wants to do. Until he does Canadians will see whatever they want in him and he’ll do well in the polls. Lets see how well he does when he starts to put some solid policy proposals on the table before annointing him the next Liberal saviour.

  6. Robert says:

    Does the liberal party have no plans to develop support in the Prairies? I’m too young to remember the first Trudeau, but I get the impression that his name is more poisonous than the Liberal brand in Alberta. Realistically, no one needs Alberta votes to form a federal government, but look at where the migration lead and where the economic centre of gravity is shifting. We don’t need more regionalization.

    We all know Warren isn’t secretly supporting the Wildrose party, but that’s who would benefit from a Trudeau-led federal Liberal party.

  7. Gyor says:

    Canadians aren’t right or left? So in other words if you are left or right your not Canadian eh? Oh I know if your not Liberal your not Canadian. So much for bringing people together. Oh and the Mulcair is a Grumpy Old Man is a fiction in Trudeau’s mind, as proven by his preformance to date.

    • Philip says:

      Not really strong in the reading comprehension department are you? But go ahead and create strawman arguments if you think that helps anymore. I would hate to see another Conservative run out of manufactured grievences to wrap themselves in.

      • Jason King says:

        Gyor conveniently forgets Peter Van Loan’s comment about the only true Canadians being conservatives a few years back.

        So much for Gyor’s point making any sense

  8. Ted H says:

    As another example of how the Conservatives are chipping away at everything good about Canada, the rescue crew working at the Elliot Lake collapse is being shut down due to funding cuts in the Omnibus budget bill.

    • Ted H says:

      I just want to expand on this issue. The savings realized by cutting the rescue team program is about 6 million dollars. Government ministers spend more than that on orange juice and limousines, and yes that is hyperbole but in terms of the overall budget, that isn’t a lot of money considering the need for such a team when there is a disaster.

  9. JamesHalifax says:

    Well, that sure sounds like a speech by someone who is looking to be the leader. I don’t think we need to wait until the end of summer for a decision…I think it’s cleare he’s already made it. It’s just that it will take him all summer to study the material the power-brokers of the Party will be writing. In effect…he cramming for the finals.

    Ted H…based on what we’ve seen about this rescue crew….we should have shut them down and started over. I think you need a full time crew trained, not part-timers who take “some” training. I think this is a job for the folks in the military.

    • Ted H says:

      “The five specialized heavy urban search-and-rescue teams across the country, including the one called upon to search the rubble of a collapsed mall in Elliot Lake this week, are at risk of folding due to federal cuts.”

      “The specialized work that existing teams are capable of can’t be replicated by local emergency responders, or even the Canadian Forces.”

      You don’t have this one quite right there James, and these quotes are from Conservative friendly CTV.

      • JamesHalifax says:

        Ted H…I don’t think I would qualify CTV as Conservative friendly. One simply has to watch “Don”…to see that.

        As for the military taking over the duties of rescue, I didn’t write that they should have gone in to Elliot Lake and taken over…I just meant that we should use the folks in the military to do this kind of work. They already take risks that most would not, they are not controlled by a union, and I doubt they would stop a “rescue” when a survivor remains, simply because it may be dangerous. Dangerous…is what they do best.

        • Ted H says:

          Maybe so James, but being trained for many tasks, they are also much more expensive that the purpose trained specialized urban search and rescue teams the government is de-funding and isn’t this excercise “supposed” to be about saving money.

          • JamesHalifax says:

            Ted H, I do see your point, and yes a military team would be more expensive, but they would most likely also be far more capable as they could focus on one area, and one area only.
            Besides, they already have some pretty good experience from Haiti….

            As for the Government de-funding, I do agree that this is not the right way to go about saving money, as this cut affects those who save lives.

            I’m all for cutting waste, but I don’t consider these teams a waste.

    • Tim Sullivan says:

      What a stupid idea. The military is not designed to be all things to all people. The miliary personnel are trained to fight wars, not rubble rummage for signs of life.

      This is a typical, ill-conceived stupid suggestion … typical of a conservative. We all know that generally conservatives are not as bright as others. Here is yet another example.

      • JamesHalifax says:

        Actually, Tim….the military is trained for just about everything. It’s nothing but specialists in one field or another.

        They don’t just fight wars..though that is what they are best at.

        • Tim Sullivan says:

          Who in the military is trained to deal with something like the mall collapse in Elliot Lake?

          Who in the military is trained to deal with public health emergencies like SARS?

          Lots of medical specialists in the military, JamesHalifax? Search and rescue? Snow clearing specialists?

  10. Tom says:

    I’m NDP, but unlike many who put party before country, I would be thrilled with Justin as PM (or Tom Mulcair). Anyone but the right wing lunatics running the show now.

    Natha Cullen’s idea of running the best candidate in each riding could actually save Canada. Stop the progressive circular firing squad….Please!

  11. JamesHalifax says:

    Tom…..most self proclaimed “progressive” don’t know which end of a gun is dangerous…..because they’ve never touched one.

    I don’t think you have to worry about your circular firing squad too much.

    Now…anti-capitalist protest signs…..yeah, they may take someone’s eye out.

    • smelter rat says:

      Another well thought out retort, james, I don’t know how you do it.

      • Ted H says:

        James, of course you know that circular firing squad is a metaphor, but even though it is totally irrelevant to the discussion at hand, you had to get in a dig about real guns and the myth that progressives don’t know anything about them. What is it about conservatives and guns? I would consider myself a progressive in the sense that I believe governments should move constantly forward to improve the lives of all people, not backwards to restore a 19th century oligarchy. I am also a crack shot and was once on a winning rifle team.

        • JamesHalifax says:

          Congrats Ted….I too am a pretty good shot.

          You’ll note that what I wrote was “most” progressives don’t know anything about guns…not all of them.

          As for Conservatives and guns…..there are a lot of Conservatives who don’t own them, but do realize the Government should not focus their efforts on legal gun owners as it is a waste of money.

          This may surprise you, but I’m a Conservative who also thinks the Government should do everything in its power to improve the life of Canadians…..what I oppose is a Government who wants too much control over our lives.

          • Tom says:

            James,
            Then you must oppose the party whose majority of members wants/wanted to:

            Control who we marry.
            Decide what medical procedures women choose to have.
            Have the ability to spy on every single citizen of Canada.
            Throw people in jail for recreational pot use.
            Allow corporations to poison the environment.
            Steal elections with Robocalls and campaign donation schemes.
            Detain people with out probable cause.

          • JamesHalifax says:

            Tom, I don’t give a damn who marries whom, as long as it is between only TWO consenting adults.

            I’m pro-choice
            I’m against the bill for internet snooping
            I’m for the decriminalization of marijuana (with the caveat of strict controls)
            Robocalls is mostly hype, but those who were involved in Guelph should be punished.
            If detain people without probably cause you mean security certificates…I’m in favour of those. If you’re talking about rounding up protestors and chucking them in jail without cause..then I’m opposed to that.

            I think we agree on most things in your list Tom, but what we disagree with is in most cases is the debt and deficit, and how to get out of it.

      • Tim Sullivan says:

        It used to be entertaining because it was so idiotic. Now it’s just tiresome.

        • Jason King says:

          Its like we got Tulk minus a brain.

          • Jon Adams says:

            At least Epic InnisFail had the ability to use ellipses and the “reply” button.

          • JamesHalifax says:

            Jason, based on your history of posting…..I’d say that Mr. Tulk, even without his brain could present a far better argument than your lame contribution.

            I wish Mr. Tulk would come back….I’d like to see what he wrote that riled you so.

  12. Wow! For all those who diss Trudeau because of his acedemic record, I am beginning to think he earned his masters in Canadian Polical Communication on his fathers knee. Whether he is playing coy, OR is truly weighing his life vs career in the scales, he is doing it absolutely perfectly. And you know what? He sure as shit strikes me as a straight talker, who says it like it is, and does in fact speak from the heart. I mean, I BELIEVE him, and I feel like he empathises with my own political ideals.
    I am still not sure if he has the maturity, not certain that he can manage a stable of heavy hitters around a cabinet table but my doubts are fast being put to rest. I hope that he does run, and that there will be a full stable of real War-Horses competing. All the policy work that needs doing will hopefully follow. So long as the Liberals can call on talent like this, they will kick the living crap out of all comers in 2015. For the first time in my life I donated to the Liberal Party last week, and I will keep my chequebook handy for the coming contest, (not to mention 2015)

  13. T-Roy says:

    The only problem Is that Liberals like me want a pound of flesh and to punish those who brought this bastardized con party to power. Working with them won’t achieve this. I’ll vote NDP next time to make them pay hopefully. I’ll vote liberal again after the next election. Hopefully well get a NEP on steroids placed on Alberta.

  14. Jason Hickman says:

    Beats me if he would be a good leader. I haven’t seen any “there” there, but it’s early yet.

    But the best way for Libs to find out if he can do it would be a competitive leadership race with as many heavy-hitters in there to really compete with him. A virtual coronation would be the last think the LPC needs right now. Thankfully for the Grits it looks like a # of candidates will run, at least as of now. So if he’s in, let’s see how he does.

    Actually, one more thing: I wonder if him taking the summer to decide/announce will mean that the race and/or other hopefulls get ignored until JT makes up his mind. Liberal members may not want to sign on with anyone else till they know if Justin’s in. What say you, Liberals – is that a probability? And if so, is it a problem?

  15. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Bill Brathwaite,

    The CPC war room would run attack ads against their own mothers if that could guarantee them another majority in 2015. However, I doubt this Prime Minister will actually wait that long to pull the plug. He generally prefers to “catch” the opposition napping, or so he perhaps imagines!

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