— Musings —11.29.2019 10:09 AM
Dear Mr. Scheer
During the attempted coup against Mr. Chretien, these were my talking points. Mr. Scheer, you’re welcome.
— Musings —11.29.2019 10:09 AM
During the attempted coup against Mr. Chretien, these were my talking points. Mr. Scheer, you’re welcome.
If you look closely the move to oust Mr. Scheer is being led by party hacks, no longer in positions of power. Defeated candidates for both MP seats and party leadership, unwilling to accept loss off position with grace and dignity. Surrogates acting for both Reformers and Progressive Conservatives who never could accept change. Lobbyist past and present, no longer able to access lucrative entitlements they once had. And of course the TINOS, Tories In Name Only, who change coats instantly, as greed and waning influence dictate.
J.H.,
No longer CPC but Scheer’s a dud. Won’t see Scheer pull a 2006 next time. He ain’t no Harper.
That’s what a legit leadership review in the spring is all about. Not a bunch of disgruntled losers feeding media like the Ottawa press gallery, that as Paul Wells says hasn’t voted Conservative since the days of Joe Clark. As Wells also pointed out for the most part we are only hearing from these media hacks and Hog Town insiders who voted for candidates other than Scheer in the leadership race.
I’ll wait till the members express themselves in the CPC official review this spring.
J.H.,
A lot of CPC supporters, not just members, are thinking exactly like you. Your last sentence says it all — but where I was wrong in 2005 was thinking Harper could never win after the loss in 2004. But then, I redeemed myself in 2011 when I predicted a Liberal majority because Harper quite deliberately moved further right than most voters were comfortable with.
But to get to the point: party structures work against party best interest. That’s why leaders stay entrenched even after review. Whether we’re talking Scheer, or even Trudeau, the grassroo0ts generally don’t have the stones to send the leader a clear message about his or her previous failing performance. In 2006, the CPC got lucky — and only lucky — cause Harper had what it took to win within him, much to my surprise, having been slightly acquainted with him. Like or dislike Harper, he had the intestinal fortitude to win — and later to blow it all. Scheer is not even close to having what it takes to win. That’s precisely why it’s in their party’s interest to show him the door. But they likely won’t, much to Trudeau’s satisfaction.
Its more about JT than AS. CPC folks have no respect for JT.
They correctly gather that he is a hopeless loser, barely capable of tying his shoes every morning, who accidentally stumbled into power twice because of a nice smile and a terrific haircut. Losing was unfathomable, so they want to start over again with the leader. But hating the oppo too much can cloud judgement.
The next election is bearing down on them in about 17 months. Writ dropped in 16 months. The usual Confidence crisis in 15 months. Candidates will need to be nominated in a little over a year.
The main question at this time should always be: is our hand better now than it was four years ago? Not a doubt about it. Most $ + only major party to gain seats + most votes = keep the guy.
Liberals watching this are hoping and praying for the Tories to start a leadership civil war. It lets them off the hook for at least a year or so.
What they should be doing is recruiting star candidates, thinking about Quebec policy goodies, muck raking SNCL and similar problems.
Love drafting the floor crosser as DL. That showed balls. Exactly what was needed at exactly the right time. AS is cagier than people give him credit for.
Why should Canadians give a shit about anything you say. You think they are so pathetic they would vote a guy in based on his smile and his hair.
Your opinion = nonsense
Thanks Steph… most notably absent from your comment – a single other reason anyone voted for Justin Trudeau. Better luck next time.
TRS,
They felt he deserved a chance. I don’t think that anymore. That’s for sure.
Obviously many millions of people don’t agree with you
Mike,
Yes, obviously. That’s why it’s called a democracy. But I will never vote Liberal again until Trudeau loses. Ditto, if any of his flunkies in cabinet become the next party leader. But that’s just me. LOL. Like most Liberals say, no one cares what I think. But that won’t stop me.
Steph: The Liberals did in 2015 Just in is his name!!
TRS,
Loyalty can be measured in inches. That’s why they’re called floor crossers. Nope. They are generally as loyal to the new leader as they were to the last one…some people are just natural sellouts.
And Scheer’s pick seemingly, is off to a flying start…
Yes, and red meat Cons will never accept her.
Mark,
CPC MPs rarely agree with Joe Clark but a lot of ’em do now! Remember that crack about a tourist in the party? Bingo.
Scheer should worry that this incredibly bad decision will not exactly work to his advantage.
the real sean: Exactly thanks for saying. When AS and CPC win 21 more seats it is saying something. There is nothing wrong with CPC as it stands. Keep up the good work Andrew!! Trudeau is counting on the CPC party falling apart. Go Scheer Go!!
lyn,
You need to look up what George H.W. Bush said about coming in second place in horseshoes.
R.O’D: George W. Bush also said “I would say the best moment was when I caught a 7 1/2 pound large mouth bass.”
Sorry, but it’s time to stick a fork in him. Scheer is political poison in our three largest cities and in the GTA in general. He’s nowhere in Quebec. He has zero charisma. He is not a skilled or talented retail politician. None of this is going to change.
To quite the great Cole Porter: Use your mentality, face up to reality.
Get rid of him yesterday. Watch last night’s At Issue panel. They had this right.
The Doctor: I don’t agree with you winning 21 seats is a great feat next time will be better and there will be a next time! Go Scheer Go!
Scheer is basically a big dork. Unelectable.
What we are seeing is a prelude to the leadership review scheduled for April 2020. They are generating talking points in the media about Andrew Scheer’s shortcomings. Then, when April comes around, the non-coup will be fait accompli.
Why will it be a non-coup? The leadership review is an official part of the CPC process, in contrast with the unofficial under-mining of a leader who has failed to deliver, and to be clear, Andrew Scheer failed to deliver. More seats, popular vote leader … these are the talking points from someone who did not win, and not winning is a failure.
Exactly. It’s like Hillary supporters claiming she won the 2016 Presidential Election, except even lamer. At least Hillary was popular in America’s largest cities.
The Doctor: Hillary got the popular vote by using FRAUD and that has been proven!!
Evidence, please.
Yes, perhaps lyn can enlighten us all about the findings of Donald Trump’s Commission on Election Integrity.
Oh that’s right, there weren’t any.
Darwin: (https://washintontimes.com/news/2017/jan/26/hillary-clinton-received-800000) (https://www.factcheck.org/2017/08/25-million-clinton-votes-werent-fake). There is more proof this happened in California as they don’t keep good records of voters…keeping dead people on the list is very common, then illegals that vote that aren’t citizens.
lyn: The fact check article you link to actually refutes your assertion of fraud. Do you realize that?
Doctor: If you read the whole article it doesn’t refute it at all. It confirms it. I’d say you didn’t read it.
Either you are flat-out lying or you have serious reading comprehension deficits. Pick a door.
Ron Benn: I’m sorry but I’m not throwing the leader out with the bath water. He is valuable to CPC party and will bring in a win the next time. We don’t need members like you…we need positive thinking people. Go Scheer Go!! Stand with your leader!
lyn,
Try to at least respect those who have differing opinions in your own party. Pretty basic stuff. Check with Andrew, if you must.
I disagree. Choosing a turncoat as deputy leader is insulting to Conservatives who have served on that banner through thick and thin. It is even more divisive.
Scheer is obviously not a united. Instead of taking blame for the loss he blames others. He doesn’t get it still. Others do.
Andrew has his work cut out for him. The election has been over for month and the main talking points seem to be about him, unfortunately for all of the wrong reasons. I honestly don’t know if he has what it takes to beat Justin; the message that seems to emanating from the Laurentian Elites is that the West (read Alberta and Saskatchewan) should just shut up and grovel, and be thankful they can fund the ROC through equalization. With that mentality in place, the current PM can say all the right things, but the facts are that he and the LPC can govern without any support west of Kenora. Scheer absolutely can’t abandon Western Canada (nor should he, IMHO), and sadly the people that are stabbing him in the back to take over the party leadership are more worried about getting into power than actually doing anything to ameliorate western alienation. It wasn’t Pierre Trudeau or John Turner that provided the impetus for the Reform Party, it was Brian Mulroney. I suspect Mr. Scheer will be forced out, and the CPC will lose the next election and hand the current PM a majority mandate.
I want Scheer out, but I would be perfectly fine with a CPC leader from Western Canada who, unlike Scheer, is a skilled and successful politician with some charisma and some genuine appeal in the parts of our country where most people actually live and where most of the votes are.
I knew Scheer was a lousy choice for leader the moment he was elected leader. He was a lame compromise choice, just like Stephane Dion and Joe Clark. And you know what happened to those two. Smell the coffee FFS.
Re my first paragraph: Rona Ambrose, for example.
Doc,
The subtle underpinnings of a Draft Rona earthquake are already in motion. And she has nothing whatsoever to do with its launch, nor has Rona encouraged it in any way.
Ron Benn says: “More seats, popular vote leader … these are the talking points from someone who did not win, and not winning is a failure.”
Really?!
So long Stephen Harper 2004. So long Dalton McGuinty 1999. Forget John Diefenbaker. To hell with Pearson 1958. Obama 2000 congressional run = unforgivable loss, might as well never show up again. While were at it lets dump Mike Harris 1990. To hell with John Tory 2003.
Not one of the above scored more seats, most money raised and most votes their first time out.
Scheer doesn’t even come close to having the natural ability of any of those people. He’s just another Justin Trudeau, minus a Trudeau last name…
But Trudeau has one thing besides good hair that Scheer will never have. He’s a good, maybe excellent, retail politician. It’s more than the Trudeau name IMO.
Mark,
True but even that quality only takes you so far. Your record is what determines your electoral fate — hence the minority because plenty of people did not agree with a lot of his government’s decisions and they went out of their way to vote accordingly.
I’ve voted CPC before, when I wasn’t voting Liberal, but this time was the hardest because of my concerns about that party’s leader. So, I held my nose and voted CPC anyway in the hope of teaching Trudeau a lesson he would never forget. But at least the glass is half-full. Trudeau has been put on notice by the voters. In other words, he got lucky, running against Scheer. I hope he sends Scheer a really, really, really, nice Christmas present.
Mr. Chretien, three consecutive majority governments.
Mr. Scheer: a breakaway, from centre ice, in. Open net. Puts puck over the plexiglass.
Andrew Scheer lacks on the spot political instinct.
He needs street fighting instincts like Chrétien.
Example:
He campaigned to end corporate welfare and when asked if this would apply to the Oil and Gas. He didn’t know what to say.
In his defence, this industry from ‘84 till 2014 never asked nor received corporate welfare handouts. It will receive a competitive tax regiment that people will argue are subsidies. And the IMF may argue that the externalities of developing Oil and Gas are subsidies. But corporate welfare handouts not so much.
So when asked, confused by the question because corporate welfare really doesn’t apply to Oil and Gas, he gave a mumbled answer.
The answer should have been of course!! All industries will see an end to corporate welfare.
You have to be quick on your feet with Canadian Scrum style media. And he lacks that skill completely.
SECOND
The private sector blue collar worker’s best interest are now Conservative. His voting bloc he needed to win were the Reagan Democrats. It seemed like he was unaware of this.
Nick M. Do you remember Trudeau’s blunders!! Scheer will learn from his. Trudeau takes acting lessons just to be able talk let alone speak at rallies!!
The Conservative Party simply got destroyed in the election and everyone focuses on the leader for lambasting post-election. Few are willing to entertain Scheer for another run it appears.
Ambrose is not a panacea for electoral victory. Winning takes a reasonable plan that Conservatives can’t seem to come up with. Bottom line is that the Conservative Party lacks talent, leadership, and pragmatic planning that works.
Firing the kids in short pants was a good first start. Scheer is not as bad as everyone seems to suggest. Accepting Scheer is the battle for the Cons.
RW
“Firing the kids in short pants was a good first start. Scheer is not as bad as everyone seems to suggest. Accepting Scheer is the battle for the Cons.”
Coming from you, this is a bit of a shock…but yes, he should be given a chance. If it turns out that it’s not actually Scheer himself who is the problem, give him another shot (he *did* increase the CPC seat count and win more actual votes than any other party). If it’s him, dump him at the leadership convention.
I really don’t know what to believe. He wasn’t my pick for CPC leader; I knew almost nothing about him until I found out he was bought by the Quebec dairy cartel, which turned me against him immediately (you claim to be the champion of the middle class? ACT like it)….but maybe this wasn’t his idea? Maybe, like the “we don’t talk about our contractors” mantra, this was just him doing what his advisors told him to do, again?
At any rate, fire those advisors and get better ones.
Fred,
Michael fired his advisors too.
I’m hearing that the Baird Report will seal the deal, one way or another. Won’t go any further than that.
Robert is also ex-PCP.
Robert White: I agree totally…Thanks for saying it.
He lost a winnable election, and there are few greater sins in electoral politics. (Fumbling away power is a greater sin, from which there is no recovery.) Pointing to a gain in seats, and a higher popular vote, just isn’t enough.
What were defeated candidates in winnable seats hearing on the doorstep? Doesn’t sound like Scheer ran ahead of his party, or was seen as a compelling reason to vote Tory. It was all about the other guy, who tried really hard to lose, but just couldn’t fall far enough.
Tod Cowen: It has been proven that being elected for 4 yrs just might get you the next 4 yrs…As their are some voters still willing to give Trudeau a chance to change!! Scheer did improve CPC standing which is quite the feat with……Trudeau’s good looks and Hair!!