, 11.08.2019 09:31 AM

The Liberals had a caucus meeting, too

It happened yesterday. You didn’t hear much about it, because all the drama had happened the day before, with the seven-hour-long Conservative mass-suicide disguised as a caucus meeting.

The Liberal caucus meeting was a happier affair. For one thing, the newbies – and Trudeau has a lot of them in his caucus – are now just two short years away from qualifying for the fabled gold-plated Parliamentary pension. That kind of boodle tends to keep the natives from getting restless.

Ditto re-election. A lot of them didn’t expect to be back. Forget about Aga Khan, Gropegate, LavScam and the Griswolds Go To India – who could ever expect to survive multiple mid-campaign revelations about their leader wearing racist blackface? But they did. They did.

So, the Grit nobodies were happier than the Tory nobodies (that’s what Justin’s Dad used to call MPs, by the way – nobodies).

But all is not well. A sampling of the Liberal Nervous Nellie list:

• The Emperor’s Clothes. He doesn’t really have any. Liberal MPs universally do not trust the judgment of Trudeau or his inner circle like they used to – they’ve simply made too many big, big mistakes. Exhibit One: turning a sure-fire second majority into a minority. There’s no mutiny on the horizon – but nor is this the united, happy group it once was. Many are looking past Trudeau, now.

• Events, dear boy, events. Who said that? Harold MacMillan? I think so. Anyway, the aphorism applies here. The Mounties have indicated that they haven’t closed the book on LavScam. Trudeau himself has said there are more Trudeau scandals/embarrassments as-yet unrevealed. The economy is expected to slump. The Tories may indeed get a leader who knows that God loves gays, lesbians and women who get abortions, too. And so on, and so on. Events happen, events affect political fortunes. Liberal fortunes, too.

• They didn’t win. If the Grit caucus is being honest with themselves – a tall order, we know – they will admit that Andrew Scheer lost. Justin Trudeau didn’t win. They were up against a placeholder Tory leader, one who didn’t inspire, but who has “hidden agenda” stapled onto his DNA. And they were up against a Conservative Party that forgot that data analysis is no substitute for voter ID and GOTV. I wager that won’t happen next time: I think the Tories will have a new leader (because, honestly, they have to get one) and a Senator Doug Finley-style election operation (because that wins elections, not columns of numbers).

But what do I know? I worked for Hillary Clinton in three states, and I was sure we were going to win.

Maybe Andrew Scheer will get another chance and become an actual progressive conservative. Maybe Justin Trudeau will learn from his many documented mistakes. Maybe the economy will be fine and the RCMP will decide that obstruction of justice is no more serious than a broken taillight. Maybe, maybe. Who knows.

All I know is the Liberal gathering didn’t generate as many headlines. And that suggests the Liberals are learning.

And the Conservatives? They aren’t.

42 Comments

  1. joe says:

    Justin learned he can lie, break promises, be unethical, be a hypocrite, and get away with it.

    What was his first act upon being re-elected? Flying across the country to go surfing in BC. Spewing out CO2 all the way.

    But tax payers provide him with a vacation home. Why didn’t he go there to rest, recuperate, and reflect?

    It’s that Justinian sense of entitlement. Do as I say not as I do (or have done).

    • Pedant says:

      Steve….what would your reaction be if images emerged of Stephen Harper dressed as blackface at a party at age 29? Be honest for once in your life.

      Since you seem to have an answer for everything, whether valid or not, what’s your defence of the beerfest grope 18 years ago?

    • joe says:

      Steve, suggest you read carefully. I made no mention of blackface.

      I didn’t say going on a boat was a scandal, but its hypocritical to say Canadians must use less energy, and then fly out to BC for a vacation.

      Trudeau’s lies, breaking promises, unethical behaviour, and hypocritical behaviour all occurred while Trudeau was Prime Minister.

      Perhaps you think that sort of behaviour is ok… as long as you are a liberal.

      What sort of behaviour would disqualify Trudeau as a leader?

    • Jim R says:

      Not sure what “family friends [sic] boat” you’re referring to.

      But w.r.t. the Aga Khan scandal, Trudeau took his family on an all expenses paid vacation to the Aga Khan’s personal island. And given that the Aga Khan’s organization lobbies the federal government for support (i.e. money), this was clearly a conflict of interest. So much so that a) Trudeau’s people tried to keep the trip secret for as long as they could, and, b) more importantly, the federals ethics watchdog found him in violation of the Conflict of Interest Act .

      And then there’s LavScam where Trudeau’s initial story went thru several metamorphoses, and where The Parliament of Canada’s Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion found that Trudeau improperly influenced then Minister of Justice and Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in an ongoing criminal case against Quebec-based construction company SNC-Lavalin.

      Both situations were looked at by the decidedly non-partisan ethics watchdog, and Trudeau was found severely wanting in both.

      Basically, Trudeau has an ethics problem. And that’s not opinion, it’s a fact.

  2. Pedant says:

    I’m an expatriate and this election has left me feeling even more distant to Canada as ever. I’m sure American expats who hate Trump might say the same about their own country, however at least Trump ran on an America-first platform and has largely governed that way. You might hate his policies, but he clearly puts his countrymen’s interests first. I don’t get the same sense with Trudeau or his party. Canada’s immigration influx is out of control, resulting in wage suppression for the middle class and working class and explosively inflated housing costs. It isn’t at all in the interests of Canadian citizens (except for Boomers who bought homes in the 1990s) but the Left and their friends in the media have decided that it’s racist to even talk about it. What’s more is that Canadian-born citizens, with no other citizenship on which to fall back, are left as an ever decreasing share of the electorate so they are increasingly powerless to vote for policies that might improve their lot in the only country they’ve ever known.

    I predict a massive brain drain out of Canada over the next 3-5 years. Young people with talent and skills need to ascertain the easiest pathway to obtaining another citizenship, be it US, UK, EU, AUS, NZ.

    • Retired says:

      Canadians who haven’t spent significant time abroad seem incredibly subservient to authority (and ‘orders’ from the media, Bell/CTV, Global, CBC, Star) and so easily cowed.

      Trudeau’s aggressive attacks has a lot of people feeling guilty just for disagreeing with him.

  3. Retired says:

    The entire system was for a Trudeau majority. From the media, to the debate set up, to many pollsters throughout the campaign trying to create narratives, to non-reporting on Truedeau NYC fundraisers, etc.

    Yet Scheer still got more votes. This is the stink and stench of Trudeau.

    SCHEER NEEDS TO GO.

    His passiveness, lack of charisma, and pathetic mistakes (d’oh, I’m American, d’oh I think I sold insurance as I see it)

    The GTVO game was horrible because Scheer didn’t motivate anyone, only those against Trudeau bothered to put up signs. Even experienced local Conservative candidates told me Scheer wasn’t helping at all, no one knew him, no one cared.

    Andrew Scheer = Tim Hudak

    Conservatives need to act!

    DITCH HIM FAST!

    • Jim R says:

      You forgot “d’oh, I was caught flat footed on 100% predictable questions on same-sex marriage and abortion”

    • J Hark says:

      Instead of fighting against Sheer why not call it like it is…the Liberal, foreign and Union interference in this election killed the CPC. Even with that interference the CPC under Sheer did very well.
      And the 34 page VOTERS GUIDE FOR MUSLIMS paid for with taxpayer funds told them WHO to vote for …and it was Trudeau.
      Trudeau should be investigated for misappropriation of tax payer money both for this advertising and for crisscrossing Canada for months campaigning before dropping the writ.

      But lets be truthful here…Trudeau is leading Canada down the path to communism and he has put some of the pieces in place already. Freedom of press-GONE. Freedom of speech- he’s trying to make that GONE as well. Control of Governor General, RCMP, judges (many of them it seems), Elections Canada..
      We need a political party in power which will reverse Trudeau’s legislation and introduce legislation which will ensure that a dictator can NEVER AGAIN take complete control of our government.
      And we need a redistribution of seats so that the west has a voice in the federal government…we need more seats, the east needs less.

      • Linda Querel says:

        All true but also the no ID loophole brought in by Trudeau was used. All expats voting even if they left 60 yrs ago voting. No proof of last Canadian address needed. Who voted, what countries and what ridings were they assigned to? Brought in by Trudeau and used. How many illegals voted, how many got drivers licenses in the last few months? Our elections are now following the US in every way. Trudeau”s advisors handling the campaign are from the US. There were many irregular voting practices going on, more than anyone thinks. Greta arriving in Canada during elections, Obama tweeting out that he endorsed Trudeau, obvious and blatant foreign interference. Sheer got more votes, Trudeau got more seats. How exactly?

        • At lot of unsupported claims here.

          “And the 34 page VOTERS GUIDE FOR MUSLIMS paid for with taxpayer funds told them WHO to vote for …and it was Trudeau.”

          Done by a university professor. Universities are funded provincially and operate with strict independence from the government. It gave the NDP the highest grade.

          “Sheer got more votes, Trudeau got more seats. How exactly?”

          It is a well understood effect of first past the post system which the Conservatives have been the strongest supporters of.

          • Fred from BC says:

            “It is a well understood effect of first past the post system which the Conservatives have been the strongest supporters of.”

            Conservatives AND Liberals. Tell the truth, Darwin.

          • The Liberals recently claimed they wanted to change it. Even if they where lying it still puts them at least slightly ahead of the Conservatives.

          • Fred from BC says:

            “The Liberals recently claimed they wanted to change it. Even if they where lying it still puts them at least slightly ahead of the Conservatives.”

            No, if they were lying it puts them even further *behind* the Conservatives, who at least are honest about their preference for FPPT. The Liberals had NO INTENTION of changing the electoral system…they just wanted you to believe their lies and vote for them.

      • Myst McKinlay says:

        Agreed! Couldn’t have said it better myself

        • Ronald O'Dowd says:

          Look, you guys make up a great sobbing society as to why Trudeau won and Scheer lost. O my God, poor you, poor utterly helpless voters. Poor second-class Canadians!

          Why don’t you do us a favour and wake up and realize that rep. by pop. calls the tune, as it should. Sure, Hillary got three million more votes — and Scheer more than Trudeau — but so fucking what? That’s not how FPP operates. Hello.

          People are such hypocrites. It’s always woe is me, poor little me, but as soon as they manage to turn the tables on the other guy, then things are just peachy. Down with dictator Trudeau but up with dictator Harper (or Scheer)!

          Face facts that the CPC ran a shitty campaign with a crappy leader, who couldn’t see one inch beyond his nose’s edge. Had Scheer run a truly national campaign, he’d have won. But all he did was come off as the West’s errand-boy and then you all wonder why Ontario and Quebec wouldn’t give Scheer the time of day? Please. Get real.

          You can play the victim all you want, and boo hoo hoo as much as you want, but don’t expect to be taken seriously by the voters in the rest of Canada until you get over that mindset.

          I voted Conservative but to see you all feeling so sorry for yourselves is beyond pathetic. Some people need to grow up and the CPC needs to reflect national priorities, not only the narrow parochial interest of a given region or province. And yes, that applies to all the other parties too. That’s how the CPC or any other party wins, not with a leader who goes out of his way to come off as another hopeless second-rate politician. Climate change matters, so does abortion rights and LBGTQ2 rights and so on. They are AS IMPORTANT as getting natural resources to tidewater or building pipelines. Too bad so many Canadians don’t get that. It can never be either/or. It must be both.

  4. Martin says:

    Excellent point on the pensions. Reason alone for a spring 2021 election.

  5. Steve T says:

    With regards to Scheer, there was an excellent editorial in today’s National Post. In essence, it asked why Trudeau and Singh weren’t peppered with questions about their religious views, in the way Scheer was constantly hounded. Trudeau is, allegedly, a practising Catholic. Singh is a practising Hindu, I believe. Why weren’t they asked repeatedly about their personal beliefs, and whether they supported the tenets of their alleged faith, etc?

    • Retired says:

      Simple answer: because the election was essentially rigged for Trudeau, as happens in Banana Republics. If you have lived in a Banana Republic and experienced elections in these places you will know that Canada is now one.

      But the pure stink and stench of vile Trudeau allowed a bland marshmellow of a ‘leader’ as Scheer to get more votes.

      If the Conservatives had anyone with an smidgen of charisma, this was the chance to take Trudeau out of power and back into full time surfing.

      • Karin Mitchell says:

        You couldn’t be more wrong. FIRST it would taken2 yrs to replace the leadership? With who? The ex conservative MP that has been speaking out against Scheer? Maybe Max? I’m guessing that is who you wanted, some stuffnnever ends. 2nd there could be another election before the 2yrs. Then what? The conservative are going to run a temporary leader? SCHEER was a good choice. He has plenty of charisma. He maybe not your type. But he worked hard, had a great platform. And won the popular vote? The system is screwed. Needs fixing. Trrudeau bought the east. Bought media. Bought UNIFOR. Forgein Interference . Throwing out the LEADER is what the liberals want. Standing together and standing strong is what they need. And a leader wno stand for principle is a good thing. He clearly said he would not open abortion. And who says you have to walk in a Dam parade to be a leader. Good for Scheer. That’s the kind of leader we need. Not a drama teacher acting like a retarded monkey. A man who stand for what is right for all Canadians needs time in this country. Religion is a personal choice. It does not belong in politics. Sexual orientation doesn’t belong in the GOVERMENT. Choice a real GOVERMENT

    • Fred from BC says:

      (oh, look: Idiot Steve is back!)

      “Get real. Women weren’t concerned that Trudeau and Singh were out to ban abortion.”

      “Get real” yourself…

      Andrew Scheer could not have banned abortion even if he wanted to, because the number of Conservatives who would oppose such a move is more than FOUR TIMES higher than the number who would support it. Look it up.

      (and that’s just the Conservatives, never mind the other parties)

  6. Retired says:

    I’m now very suspicious of Singh.

    Nice person, but in reality he’s never going to be able to dominate Quebec. This leaves things to the Libs and Bloc and a nice juicy share of seats to split between them.

    Singh is also not even popular in GTA West. Libs talk about benefits, Scheer about cuts and NDP about tax hikes. Singh will never win.

    Wondering if the selection of Singh had something to do with the federal Liberals. Singh is their perfect NDP leader.

    Banana republics usually try to infiltrate and control the opposition.

    Canadians need to wake up to what is going on, it’s stuff you are taught doesn’t happen in Canada, only those “other” countries.

    But corruption and dirty tricks and long term nefarious strategies have arrived with dirty Trudeau.

  7. Douglas W says:

    Libs will be up Schitt Creek if Scheer is replaced with someone, who gets retail politics and can spot the minefields, a mile away.

    • Retired says:

      Yes.

      Post more. Let’s try to get members to see the light.

      Even Kevin O’Leary would have won more GTA seats!

      • Ronald O'Dowd says:

        Retired,

        But O’Leary has become a smart CPC member. He’s got his ego in check. He already knows he’s not Canada’s Trump. He won’t go on TV or post anonymously across the internet stratosphere to sink Scheer. Everyone knows he’s got no social issues baggage but he knows that non-politicians ultimately make crappy leaders like south of the border. Good for O’Leary, he knows the job of CPC leader is definitely not for him. One wise individual.

  8. Gilbert says:

    I think the media is exaggerating the importance of social issues. Andrew Scheer won’t legislate on social issues because to do so in Canada is political suicide. It’s interesting that the left demands tolerance on social issues, but is often very intolerant of those who hold conservative views.

    At least the Conservative Party doesn’t ban pro-life MPs. Former MP Dan McTeague doesn’t recognize the Liberal Party of today and is no fan of the prime minister.

    Though many people want Andrew Scheer to be replaced, I want the prime minister to go. He went from a majority to a minority, he refused to take part in two debates with conservative moderators, he won no seats in Alberta and Saskatchewan and he’s guilty of two ethics violations. He’s overspending in good times, so I can only imagine how much he’ll overspend in bad times. He’s all style and no substance. He needs to be replaced.

    • Retired says:

      Of course he does.

      But this is hard ball politics as Trudeau is sending billions of our tax dollars abroad and destroying Alberta to benefit Saudis and the Canadian corps who control the tankers coming into Canada.

      They won’t give it up easily!

      This is why we need someone who is a pitbull to take on Trudeau who is an actor.

  9. Chris Scott says:

    Warren: I’ve come to this site for many years. Enjoyed some great articles you’ve written (and some great books too), I’ve never made a comment until now. But I must say, this is an awesome piece. You’ve summarized exactly what’s happening in our politics right now. Well done!

  10. Retired says:

    Even Kevin O’Leary would have won more GTA seats than Scheer.

    And perhaps more in the East Coast.

    Think about that Conservative members.

    Scheer is Tim Hudak II.

    Completely steps in sh*t that is right in front of him and can’t win.

    • Ronald O'Dowd says:

      Retired,

      O’Leary isn’t stupid. He knows what Just Visiting was all about. Bet he was even smart enough to ask Michael’s advice on its consequences. O’Leary wouldn’t presume that he could come in, à la Doug Ford, and not pay political consequences for his lack of political experience.

  11. Retired says:

    The harsh reality is:

    1. Mad Max as leader of the Conservatives would not have done worse and probably would have won a minority.

    2. Kevin O’Leary is very, very popular in the GTA and in the East Coast. He would have a won a minority or more.

    (And he would have been campaigning instead of boating at night).

    3. Was Scheer a set up? Think about it carefully, who would have been a weaker opponent for Trudeau? What really happened for Scheer to be appointed.

    In Banana republics things are often planned far ahead for the “chosen one” to keep on winning, thanks to things going on behind the scenes.

    WARREN, HOW ABOUT A COLUMN ABOUT THIS?

  12. Pedant says:

    And now we learn we most likely had a rigged September jobs report to inflate voters’ impressions of the job market right before the election.

    • Retired says:

      We are dealing with a well-financed Cult Party with Trudeau as the brainless puppet.

      They will do anything to win, banana republic style…or mafia style.

      We have a new low level of politics in Canada, we’re dealing with a cult.

      I think there is a good chance though that Trudeau will be kicked out if he continues to be a clown.

  13. Nicola Timmerman says:

    Pierre Poilievre for the win! Max Bernier as Conservative leader would have been crucified by the media. Scheer lost me when he disallowed a moderate Muslim pol sci prof as a Conservative candidate for fear of being called Islamophobic.

  14. And the new election will most likely come right before Doug Fords re election in Ontario,. Nicely planned as people in the 905 area dont like Ford and will vote red again . What Toronto wants they get. Really who would vote for somebody who says they are going to cut maybe their jobs. And Not one politician stood up and brought any one to counter act anything that child Greta was saying. There are lots of great inventions and inventors who can clean our land and water. Ways to make our products cleaner made, less pollution. Nobody at all saying politicians cant control weather or climate through taxing. The Conservative Party just let Trudeau and any one else ,the Media, unions, Jerry Dias, bully them around. Is their not one person in the Conservative group that has Charisma and the balls to stand up and lead the Party .

    • Fred from BC says:

      “The Conservative Party just let Trudeau and any one else ,the Media, unions, Jerry Dias, bully them around.”

      They did, didn’t they? Andrew Scheer could have shut them down completely on the two non-issues of SSM and abortion, but he didn’t (or couldn’t?). He could have not only put those issues to rest but made it embarrassing for anyone to continue to question him on them. Instead, he just kept giving the same scripted answers *over and over* every time he was asked the same predictable questions. Pretty sad response.

      (agree with you on the teen aged political prop, too; could have been handled so much better…)

    • Retired says:

      At this rate, Doug Ford will NOT be re-elected.

      Not a chance. There is an anger out there far more fierce than what happened with Wynne.

      Why?

      Because Ford promised a lot and has totally FAILED to deliver.

      “Open for Business?”…”More opportunities?”…etc.

      Turned into:

      1. Needless mean spirited cuts to seniors care.

      2. Ridiculous attacks on Parents of austistic children (Is the Ford Regime insane????!!!)

      3. Focus on beer, lcbo hours…who cares?

      4. Shady internal hirings

      I think the damage to Ford cannot be repaired.

      All the Libs have to do is get a centrist leader that shuns Wizard/Wynne policies and they win a huge majority and Ford goes down as the biggest loser, right there with Bob Rae.

  15. Gloia Saunders says:

    Dear Gerda – Your ranting about Climate change has managed to nail the final coffin in Conservative’s plans to govern Canada in a sane manner. Unlike that of the wonder Boy who has given millions to foreign countries and nothing for Canadians. 65 million to Syria. 23 million to Islamic Relief Fund. who support Hammas ( a Terroris Group). Now Canadians think that Andrew Scheer is not a good leader and should be replaced. Canadian should watch the HOC Q&A. Trudeau is selmon in attendance. If he is, he doesn’ answer the questions. If he answers, it the same old line, time and time again. Canada lost – Andrew Scheer won.

  16. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    It’s this simple: Canadians took a long time to warm up to Harper, for obvious personal character traits. But when they finally had enough of the Liberals, they put their trust in Harper. But in the end, Harper betrayed them by becoming overly doctrinaire in 2011. So, those same Canadians threw him out in 2015.

    Scheer has all of Harper’s doctrinaire faults and none of his political ability. Scheer, like Bernier and Trudeau is not really up to the big job. That’s why caucus went on for seven hours. They’ve reluctantly put lipstick on the pig but in their heart of hearts know Scheer has to go or Trudeau wins again. Voters aren’t buying cause they don’t like Scheer and see no likely room for improvement. But again, the party ain’t any smarter and will foolishly rubber-stamp a second-rate leader for another disastrous run against Trudeau.

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