06.09.2020 09:43 AM

What have Scheer, Marshall and the leadership candidates done to Harper’s legacy?

They’ve destroyed it, pretty much.

And I still don’t understand why the Cons want Parliament back. If they get their wish, these numbers are going to be even better for Trudeau, I suspect.

21 Comments

  1. Harper’s legacy — the good and the bad — got destroyed in 2015 by Harper. That’s pretty much it.

    These polls are in no man’s land polls. They reflect only an alternate reality where Trudeau alone is an actual or potential national leader going forward.

    The time to dissect the Tea Leaves will come when the CPC actually has a non place-holder leader in place. It’s then that things MUST change in the polls. Otherwise…

    • Douglas W says:

      You’re right: these polls mean squat until the Conservatives select a leader.

      Beginning to wonder if Leslyn Lewis is the one that the Liberals fear the most.

      Fresh face. Super smart. Articulate. Savvy.
      Will mop the floor with JT.

      • Ronald O'Dowd says:

        Douglas,

        She’s a respectful and thoughtful candidate with strong views. But the Liberals will muddy up the waters deliberately to falsely pitch her as Scheer on steroids. Straight from the Trump, eh, eh, I mean Trudeau handbook.

  2. the real Sean says:

    JT will wear a body cam to keep track of all the times he is doing blackface and meeting with filthy construction gangsters.

  3. Steve T says:

    Translation: I don’t like Conservatives. Whomever is their leader, I will pin all the stereotypes about Conservatives upon that person.

    I also note a lot of generalizations (aka stereotypes) with veiled allegations of racism, selfishness, etc.. The usual anti-Conservative stuff. In other words, you would have written this exact same commentary for whomever was leading the party, and whatever their actual policies.

    • Miles Lunn says:

      There is a certain segment of Canadians that hate Conservatives with a passion, but not large enough to prevent them from winning just as there is a certain percentage that always votes for them. Its those who fall in between those poles next leader needs to appeal to. Whether MacKay or O’Toole can do this, hard to say. That being said while leaders with such leads more often than not go onto win, I have seen parties come back from bigger deficits, it is not unheard of. Unusual yes, but I can think of a few such as BC Liberals in 2013, Alberta NDP in 2015, Ontario PCs in 1995, Ontario NDP in 1990 and also across the pond you almost had Labour in 2017 close a deficit this big.

  4. Why don’t you tell us how you really feel comrade? BTW, don’t forget the comintern meeting next week!

  5. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Mike,

    You’d be wise not to hold your breath. Who knows, you might just turn red. [Smiling.]

    • Miles Lunn says:

      Agreed. It hasn’t happened in other country. In fact coming to think of it, is there any country out there where right ever gets below 25%? Maybe are but none I can think of.

  6. joe long says:

    Ah yes polls. I’ve lied to every pollster that has called. I keep saying that I really like our dear leader.

  7. PJH says:

    https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/trudeau-says-dont-expect-a-fiscal-update-anytime-soon#Echobox=1591723069

    Read: We’re going to ride this CoVid19 gravy train right into the next Federal election.

    Don’t get me wrong. I think the PM has done a pretty good job in handling the CoVid19 crisis….but you could put anyone in that job at the moment and shovel out the cash like there’s no tomorrow and have the electorate eating out of the palm of your hand(literally) “Candies” as his father, PET, used to call them. Is it any wonder the Libs are at 46% in the polls?

  8. Doug says:

    The CPC seems to lack strategy and policy, which is a stunning reversal from the carefully planned Pre-2015 Harper era. The Party should suspend its leadership race for several reasons:
    1) As soon as the new leader is in place and has seat in Parliament, the Liberals will be tempted to engineer an election. The CPC needs to delay the election
    2) The more time passes, the more federal budget issues will surface. Fiscal matters are the Liberal weak spot
    3) As time passes, the sugar high of free money will wear off as will goodwill towards the Liberals
    4) Trudeau’s greatest strength is conveying empathy in front of the media. As the COVID crisis fades, he will have less opportunity to project this strength
    5) If the race is delayed, maybe some new leadership candidates will emerge
    6) If the race is delayed, the party will have more time to develop policy. The CPC can’t fight another election about nothing
    7) If the race is delayed, the party will have more time to craft election strategy and organize. The 2019 election showed a complete failure in organizing

    • Doug,

      With respect, do you know of any high profile CPC member who would want to get in now after MacKay and O’Toole have already corralled much of the membership spoils? I don’t see anyone being even remotely interested at this stage.

      IMHO, let’s just get it over with and it will be up to the leader to contend with his or her baptism of fire in the campaign. Peter and Erin didn’t exactly fall off the turnip truck yesterday. Either way, they should be able to give as good as they get from Trudeau. Remember that Liberal support is more of the variety of being a mile wide and an inch deep. Justin is no P-E-T. His support is not rock solid in the way that his father’s was in most of his campaigns, 1979 excepted.

      • Doug says:

        I hope you are correct. O Toole and especially MacKay don’t project the strong leadership skills it will take to win. O Toole’s recent policy book is encouraging, but that is only a piece of the puzzle. Perhaps a strong campaign strategist will emerge. The CPC brand must be fatally tarnished for so few high profile candidates to seek leadership.

        I can’t assess Trudeau’s support rationally as I find him repulsive on so many fronts:
        -coasting on last name and physical appearance. In any other reality, he would be a middle aged frat boy and nothing more
        -coasting on Butts’ admittedly brilliant campaign and communications strategies. The guy not only lucked into his family, he also happened to have a gifted university roommate ready to run with the family brand
        -no experience whatsoever before getting into politics in his early 30’s. Lots of politicians have think resumes but at least the likes of Harper, Kenney and even Scheer worked there way up through the ranks instead of being ordained
        -completely undistinguished parliamentary record before becoming PM
        -condescending yet juvenile tone in virtually all of his public statements (like a know it all teenager)
        -contrived media persona as Uber-woke social warrior
        -creepy Tom Cruise like media persona that is all empathy all the time, most of it disingenuous
        -lack of critical media coverage. No other public figure would have survived the brown/black face scandal. Why is Trudeau different?
        -minimal focus on the economy

  9. Yet Another Calgarian says:

    I think the Conservative focus is going to be at the provincial level of politics for some time to come.

    If this is the way things are going to run at the Federal level there is and is going to continue to be strong incentive to dismantle as much of Federalism as is legally possible.

    I expect the notwithstanding clause will get a workout in the next couple of years.

    Sovereignty disassociation so to speak.

    • YAC,

      I have a lot of clients in AB. And boy, have they been hurting these past two years. It’s my expectation that this Depression (not a recession in my book) will be the last straw that will push AB into requiring equalization going forward. If so, they deserve it in spades for at least the next hundred years with no questions asked.

      • Yet Another Calgarian says:

        None of the white collar professionals I know here actually really object to paying taxes that benefit the rest of Canada. Sure they max out their tax deductions but who doesn’t if they have half a clue. Its the righteous cluelessness that aggravate most of us.

        Having all our capital flee South has definitely put the brakes on things growth wise. Unfortunately I think Ontario’s manufacturing industry won’t be far behind us now given the way they seem to be floating capital gains tax increases so it really leaves me wondering who is going to be left to pay for the spending binge in two or three years.

        Which is ironic considering its possible that you could see some form of manufacturing being reshored from Asia over the next decade as the China disputes play out. Increasingly likely it won’t land here though.

  10. Joseph says:

    Ok you asked.

    While parliament has not been in session the polls favour the liberals.
    So if Parliament resumes, the logic dictates that the optics change.
    Right now the optics favour the one that has the podium all to himself. If Parliament resumes he won’t.

    Your welcome

    • Ronald O'Dowd says:

      Joseph,

      You would think so but the sad reality is that practically no one follows the House and media enablers only show clips that put their favourite Prime Minister in a good light.

      That’s why MacKay or O’Toole have to hit the ground running on TV as often as possible and as hard-hitting as possible. The onslaught has to be, at minimum, on a daily basis but hopefully at least twice a day.

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