Agenda

As was widely expected, Michael Ignatieff recently announced his intention to enter the leadership race to replace Stéphane Dion. That the race will feature a renewed battle between the Rae and Ignatieff camps, means that Canadians will likely see Liberal knives out a little while longer before they see them sheathed away. 

The Liberal party, its leadership candidates and their supporters are rightly examining the Democrats’ recent victory for clues on how to not only energize their increasingly disillusioned base, but to again appear relevant to an increasingly skeptical Canadian public. While a lot of focus has been on Barack Obama, I think there’s a more fundamental lesson on party solidarity to be learned from Hillary Clinton.  

New rule: Liberal MPs are prohibited from saying the words “Barack Obama,” at least in reference to their upcoming leadership campaign and the broader renewal of their fledgling party.

Just a few days after Barack Obama rode into the White House on the shoulders of the largest grassroots campaign in the history of democracy, elected Liberals emerged from a caucus meeting proposing to restrict participation in the process to choose their next leader.

Even more upsetting is that while some Liberals were busy spouting their very un-Obamaesque ideas, their Leader was suggesting the Party emulate the legendary figure’s grassroots approach. The Liberals just don’t get it.

Last week, Stéphane Dion resigned as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. A leadership convention to choose Mr. Dion’s successor will likely be held in 2009. This is a important opportunity to talk about what the priorities of the next Liberal leader should be. That’s why PSB is adding a new section: Agenda.

Agenda will feature posts advocating policies on various issues that contributors believe should be central to the next Liberal leader’s platform. Canada’s natural governing party needs to change, both philosophically and organizationally.