The ONLY hope for Canada after Stephen Harper wins!!!

[Harry Vest]

Well, by all accounts it looks like Stephen Harper and the Conservatives will win a MINORITY government in the upcoming election. Only in Canada would people oust a government when things are so "good" (economy, jobs, etc.) - all beacuse of "scandal" - well I've got news for people EVERY GOVERNMENT HAS "SCANDAL" - Geez, wake up. Anyways...on to what I want people to think about...
The ONLY real hope for this country and the bruised Liberal party is to seek a new leader. I know who that leader should be. His name is ROMEO DALLAIRE - Yes that's right folks, Romeo Dalllaire. The last man standing in Rwanda is now a "senator" for the Liberals. If the party has ANY brains (which is questionable ) they will seek out Mr. Dallaire and beg him to run at the next leadership convention. Imagine actually having a Prime Minister you could be proud of!!! My God would that be nice. Anyways, just thought I'd throw that out to give all us Canadians hope that there may be life after Stephen Harper. Hopefully.

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

Hmmm, that's an interesting thought. A General as a Canadian Prime Minister?

Does he have any have any political experience though?

 

[dandy]

i have a tremendous amount of respect for romeo dallaire, but i don't know if i'd want to see that happen. i'd like to keep my respect for him.

i'm not sure he'd be interested in the job, either. he seems pretty committed to his humanitarian work these days.

i don't think he has any political experience beyond his work in the senate, and arguably the politics involved in heading a doomed UN peacekeeping mission.

stephen harper will not win the election. it just can't happen.

 

[VintagePunk]

My daughter just finished his book, and has a great deal of respect for him. However, due to his experiences, he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Very sad. One of her teachers attended a conference and luncheon over the summer where his second in command, Brent Beardsley spoke. She said that he too shook quite badly, and had to take a great deal of medication while they were having lunch.

 

[Harry Vest]

Only three replies????
I thought there were more Canadians out there.

 

[Harry Vest]

Look...this is a good idea and I'm probably breaking every rule on the site with this but I just want this up front and not buried at the back somewhere. Sorry, but I want this front and center before the election.

 

[financeguy]

There is already a thread on the Canadian elections.

 

[dandy]

i just don't see it happening.

 

[AliEnvy]

Look...this is a good idea

Why do you think Romeo Dallaire would make a good Prime Minister?

 

[Harry Vest]

Why?????
Maybe because he's got something NONE of the other guys have...Character, Courage, Honesty. I know these things usually don't jive with politics but wouldn't it be something if they did.

 

[GibsonGirl]

There is already a thread on the Canadian elections.

This one is slightly different, I suppose.

Anyway, I don't know how I'd feel about having Romeo Dallaire as a PM. Great man, but I really don't think it could ever possibly happen. He seems to be a little...unsettled. He might collapse under the strain of simply heading a party, much less a nation.

I heard today that Harper and the Tories have made some headway in Atlantic Canada. Oh boy, if only I had Canadian citizenship (just a year short!) The Tories wouldn't be getting a vote from me.

 

[DaveC]

My only hope after Stephen Harper wins is to move to Iceland.

 

[AliEnvy]

Why?????
Maybe because he's got something NONE of the other guys have...Character, Courage, Honesty. I know these things usually don't jive with politics but wouldn't it be something if they did.

Those traits helped him survive (barely) an unimaginable and impossible situation for sure...but...with all do respect to him and other war heroes, that wouldn't necessarily make him an effective political leader.

Look what happened to Colin Powell. Now there's a great example of a military man with (or at least who we thought had) character, courage and honesty who caved to political pressure and BS.

And frankly, Dallaire is too damaged by his horrific experiences and bitter at those who put him (and others) in that situation to become an influential peer on the world stage. Sad but true.

 

[Harry Vest]

I agree he is "damaged" but I totally disagree that this would make him less of a leader. Look at most of the World leaders we've had for the past several decades - you're telling me these people are not "damaged". C'mon.

 

[Zoomerang96]

we'll never really know with paul martin.

we didn't really give him a chance, the baggage from the chretien regime will be his ultimate downfall on monday.

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

Yeah, as of Monday or Tuesday we'll have to start a thread to talk about possible contenders for the Liberal party leadership. Something to occupy us during the next 18 months of Conservative-rule

Frank McKenna? John Manley? Brian Tobin?
Romeo Dallaire as suggested here?

I don't want to derail this particular thread but I guess it's food for thought until Tuesday!

 

[Harry Vest]

True

 

[AliEnvy]

Here's a frightening thought...

There aren't any good contenders really unless they've been hiding. And if the Liberals don't want to put Martin out there again (which would be a shame) they may bump up someone who can't take Harper in 18 months...if Harper is smart and can keep up his charade while leading a minority, he may be around much longer than anyone anticipates.

 

[VertigoGal]

Here's a frightening thought...

There aren't any good contenders really unless they've been hiding. And if the Liberals don't want to put Martin out there again (which would be a shame) they may bump up someone who can't take Harper in 18 months...if Harper is smart and can keep up his charade while leading a minority, he may be around much longer than anyone anticipates.

This sounds strangely familiar.

 

[AliEnvy]

This sounds strangely familiar.

Why's that?