Deborah Coyne might be running out of her class in the 2013 Liberal Leadership Stakes but she brings special credentials to the race. And they are much more than being a former paramour of Pierre E. Trudeau. Deborah Coyne is a constitutional lawyer and professor. While her website introducing her to the race is a cliché laden ode to Canada, she is one person you want to have on side if you want to do something about Canada’s sorry constitution.
Coyne opposed both Meech Lake and the Charlottetown Accord which gives her solid credentials as a Liberal. She took on the thankless job of running against Jack Layton in the Toronto-Danforth electoral district in 2006 but then did not have the organization needed when she tried to move to Toronto’s Don Valley riding in the next election.
But that helped her understand what was wrong with the way the political parties are being run and what needs to be fixed. And she is a prolific writer. She has obviously spent months in preparation for entering the race and her words are almost too professorial. Reading and understanding her website takes hours of concentration. How many will give her the time is a question. That is a very expensive website and it would be a shame if the expense is wasted. She also has top professional help with her social media and that will give her campaign considerable punch with younger Liberals.
Deborah Coyne will bring a level of debate to the leadership that we can only welcome. She has done her homework. Whether she is willing to give her creative mind full rein though remains to be seen. She needs to not only run for the leadership but she has to show leadership.
It is hardly venturesome to recommend a form of preferential voting. That is a very small step in correcting our country’s political system. Regrettably the major changes needed can only be done through constitutional change and, as an expert on our constitution, it could be one area where she might fear to go.
If there was one lesson learned from the New Democrat’s snore-fest last year is that a leadership contest is not a mutual admiration event. You have to get into it. You have to challenge the status quo. Deborah Coyne has taken the pole position in the race and it will be most interesting to see how she uses it.
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Copyright 2012 © Peter Lowry
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