Maybe there is a bit of nostalgia in kicking Deborah Coyne off the leadership island but it is the time to do it. The Halifax debate today was the second last debate before voting starts for the federal Liberal leadership. It is time for more house cleaning. In this debate Deborah kept reminding us of the final days of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. It must have been the way she referred to her approach to ‘One Canada.’
Unlike ‘Dief the Chief’ of old, the Liberal Party does learn. It did a good job (we think) on this fourth debate. The only qualification is that we lost about 15 minutes of activity starting just before one pm and we have no way of knowing whether it was the Internet feed from Halifax or just our computer acting tired. What made no sense was that when we got back on Liberal.ca, the show wanted to restart at the beginning. Maybe by the time of the last of these shows, we will find a television channel we can get carrying it.
It also helped in the Halifax show that most of the candidates were on their toes and looking more like contenders. It is amazing to see how much MP Justin Trudeau has improved. He is inclusive and serious when he offers viewers the opportunity to share their hopes and dreams for Canada with his leadership. There were no gaffs on his part or unwarranted attacks by others.
Oh sure, MP Marc Garneau took a few friendly swipes at his friend Justin but you knew that the two were just trying to add to the show. His remarks about leadership not being an entry-level position were telling but hardly malicious. Marc has lost his previous stiffness during this campaign and he was certainly homey in identifying with the Halifax audience. He was just another sailor, home from the unfriendly seas.
Former MP Martha Hall Findlay has been in a tenuous position in the contest but she has come back well from her error in criticizing Justin’s wealth. She even had good comeback for Marc Garneau when he equated the countdown for the show to lift-off for space travel. She pointed out that she had something similar when having three babies. Her only error was in closing when she once again tried to go back to something earlier in the show. If she had better advisors (or listened to them) she would have been told firmly that this is a no-no in a debating situation. You should always move forward.
It was MP Joyce Murray who seemed off her form today. She did not handle the attacks on her cooperation with the NDP well and she seemed to be losing the argument by default. She was also fighting the next election against Stephen Harper instead of looking at the directions of the Liberal Party.
But well done Halifax. You did a great job!
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Copyright 2013 © Peter Lowry
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