You can listen to the man but study the wife. Too many people think of politics as a man’s game but the real answers are from their women. Laureen Harper tells you more about Prime Minister Harper than he will tell you. Sophie Grégoire tells you a lot about her husband Justin Trudeau. These women are also politicians. Not all political wives are political but you better know about them before you write them off.
A political apparatchik can work for the husband but it is the wife who has the last word when he goes to bed at night. She is the confidante and she holds his ego. And what you find as you watch over the years, the female is the tougher in the game of politics.
Two interesting examples of women in politics who are currently in the news are Conservative Eve Adams MP for Brampton South-Mississauga and Liberal Christine Innes. Eve Adams is the fiancé of Conservative Party apparatchik Dimitri Soudas. Christine Innes was the candidate twice in Trinity-Spadina for the Liberals and is married to the former MP Tony Ianno. Both of these women are fighting mad and their respective leaders need to watch out.
People write off Eve Adams at their own risk. Sudbury-born of Hungarian immigrant parents, she has the sense of entitlement and privilege of a true Conservative. When she picked Dimitri Soudas for her favours, she was picking high on the Conservative tree. They have made a major investment in that new riding out of Oakville and she is digging in her heals to fight for it. While Harper fired Soudas for his supposed mismanagement of the situation, he does not have the goods on Adams to just brush her off. He needs the party to solve his problem
And the party will. This woman’s sense of entitlement has annoyed more than a few Conservatives. Nor is there a high regard for Dimitri Soudas among the rank and file of the party. Harper just has to let things run their course. She will be defeated.
Not so with Christine Innes. The Liberal battle in Trinity-Spadina is a whole different kettle of fish. Sure a lot of the problems have to do with people wanting to get even with Innes’ husband Tony Ianno but she has strong support in her own right. And she did nothing wrong. That riding is hers to win.
Justin Trudeau has to back off. If he does not, he has made a lie of his promise to have open nominations. He also has to leave the problems to the party. And he has to act fast. He cannot let this problem fester while Harper holds the strings on the by-election for that riding. It is simply not worth it.
-30-
Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to [email protected]