Yesterday, the convention opened with a conversation about the economy between Toronto Centre MP Chystia Freeland and Larry Summers. An interesting discussion about the importance of the health of the middle class being the core principle to maintaining the economy. Mr. Summers made mention that this is more important than
Continue readingTag: Liberal Party
The Progressive Right: Photos Streaming to ProgressiveBloggers.ca ( #lib14 #lpc )
I have begun posting some photos to the Progressive Bloggers site and more will be coming through the weekend. They’ll stream automatically as they get added.
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: Live from Montreal! ( #lib14 #lpc )
I have arrived in Montreal and have checked into my hotel. I’m staying kitty corner from the Montreal Convention Centre (Palais des congrès de Montréal) and I’m looking forward to getting coverage underway. If you’re reading the blog, and you’re at the convention, stop by the bloggers area in the
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Liberal Party Convention: The Most Important Policy Resolution
In my view, the single most important policy resolution at this week’s convention in Montreal is the prioritized number 31, which should significantly reduce our democratic deficits. That resolutionreads: 31. Priority Resolution: Restoring Trust in Canada’s Democracy* BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Liberal Party pursue political reforms which promote: Open,
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: Policy Proposal 36 – Sustainable Infrastructure Investments ( #lib14 #lpc #cdnpoli #NoPickeringAirport )
There are a great number of prioritized policies up for debate at the 2014 Liberal Biennial Convention in Montreal. To go into each one, would need a month’s worth of blog posts. Readers of my blog will know that I have long advocated against the development of a new international
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Ontario Byelections: The change that really counts
It seems that the leaders of all three poltical parties in the province of Ontario sense that voters want change. Premier Wynne, leading a minority Liberal government, was rejected by voters in the two byelections, but says change is wanted: Real Change Wynne? After writing off the byelections as “skirmishes”
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: Interviews with Liberal National Executive Candidates ( #lib14 #lpc #cdnpoli )
Leading up to the 2014 Liberal Biennial Convention, you can read Jeff Jedras’s interviews with candidates for the national executive and some exit interviews for outgoing members at his blog.
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: Liberal Party of Canada presidential candidate Interview: Brian Rice
*I’m on my BlackBerry and for technical reasons can’t currently edit more than the top few paragraphs of this post. But below, the former LPC(BC) president should be David Merner, not David Bertschi.From February 20-23, federal Liberals will gather in Montreal, and one of their tasks will be to elect
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: LPC national board candidate interview: Maryanne Kampouris for national policy chair
From February 20-23, federal Liberals will gather in Montreal, and one of their tasks will be to elect a new national executive. In the coming days, I’ll be publishing interviews with some of the candidates seeking election to the party’s national board. Maryanne Kampouris won a contested election at the
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: LPC national board candidate interview: Arif Khan for national membership secretary
From February 20-23, federal Liberals will gather in Montreal, and one of their tasks will be to elect a new national executive. In the coming days, I’ll be publishing interviews with some of the candidates seeking election to the party’s national board. With Matthew Certosimo deciding to not seek election
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: LPC national board candidate interview: Leanne Bourassa for national membership secretary
From February 20-23, federal Liberals will gather in Montreal, and one of their tasks will be to elect a new national executive. In the coming days, I’ll be publishing interviews with some of the candidates seeking election to the party’s national board. With Matthew Certosimo deciding to not seek election
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: Liberal Biennial Convention Coverage on this Blog
Pleased to announce that I’ve been accredited as a blogger to cover the 2014 Liberal Biennial Convention in Montreal. This will be my fourth time covering a political convention and as always, I look forward to it. You can find my coverage here and on Twitter. The continued support for
Continue readingScott's DiaTribes: Liberal Fundraising Up – But Is It At A Cost?
As you’ve seen on here if you follow me, the Liberal Party’s Biennial Convention is coming up this month. As you also know, I’ll be there as an accredited blogger to cover the policy resolutions passed, and the elections, and so forth. Since that has been known, I’ve had some
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: LPC national board candidate interview: Chris MacInnes for vice-president, English
From February 20-23, federal Liberals will gather in Montreal, and one of their tasks will be to elect a new national executive. In the coming days, I’ll be publishing interviews with some of the candidates seeking election to the party’s national board. Chris MacInnes won a contested election at the
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: A Liberal Government Will Re-Open Veterans Centres ( #lpc #cdnpoli )
Justin Trudeau made the commitment yesterday.
Continue readingTrudeau Channels Harper on the Senate
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has made a career out of preying on Canadians’ ignorance of our democratic institutions, the Senate in particular. He did so as far back as 2010 when, in an unprecedented move, he used his Senate majority to defeat the Commons-supported Climate Change Accountability Act. He did
Continue readingLeftist Jab: Justin Trudeau’s Bold Masterstroke On Senate Issue Makes Him A Super Genius
“Well a lot of them are going to die soon, anyway.” If Justin Trudeau is able to piss further, it is by standing on the shoulders of such giants as Pericles and George Washington. In what is considered by just about every single Canadian media’s analysis a “bold move”, Justin
Continue readingImpolitical: Liberal reformers
A few thoughts here on today’s announcement by Justin Trudeau that Liberal Senators will no longer be part of the Liberal caucus and are now to sit independently.
One of Trudeau’s lines that stood out for me was this one: “At our best, Liberals are relentless reformers.” Recently, on the death of Jim Coutts, an opinion piece he wrote in 2004 was circulated, and in it, we found this:
“The current policy markers of the Liberal party have evolved over time and are fairly familiar to many Canadians. The most crucial Liberal markers are these:
- Reform, which is so central to Liberal identity that it was the party’s name up to and during the leadership of George Brown. The marker has stood for political reform, ranging from the introduc- tion of responsible government under Baldwin and Lafontaine, to battling ruling-class power and patronage abuse at the time of Brown, Mackenzie and Blake, to entrenching a constitutional Charter of Rights under Trudeau. Since the 1920s, the Liberal reform marker has most importantly sig- nified social reform, or the cre- ation and improvement of a modern welfare state.”
Today we saw a big bout of reform in the form of a Senate that would be independent, in Trudeau’s words:
That is why I have come to believe that the Senate must be non-partisan. Composed merely of thoughtful individuals representing the varied values, perspectives and identities of this great country. Independent from any particular political brand.
Trudeau’s reform will likely come off as reasonable to many Canadians. It is not the radical abolitionist approach of the NDP which would require constitutional reform. It is not the Conservative supposed pro-reform approach that has gone nowhere for their seven years in power and that would also likely require constitutional reform.
Trudeau’s reform looks at the Senate, and proposes an approach that will not tear it down, but make fair use of a second chamber. In the Westminster system, it would be anomalous not to have a second chamber. The direction suggested, a more merit-based approach is a good one that speaks to the times. This reform, as Trudeau is suggesting, could be infused with principles of merit, competency, and transparency, to bolster the credibility of the Liberal proposals. And this Liberal would suggest ensuring that the appointment process be free from an elite-based orientation.
To be sure, there will be wrinkles to iron out. Senator Campbell spoke to some of these today: He also questioned how the Senate will function in terms of their role in scrutinizing government legislation. He questioned, for instance, who will sit on committees and who will be named critics of which bills.
Ensuring that the elected representatives’ will is carried out and without blockage, is another consideration to be grappled with. And perhaps with that consideration in mind, note Trudeau’s last line in his remarks today:
We want to build public institutions that Canadians can trust, and that serve Canadians. This requires real, positive change. These proposals are the next step in our Open Parliament plan to do just that.
They won’t be the last.
This may be a nod to the democratic reform resolution that the federal Liberal MP caucus has proposed as one of its priority resolutions to be voted upon at the upcoming February biennial policy convention in Montreal, less than a month away now. That resolution, Bolstering Canada’s Democracy, contains this operative proposal:
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT immediately after the next election, the Liberal Party of Canada institute an all-Party process, involving expert assistance and citizen participation, to report to Parliament within 12 months with analysis and recommendations for an electoral system including, without limitation, a preferential ballot and/or a form of proportional representation, to represent all Canadians more fairly and to allow Parliament to serve Canada better.
Senate reform without reform of our House of Commons would be incongruent. The above proposed resolution would be the beginning of addressing the imbalance that would result if the Senate were reformed without a similar effort being made in respect of the House of Commons. As bad as some of the practices and appointments connected to the Senate have been, the pressing need for reform lies in the House of Commons. Electoral reform to change the system in which we operate is one route. Michael Chong’s reform which accepts the system yet changes the rules is another. The good news is that reform in a big way is on the agenda for Canada.
Liberals are re-embracing reform as a mantle. All in all, a positive development today.
Continue readingImpolitical: Liberal reformers
A few thoughts here on today’s announcement by Justin Trudeau that Liberal Senators will no longer be part of the Liberal caucus and are now to sit independently. One of Trudeau’s lines that stood out for me was this one: “At our best, Liberals are relentless reformers.” Recently, on the
Continue readingImpolitical: Liberal reformers
A few thoughts here on today’s announcement by Justin Trudeau that Liberal Senators will no longer be part of the Liberal caucus and are now to sit independently. One of Trudeau’s lines that stood out for me was this one: “At our best, Liberals are relentless reformers.” Recently, on the
Continue reading