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So who is going to be replacing Stephen Harper as Conservative Party Leader in 2014, when he is shown the door?
Wed, 2013-12-04 16:36
#1
So who is going to be replacing Stephen Harper as Conservative Party Leader in 2014, when he is shown the door?
Wed, 2013-12-04 16:44
#2
It is no longer a matter of if, but when will the Conservatives be thanking Harper for his services, and showing him the PMO exit door?
How badly has the Conservative brand been damaged, and will the Cons need to be bringing someone in from outside their Caucus, just like the BC NDP probably need to do, for their next Leader?
Regardless, from within or without, who are the realistic possibilities to replace Harper as Leader of the Conservatives?
Here are a few of the possibilities that comes to mind:
Jim Prentice
Jason Kenney
James Moore
Wed, 2013-12-04 16:58
#3
Jason Kenney is the one I fear the most. If there's one success that the Conservatives can brag about, it's making inroads with first and second generation immigrants. You can save your breath about getting people to vote against their own interests. Kenney helped Harper do what George Bush and Karl Rove only dreamed of doing: holding the white racist wing of the party at bay long enough to build inroads with ethnic minorities.
In America, they failed, and now nearly every non-white demographic absolutely hates the Republican party. In Canada, it's frighteningly the opposite, and loyally Conservative immigrant population would devastate this country.
And Kenney is the only one who has his Reform party bonafides, with enough shrewd strategery to keep his mouth shut like Harper. He's one of few Cosnervatives that could unite the party.
Nearly any other Conservative would turn the leadership contest into a battle between the PCs and the Reforms, and threaten the party with implosion. Not that they'd split into two parties again, but it could depress turnout among one wing or another.
Wed, 2013-12-04 17:25
#4
Catchfire
God, if Kenney makes leader I might have to reconsider my moratorium on getting involved in electoral politics.
But why not Baird? Is he too close to Harper? And wasn't Joe Flaherty's distancing act during the senate scandal meant to increase his chances at a leadership bid?
Wed, 2013-12-04 19:52
#5
And wasn't Joe Flaherty's distancing act during the senate scandal meant to increase his chances at a leadership bid?
His team might want to work on his campaign slogan.
Wed, 2013-12-04 20:38
#6
I met Jason Kenny in the vodka garden at the Polish Festival on Roncesvalles in September. He was chatting with my husband's boss when I shouldered through the crowd to meet him. He greeted me with a cheery, "Na Zdrowie!" and shook my hand. We chatted for a couple of minutes while my husband's boss fetched him a beer. He's a pleasant individual, and THE most polished politician I've ever personally met (and I met Jack, a friend of a friend, many times. He's waaay smoother than Jack). Later, when on stage with the band that came from Poland to play the festival, he spoke a few phrases in Polish, to cheers from the crowd. According to a Polish friend, his pronunciation was good. Contrast with Peggy Nash, who I like and respect a great deal, but when she went to introduce the band, she mangled their name, causing a ripple of laughter through the Polish-speaking members of the crowd. I asked one of them what she said, and it was the Polish word for sheep.
Speaking with my husband later, I quipped how I'm against everything Kenny stands for, but as a person I liked him. He's got that gift of making instant personal connections with total strangers, putting people at ease. Think Bill Clinton. I've met one other famous person that had this gift: George Ignatieff, who gave me my first university degree in 1986.
Kenny is talented, intelligent, hard-working and extreeemly ambitious. So yes; be very afraid.
Wed, 2013-12-04 21:05
#7
Thx Sineed. That's v interesting.
I tend to agree with you. Kenney is clearly going for the long game and he's not just a paleo-con caricature. If he actually got the nomination, he could be formidable.
Over the last week, I've also thought Michael Chong has acquitted himself well. He alienated himself from the power base of the party, but I could see him having a broad appeal. He just sounds very reasonable.
Wed, 2013-12-04 21:16
#8
Are there any women we would be afraid of as Con leader? That could be a game-changer. Not saying it's likely, but look at the provinces.
ETA: Crap, I forgot, I [b]hate[/b] the term "game-changer". I'll leave it there as a reminder to self.
Wed, 2013-12-04 21:18
#9
Liberals have been propping up Alison Redford in Alberta. I'm not just talking about provincial votes. I'm talking about national Liberal strategists and commentators gushing about how moderate and reasonable she is. She could easily be Conservative or Liberal leader at the rate those two parties are blurring together.
Wed, 2013-12-04 21:55
#10
When Harper whistles Dixie he will be able to play backup on a piano while his son comps on guitar.
Wed, 2013-12-04 21:55
#11
When Harper whistles Dixie he will be able to play backup on a piano while his son comps on guitar.
Wed, 2013-12-04 22:03
#12
Maxime Bernier?
Wed, 2013-12-04 22:03
#13
Excuse me, but the convention here has been, finish leadership thread #1 before starting thread #2.
Wed, 2013-12-04 22:03
#14
Catchfire
His team might want to work on his campaign slogan.
Lol! Oops!
Wed, 2013-12-04 22:17
#15
Are there any women we would be afraid of as Con leader? That could be a game-changer. Not saying it's likely, but look at the provinces.
ETA: Crap, I forgot, I [b]hate[/b] the term "game-changer". I'll leave it there as a reminder to self.
I think Shelley Glover has chops.
Wed, 2013-12-04 23:03
#16
I think Shelley Glover has chops.
She could do very well. The one that scares me is Lisa Raitt. She is, unfortunately, very effective.
Wed, 2013-12-04 23:41
#17
Wilf is correct, so please let's stop posting here and continue over there and thanks.
And all the posts in this thread up to here have been reposted over in the other thread.
Excuse me, but the convention here has been, finish leadership thread #1 before starting thread #2.