The Rants of Issachar
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Liberal Leader Hedy Fry?
Apparently, Hedy Fry is considering running for the leadership of the Liberal party. Oh boy... I suppose she's better than Carolyn Parrish.
About the Liberal leadership race though. Someone I know who works for the Liberal party (and prefers not to be named on my blog), told me that Paul Martin's quick announcement of his own resignation was probably intended to make it easier to anoint his preferred successor. Anyone who doesn't have their ducks in a row for a run for the leadership won't have time to do it now. Had Mr. Martin stayed on for a few months, a few more candidates might have been able to gather support.
Sounds possible, but I think the Liberals are making a mistake. They need to have their Mulroney moment if they're going to reinvigorate their party. Post-Mulroney, the Progressive-Conservative Party he led was destroyed. It wasn't listening to people anymore and it had to be taken out behind the barn. It took a while, (and three new parties, but finally the conservative movement in Canada has a responsive party that listens to people. The Liberals need the same thing. They seem to think they just need to change the window dressing. They're wrong. The culture of entitlement is a corrosive thing and it needs to die before the liberal movement will have a responsive (and responsible) party again. I hope they realize this soon.
About the Liberal leadership race though. Someone I know who works for the Liberal party (and prefers not to be named on my blog), told me that Paul Martin's quick announcement of his own resignation was probably intended to make it easier to anoint his preferred successor. Anyone who doesn't have their ducks in a row for a run for the leadership won't have time to do it now. Had Mr. Martin stayed on for a few months, a few more candidates might have been able to gather support.
Sounds possible, but I think the Liberals are making a mistake. They need to have their Mulroney moment if they're going to reinvigorate their party. Post-Mulroney, the Progressive-Conservative Party he led was destroyed. It wasn't listening to people anymore and it had to be taken out behind the barn. It took a while, (and three new parties, but finally the conservative movement in Canada has a responsive party that listens to people. The Liberals need the same thing. They seem to think they just need to change the window dressing. They're wrong. The culture of entitlement is a corrosive thing and it needs to die before the liberal movement will have a responsive (and responsible) party again. I hope they realize this soon.
10 Comments:
Posted by: 
Well I will say this....I don't think that Hedy running is such a bad thing,
first I think more women should run, second I think she is more well respected than you think she is. She has won Vancouver Center easily every time. She works tiredlessly for the riding, I live here and can attest to that. That crosses thing was blown out of proportion, she got the town wrong...but what else has she done wrong in her political career...nothing....
Granted I don't think she would get it but you know what I think she should give it a running shot....
Well I will say this....I don't think that Hedy running is such a bad thing,first I think more women should run, second I think she is more well respected than you think she is. She has won Vancouver Center easily every time. She works tiredlessly for the riding, I live here and can attest to that. That crosses thing was blown out of proportion, she got the town wrong...but what else has she done wrong in her political career...nothing....
Granted I don't think she would get it but you know what I think she should give it a running shot....
Posted by: 
Mike ToddFrank McKenna... it's as good as done.
That will cause me some problems in the next election because I have a lot of respect for that guy.
Mike ToddFrank McKenna... it's as good as done. That will cause me some problems in the next election because I have a lot of respect for that guy.
Posted by: issacharDoug...
Oh I know that Hedy Fry is well respected by some, but I still think she's a bad choice to lead the Liberals. Any candidate for the Liberal leadership should be a good candidate for Prime Minister, and I don't think she meets that requirement.
I also don't think her claim that "crosses are being burned on lawns as we speak" in Prince George is blown out of proportion. I don't believe she mistook the town because she wasn't able to name the town she claimed she was thinking of. She claimed that the Mayor of Prince George had written to her about this incident.
I would accept her explanation and call it a slip of the tongue if she was able to produce a letter from the Mayor (or even an official) of another town that had a cross burning, but she couldn't do that even though the fallout over her comment continued for months. The best anyone could come up with as an explanation for her slander was an unsubstantiated rumour of a cross burning in Merrit, BC. I'd even call that enough to get her off the hook, but she lied about a letter.
She tried a more exagerated version of the "Western conservatives are racists" smear that the Liberals had been doing for ages, claimed too much and then tried to backpeddle with a lie about a letter.
It's one thing to make a mistake. We all do that. This wasn't a mistake.
I suspect the problem is that Ms. Fry believes that anyone who is not a progressive is a closet racist or a dupe.
This does not make for a good leader. There are better candidates for the job.
issacharDoug...Oh I know that Hedy Fry is well respected by some, but I still think she's a bad choice to lead the Liberals. Any candidate for the Liberal leadership should be a good candidate for Prime Minister, and I don't think she meets that requirement.
I also don't think her claim that "crosses are being burned on lawns as we speak" in Prince George is blown out of proportion. I don't believe she mistook the town because she wasn't able to name the town she claimed she was thinking of. She claimed that the Mayor of Prince George had written to her about this incident.
I would accept her explanation and call it a slip of the tongue if she was able to produce a letter from the Mayor (or even an official) of another town that had a cross burning, but she couldn't do that even though the fallout over her comment continued for months. The best anyone could come up with as an explanation for her slander was an unsubstantiated rumour of a cross burning in Merrit, BC. I'd even call that enough to get her off the hook, but she lied about a letter.
She tried a more exagerated version of the "Western conservatives are racists" smear that the Liberals had been doing for ages, claimed too much and then tried to backpeddle with a lie about a letter.
It's one thing to make a mistake. We all do that. This wasn't a mistake.
I suspect the problem is that Ms. Fry believes that anyone who is not a progressive is a closet racist or a dupe.
This does not make for a good leader. There are better candidates for the job.
Posted by: issacharThe Liberal worker I mentioned did say McKenna was the annointed one. If so, I hope he's a good choice. Still, I wish they'd have a real leadership race.
issacharThe Liberal worker I mentioned did say McKenna was the annointed one. If so, I hope he's a good choice. Still, I wish they'd have a real leadership race.
Posted by: I wish I could find the link that talks about the cross burning incident, I just read about this recently. There was some RCMP report about crosses that were burning in Merrit I think....
I also understand that she got the information from a staff member who got the town wrong.
There is also some reports, again I wish I could find the link about the mayor of whatever community it was not wanting the community named.
It is too bad that this issue was never fully disclosed or explained because it has haunted her for years.
I can tell you, being in Vancouver center she works so very hard for the community and really has a way of connecting with people.
I do agree that overall I could not necessarily see her running the party but I think she should give it a try. I am on the fence about her. I support her but I don't know overall about running the party. If it came to voting for a leader and she was running because I value what she has done for Vancouver and passion it would be a tough vote for me....
the more I think about it I just really would like to see a woman this time.
Of course the first choices that come to mind are Belinda and Ann.
I actually am a fan of Belinda but not fully sure about run running the party.....
Ann on the other hand would be a great leader.
I wish I could find the link that talks about the cross burning incident, I just read about this recently. There was some RCMP report about crosses that were burning in Merrit I think....I also understand that she got the information from a staff member who got the town wrong.
There is also some reports, again I wish I could find the link about the mayor of whatever community it was not wanting the community named.
It is too bad that this issue was never fully disclosed or explained because it has haunted her for years.
I can tell you, being in Vancouver center she works so very hard for the community and really has a way of connecting with people.
I do agree that overall I could not necessarily see her running the party but I think she should give it a try. I am on the fence about her. I support her but I don't know overall about running the party. If it came to voting for a leader and she was running because I value what she has done for Vancouver and passion it would be a tough vote for me....
the more I think about it I just really would like to see a woman this time.
Of course the first choices that come to mind are Belinda and Ann.
I actually am a fan of Belinda but not fully sure about run running the party.....
Ann on the other hand would be a great leader.
Posted by: issacharSorry Doug, I'm a tad lazy about including links in my comments because blogger doesn't include the WYSIWG editor. I should still include them.
The Hansard record of Fry's original statement is here
Her statement later that day in scrum is recorded here.
The Hansard record of Chuck Strahl's rebuttal of her statement and her subsequent defense that she had been contacted by the Mayor of Prince George is here.
I should be careful about saying the rumour about a Merritt cross burning was "unsubstantiated", because it may have been later found to be true. I've found links claiming that it's bogus and others that say that it's true.
The Hansard record of Richard Harris' questioning of Ms. Fry in the house can be found here.
I think we can all conclude from the exchange that Ms. Fry was lying about the letter and trying to bluff her way out of it.
Mr. Richard Harris (Prince George—Bulkley Valley, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, last week in the House the minister for multiculturalism stood and said that she had a letter from the mayor of Prince George about a cross burning incident in the city of Prince George. Then the next day she said “Whoops, I made a mistake; it wasn't Prince George”.
I would like to ask a question of the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism. Was there ever any letter from any mayor about any cross burning incident in any city in B.C., or was the letter just a fabrication?
Hon. Hedy Fry (Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I already said that I made a mistake with regard to Prince George, that I was very sorry and that I apologized to the people of Prince George.
Mr. Richard Harris (Prince George—Bulkley Valley, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, her apology referred to saying it was from the mayor of Prince George. That was it. The fact is we believe that the minister deliberately fabricated a story about a letter.
I am asking her this question. Was there ever any letter, from any mayor about any cross burning incident in any city in B.C.? Was there a letter? Yes or no. Will she produce it? If not, will she admit it was a fake statement and resign her position?
Hon. Hedy Fry (Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have already said in the House that I made a mistake with regard to Prince George and I apologized to the people of Prince George.
As for Ms. Fry being a woman, I consider it a red herring. I don't particularly care if a candidate is male or female. I care about their qualifications. I would suggest that if we put a person's sex forward as a reason why they should receive our support we are ignoring more important issues like policies, and ability.
issacharSorry Doug, I'm a tad lazy about including links in my comments because blogger doesn't include the WYSIWG editor. I should still include them.The Hansard record of Fry's original statement is here
Her statement later that day in scrum is recorded here.
The Hansard record of Chuck Strahl's rebuttal of her statement and her subsequent defense that she had been contacted by the Mayor of Prince George is here.
I should be careful about saying the rumour about a Merritt cross burning was "unsubstantiated", because it may have been later found to be true. I've found links claiming that it's bogus and others that say that it's true.
The Hansard record of Richard Harris' questioning of Ms. Fry in the house can be found here.
I think we can all conclude from the exchange that Ms. Fry was lying about the letter and trying to bluff her way out of it.
Mr. Richard Harris (Prince George—Bulkley Valley, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, last week in the House the minister for multiculturalism stood and said that she had a letter from the mayor of Prince George about a cross burning incident in the city of Prince George. Then the next day she said “Whoops, I made a mistake; it wasn't Prince George”.
I would like to ask a question of the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism. Was there ever any letter from any mayor about any cross burning incident in any city in B.C., or was the letter just a fabrication?
Hon. Hedy Fry (Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I already said that I made a mistake with regard to Prince George, that I was very sorry and that I apologized to the people of Prince George.
Mr. Richard Harris (Prince George—Bulkley Valley, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, her apology referred to saying it was from the mayor of Prince George. That was it. The fact is we believe that the minister deliberately fabricated a story about a letter.
I am asking her this question. Was there ever any letter, from any mayor about any cross burning incident in any city in B.C.? Was there a letter? Yes or no. Will she produce it? If not, will she admit it was a fake statement and resign her position?
Hon. Hedy Fry (Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women), Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have already said in the House that I made a mistake with regard to Prince George and I apologized to the people of Prince George.
As for Ms. Fry being a woman, I consider it a red herring. I don't particularly care if a candidate is male or female. I care about their qualifications. I would suggest that if we put a person's sex forward as a reason why they should receive our support we are ignoring more important issues like policies, and ability.
Posted by: KatinkaAmen to the last comment!
KatinkaAmen to the last comment!
Posted by: issacharI even know some silly rabbits who voted for them... :P
issacharI even know some silly rabbits who voted for them... :P
Posted by: It's important for a democracy to have more women like Dr. Fry running and serving in parliament. Women make up approximately 51% of the population, but have held only 20-30% of the seats in the house of commons. Gender IS an issue.
Hedy Fry has been elected FIVE times by the voters of Vancouver-Centre, and works tirelessly for this community. I think she will make an excellent Liberal Party leader.
It's important for a democracy to have more women like Dr. Fry running and serving in parliament. Women make up approximately 51% of the population, but have held only 20-30% of the seats in the house of commons. Gender IS an issue.Hedy Fry has been elected FIVE times by the voters of Vancouver-Centre, and works tirelessly for this community. I think she will make an excellent Liberal Party leader.
