For Joyce Murray, victory is a must.
"With Justin Trudeau, we could win."
This is what I hear in some corners of the Liberal Party of Canada. The idea that the Party "could" win alone,
as it has before when the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada merged with Canadian Alliance. "Let's do what was done before," say all those who nostalgically look to the past, those who refuse to see that the political world has changed, that the divided progressive vote is now going up against a united conservative vote.
"With Justin Trudeau, we could win." "Could"? The possibility of winning simply isn't enough! We MUST win! And we must win for all the Canadians who are suffering, day after day, from the retrograde politics of Stephen Harper's government -- a government that deserves to sink into oblivion come 2015. We owe it to the women, the aboriginals, the artists, and seasonal workers; for the 60 per cent of Canadians who want a sustainable economy, social justice, a government that protects its agriculture, food, water and health.
"The Liberal Party will win alone, or Canada will lose." This is the only alternative that is being offered by the candidates for the Liberal Leadership race, whether it be David Bertschi, Martin Cauchon, Deborah Coyne, Marc Garneau, Martha Hall Findlay, Karen McCrimmon or Justin Trudeau. All except one -- Joyce Murray.
Joyce is the only candidate who wants Canada to win. She understands that it would be irresponsible to sacrifice the well-being of Canadians for the sake of political pride. For Joyce, victory is a must. This is why she is proposing a three-step plan.
First, she is determined to establish a one-time co-operation with the New-Democratic and Green parties in order to win the election in 2015. How will this deal work? Joyce will empower individual riding associations to nominate their Liberal candidates in all ridings across the country, and then assess our situation on the ground and determine if cooperation makes sense. She will then focus on ridings where incumbent Conservative MPs won power with less than 50 per cent of the vote. Where appropriate, Liberals will cooperate with local NDP and Green riding associations to put forward the strongest candidate -- the one best able to take that seat from a Conservative.
Secondly, once the Progressives celebrate their victory, an electoral reform will then be passed which will prevent a political party to obtain a majority government with only 38 per cent of the Canadian votes, as is currently the case.
Finally, Joyce is proposing a great program. It will allow Canada to be a true sustainable society, placing this great country back on track for economic and environmental progress, as well as social justice. The quality of her program has enlisted the support of renowned environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki.
However, none of this will be possible if Joyce is not elected the next Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada on April 14, 2013. If you are a member or supporter of the Liberal Party of Canada, and if you think that victory against Stephen Harper cannot be reached solely by illusions and words of grandeur, I invite you to register to vote at www.liberal.ca before March 14, 2013, and also, of course, to vote for Joyce Murray.
Joyce Murray was previously a provincial Minister, she is a federal MP and a business woman. She has a plan -- one that will bring us victory and help us restore Canada to the country that we know and love.
Visit theplan.joycemurray.ca
Furthermore, it would be a referendum on proportional representation not a normal election. I have never voted Conservative but I am not in favor of PR so I could actually be forced to vote for Harper if I don't want my system of government changed.
If this is the kind of verbal nonsense that the Liberals are putting out the party will be damaged at the end of the leadership process.
Talk up your candidate and push their goals but cut the bashing, we have had years of that from Harper and need to know that whomever wins will be backed up by the talent of the other contenders, like Murray who hasn't a hope in hades of winning.
There are other basic problems with this strategy. The Liberal party seeks redemption and a return to past glory. The NDP seeks legitimacy and the chance to displace the Liberals as Canada's "natural governing party". Cooperation may be antithetical to both of these goals. To endorse another party, for any reason, is to surrender a part of one's identity.
This reality means that you can't just take the popular vote of party A and stack it with the popular vote of party B and arrive at a neat result. The electorate votes for a party that has vision and a platform that appeals to them on an emotional, as well as intellectual level. The kind of "strategic" alliance you propose is antithetical to that.
The progressives will have their day again, as is the cycle of politics. However, as a Conservative supporter, I am honestly more worried about a Liberal resurgence under Justin Trudeau than I am by any "unite the left" movement based on a cooperative strategy as you propose. But only time will tell.
In any event, it matters little whether you "listen to me", since like you I don't have any influence on the strategic choices of the major political parties. I just have an opinion, like you.
I know I probably won't get everything I want out of any government but barring some way to get Noam Chomsky as Prime Minister, I'll take what I can get strategically. People used to tell me they became more conservative as they got older but I'm finding the opposite is true for me... I am learning so much from the Millennials I've become friends with! This group of young people is full of new ideas! If we encourage them, quality of life will be better for
My sister has voted NDP all her life.....But she can't stand Mulcair(I don't know why??) .....she says she is voting Lib if JT gets in (again...I don't know why?)....