As if they hadn't been battered enough in that fierce October storm. Or humiliated enough.
As if they hadn't lost so many MPs, cabinet ministers, thousands of party workers, and will soon be losing their Great Leader.
The surviving Cons have washed ashore on their bleak desert island, have given themselves a week to choose an interim leader, before they turn to cannibalism.
And already there are signs that the primordial struggle to replace Stephen Harper could tear the party apart.
Starting with the fact that their depraved ruler is still clinging to power, still selecting the candidates who can run for the position of interim leader. And they couldn't be worse.
Like Diane Finley, the brutish old Con whose appalling record includes waging war on the poor and the unemployed...
While married to the late Doug Finley, the Con Godfather who was found guilty of electoral fraud, in the so-called In and Out Scandal.
Then there's Rob Nicholson, or old woolly as they call him. Who followed Harper's insane commands so slavishly he came to resemble him...
Many of you reached out to me in recent days asking that I seriously consider the role of interim leader. I want to say that I am honoured and humbled by this gesture of support," Nicholson said in a written statement on Monday.
And whose claim that he was summoned by popular demand, rather than by his depraved master's dogwhistle or hog horn, couldn't be more laughable.
Just like the Con tool Erin O'Toole's claim that he could symbolize renewal.
"I really think we have to show that we're serious about rebuilding right from Day 1 and I think the interim can be part of that," said O'Toole on Monday.
After the way he followed Harper's orders to try to pacify or put down the veterans...
Couldn't be more ridiculous, or more pathetic.
And then to make matters worse there's Michelle Rempel, who rather than beg for understanding or forgiveness, after this extraordinary and deeply disturbing late night Twitter monologue.
You know, by claiming extreme fatigue, bitter disappointment, too much ego, not enough IQ points, or too much wine etc etc.
Is still furiously beating her own drum and insisting that only SHE can replace Stephen Harper...
And if she doesn't get what she wants there will be hell to pay, and she alone could scream and rip the Cons apart.
But of course the real challenge to the future of the Harper Party comes from these Conservatives.
As the Conservative Party scrambles, post-defeat, to fashion a future without the leader that defined it for nearly a decade, its moderate, Red Tory wing is maneuvering to reconstitute the party as a centrist, national force that re-brands the Conservative label after years of what they describe as Stephen Harper’s toxic leadership.
The so-called Red Tories who have come charging back from near extinction led by Brian Mulroney...
On Nov. 5, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney will deliver a speech at Toronto’s Albany Club in which he is expected to make a case for post-Harper soul searching, which, as the party’s internal factions mobilize for control, translates as enough time to prevent the Reform wing of the party from taking over.
And if other Cons heed his call to purge the Reformers, and Tasha Kheiridin's call to cut loose their rabid religious base.
The Conservative party’s future as a big tent party cannot rest on religious factionalism of any kind. Navigating the separation of church, party and state will be an important challenge for the next leader — right up there with balancing geography, ideology and all the other elements needed to rebuild the party.
The next person to assume the mantle of leadership must be a unifying, inclusive figure with a team to match. And Conservatives of all stripes need to recognize that while religion has a place in public discourse and the social fabric of our nation, faith should not drive party policy.
The main contender for Harper's crown, Jason Kenney, will be VERY upset...
And the Con leadership race could become a brutal regional, ideological, and religious struggle that really could tear the party apart.
And lead to the place I predicted the other day...
He was a rotten and corrupt leader. His was a party of one.
And when he was finally toppled.
He took them all down with him...
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The person that people seem to be forgetting is Maxime Bernier. He is loved in Quebec, he largely disassociated with the Harper gang, he is charismatic, and perhaps most attractively for today's politicians - he doesn't appear to have any actual set political association (he seems to move with the political wind). And he certainly isn't the shrill partisan that the Harper followers are. I think the Cons would be smart to look to someone like Bernier (from their own political survival point of view). The question will quickly become, is the nasty hate-politics of Harper too set in the party or will they move onward to something less offensive?
ReplyDeletehi Kirby...it is going to be fascinating to see where the Cons go next. I'm sure they can tone down their hateful politics, since it definitely contributed to their defeat. But what faction will gain the upper hand remains to be seen. As for Maxime Bernier, I believe he is interested in running for the top job, and as a libertarian who attended the same libertarian institute as Tasha Kheirridin, he is not a Reformer, although he does claim credit for coming up with the idea to kill the gun registry. But he is a bit of a boob, so I don't know how far that will go. And since Harper seems determined to keep the party under the thumb of Albertans I wouldn't put any money on Maxime's chances. And as I said in my post I'm hoping for fratricidal warfare... ;)
DeleteDiane Finley is a real piece of work. She boasted to Rosemary Barton on P & P that the Con policies are just fine but perhaps they needed to be communicated in a more effective manner. LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt appears that many of the senior Cons, especially cabinet ministers, are in a state of denial over policy. They really sound as they don't realise just how badly most, well almost all, Con policies in the last 6 or so years were despised and hated by the majority of the population
Deletehi David...yes that seems to be the new message. There's nothing wrong with our policies, we just need to change the tone and communicate them better. You know like the brutish wade in Cool Hand Luke. What we have here is a failure to communicate....
Deletehttp://ipolitics.ca/2015/10/25/just-go-mr-harper-and-take-your-sycophants-with-you/
ReplyDeleteNo surprise that Brian is coming out on the attack considering that Harper didn't do much to help Mulroney as he swung in the breeze during the Schrieber hearings. The one thing that Mulroney can't stand is being humiliated publicly (and boy was he.)
ReplyDeleteI don't know how much sway Brian will have over the remaining Tories as the Meech Lake fiasco and his government's ethical failings were part of the reason why the Tories blew apart in the first place as well as the rise of the Reformers. The Tories I know well are mostly from the West come with some serious loathing of Central Canada (Quebec mainly, but also have plenty for Ontario.) The odd one I know in Ontario is a Harperite through and through.
Brian's problem is "How ya gonna keep 'em down in the west after they've tasted power?" I doubt the Reformers won't let it go so quickly or quietly.
I don't mind if they tear each other apart.
I disagree that Harper didn't do much to help Mulroney. Harper appointed David Johnson to set extremely weak terms of reference where Mulroney did not pay appropriately for his misdeeds and the money filled brown envelopes. As we all know David Johnson was the net beneficiary of these wishy washy hearings by being appointed Governor General .
DeleteI'm hoping Tim Hudak runs for the leadership. :)
Deletehi Dan...yes I don't know how much clout Brian Mulroney still has, or how many Red Tories are still out there. And yes you're right, with the number of MPs they have out West, the Reform crowd could still thwart any plans to try to make the party more moderate. I would be happy if the PC crowd could regain control of the party. I can live with those kind of Cons, who at least have some respect for our values. But of course if they ended up destroying each other that would be even better.... ;)
Deletehi anon 3:53...yes I had forgotten about the role Johnson played in the Mulroney saga, so even he can't be trusted. And thank goodness he didn't have to get involved in any coalition discussions, for who knows what he might have done...
DeleteNone of these so called moderate conservatives said one word against Harper when he was in power and now they are rushing out of the wood work to trash him. Are they really people we could trust?
ReplyDeletehi anon...no of course we can't trust any of them. For years they acted like shameless sheep, and even now their bleatings are muted. And it doesn't help that Harper is not going anywhere, for even as a mere MP he probably retains the power to scare those cowards...
DeleteTher was a nomination race in Ontario ( Coburg?) with a Ben Mudoon proxy against a St. Jason proxy. One lost to the other then lost to a Liberal in the main event.
ReplyDeleteJason must be praying that Benny turns into a pillar of salt .
hi rumleyfips...yes I can only imagine the state Kenney must be in. First he fails to deliver the immigrant vote. And now with all those candidates going after the leadership he must be in a frenzy. Especially since so many old Reformers quit so they could claim their pensions early. I'm not sure how strong the Kenney faction is anymore, and I can't even check out Kenney's Twitter feed because that chubby chicken has blocked me from reading them...
Delete"And Harper!!" From the cross :D
ReplyDeletehi Willy...I was hoping someone would notice that, but I'm not surprised that your expert eye did... ;)
Deletethe red meat diet will catch up with them finally
ReplyDeletehi anon.... well now that I've read the devastating news about bacon, I'm considering sending them half a ton in the mail... ;)
DeleteBernier, you mean the guy who left government documents at his then "girlfriend's" house, the one who had formerly been dating a biker? That guy. He might be liked in Quebec, but really he isn't P.M. material.
ReplyDeleteThere are some who might be able to re-build the party but Kenny isn't one of them nor is Findlay. Raitt may have better luck or Chong. Both seem able to get along with others. That would be a good start to re-build the party.
Will the party devour itself in an attempt to re-build? Perhaps, but there are a lot of people who are red Tories who might do a good job.
hi e.a.f...yes that 's what I meant, when I told Kirby that Maxime is a bit of a boob. And while he is popular in his region thanks to the influence of his father, the rest of Quebec shares my feelings about him. And yes, my guess is that Raitt and Chong are the Con's best hopes for renewal, but due to the resistance out west I doubt they will succeed...
DeleteElectoral reform will ensure that the Conservatives fragment into their tiny pockets of madness. As they work alone, they will never run Canada again.
ReplyDeleteSo ... we have to keep the pressure on Justin Trudeau's new government to ensure that we get the one promise that's important to ALL progressive Canadians.
If he doesn't do anything, the pitchforks will come out.
Trudeau's playing progressives for suckers. You've been had, you just don't realize it yet. Lol
Deletehi anon. 3:58...yes I can't wait for electoral reform, because whatever method is chosen it can only weaken the Cons. So yes I agree it's very important to keep the pressure on the Trudeau government to deliver that promise. Once that's done the Cons will never be able to threaten us again. And I can continue my tireless efforts to convince as many of them as possible to join the Christian Heritage Party... ;)
DeleteIt should prove to be a slugfest with toxic Steve trying to leave his caustic crew running the show while the red tories try to erase the remnants of Dear Leader. Should be entertaining.
ReplyDeleteJD
hi JD...yes, I'm quite looking forward to it myself. Maybe I'm wrong and they will find new unity in defeat. But as Kheirridin says the Cons have never really been a big tent, just a collection of pup tents held together by fear and pandering. So my hopes are high for a real Conapocalypse...
Deleteeven if we don't get electoral reform, just getting rid of the Cons was good enough for me. Remove those odious bills and I'm good to go. Now can it happen again. of course. Remember Steve was elected to his position 3 times. it says a lot about Canadians and it isn't all that good all of the time. But we are a democracy and that is what the people voted for. eventually Steve went to far, and it was the end of the line. He is back in Calgary now and we can forget about him. it was one of those bad eposides we have in life. the less we talk about him, the better off we will be. Just remember what they did to Canada but lets not waste any energy/. Save the energy for making Canada the place it can be and ought to be.
ReplyDeleteI'm on cloud nine now that we've toppled the dictator but can never forget what he's done and the lives he's destroyed. Many people are scarred for life. He will go down in history and not in a good way.and. He still holds a seat. I'm sure he will have a firm grip on the "interim leader" who will continue to do his bidding. After we weed out his operatives and he resigns his seat and maybe goes to jail will it be over for his many victims. I really wish I could forget, but that doesn't mean I don't believe that "in Canada better is always possible " Sunny Ways for us, Dark Clouds for the Cons.
DeleteSo.......... after two to three years of a laid back Interim leader will MP Steven Harper run for the Conservative Leadership? By then his goal of turning us into a third world country will have been forgotten and if Justin, "Really Wasn't Ready", a large portion of the electorate may be looking for a replacement.
ReplyDelete