Kid Paiken Talks Like Hippy

He says:

Another very important development emerged from the Party’s 2012 biennial convention this past January, however. Liberal delegates overwhelming approved a policy pushed by young Liberals in British Columbia advocating the legalization and regulation of cannabis. The fact that 77 percent of all delegates backed the resolution proves that the issue is relevant not only to young Canadians.

Now that Liberal leadership candidates are beginning formally to declare their intentions, they should also pledge to campaign on this policy in the next federal election....

Look, I support this policy for the reasons the Paiken lad gives in his IPolitics article.  But too many party activists  want it to be the centre-piece of any LPoC revival, and I am afraid such thinking is madness.  Not because it enables the party to be labelled soft-on-crime.  The Tories may try that, but I don't think it will work: the majority of the country has supported either decriminalization or legalization for years, including a fairly large part of the CPoC base.  No.  Its madness because it allows the party to be labelled un-serious, and if the Tories have any brains that's the line they will take.

An election should be fought on the economic direction of the nation, on whether Canada's defence policy should be more or less closely tied to that of the U.S.  On big issues, that is.  Not on whether or not the occasional careless stoner gets away clean when a cop finds a roach in his car ashtray.

In any case, what practical effect would legalization have in the first place?  Weed's been about $300 an ounce since I came to Toronto (so representatives of the sub-culture inform me, at least).  Its almost impossible to get busted for simple possession.  And you never get those dry spells you used to back in the 80s, no matter how many grow-ops get busted.  So who really cares?

Can anyone seriously imagine somebody like Justin Trudeau, who is already being criticized as a light-weight, making  this bit of frivolity the key to his election strategy?  If so, they must be smoking something considerably stronger than the herb.

May Another Man Win

The Libs have decided to let  Bob Rae run for the LPoC leadership.  Which is OK by me because I basically think he's served the party well, is not some kind of 5th columnist and etc., and really ought to be treated fairly and with respect.

I also don't think he's our  guy anymore.  Not so much because of his one rough term as premier in Ontario 20 years ago.  I think folks would forgive him for that.  Mostly because he's getting old and the kind of statesman-like but windy rhetoric he specializes in doesn't seem to work anymore in the HOC.  Canadians, on both Left and Right, want brawlers these days.  In a perfect world, he would be made ambassador to France or some other European country where he could end his career eating fried snails and sipping wine in cafes on the banks of winding rivers.

I'm also not entirely sold on Teenage Jesus, though if he were made Leader  I have no doubt he could shed some of his youthful clumsiness and compete an election or two down the road.  Which might be what the LPoC needs going forward--someone to reclaim the country after a disastrous Mulcair minority.  What I really wish is that Marc Garneau, or someone of equivalent substance, could grow himself a head of rock-star hair, which unfortunately is not likely in the cards at this late date.

 In any case, hair + gravitas = VICTORY. May we find all three.

My Prediction

In 18 to 24 months, having surveyed the other potentials, the LPoC will beg him to stay on. Seriously. I'll bet all comers a $2-ny.

Dion, Interim Leader

Given that events were going to unfold the way they did, this was I think the best way for it to happen. At least now there won't be Iggy vs. Rae surrogates fighting for the "interim" position in an unseemly fashion.

The main event is going to be ugly enough. Why be forced to endure the warm-ups?

Update: Count me as being one of these guys:

Some Liberals privately suspect Dion decided to stay until his successor is chosen in part because he wanted to avoid a power struggle between the Rae and Ignatieff camps over who would be interim leader.

If These Numbers Hold Up, Dion Should Keep His Job

From democraticSPACE:

National (24 Aug - 31 Aug, +/- 1.4%)

Conservative — 34.3% (125 seats)
Liberal — 31.3% (112 seats)
NDP — 16.6% (26 seats)
Green — 8.6% (0 seats)
Bloc — 8.2% (43 seats)
Other — 1.0% (2 seats)

...based on a nine seat pick-up and the fact that a long, expensive leadership race would leave the Liberal Party broke, and Harper with a free hand, for at least another year.

Several cmmenters note that DS has Bill Casey winning in Nova Scotia. Here's a little update on his situation from today's CH.