[Newsbot]

Title: Former top Liberal blasts party's lack of democracy
Category: Political
Posted By: OnTheIce
Date: 2009-09-26 12:39:33
Canadian

[leewgrant]

$1:

The fierce squabble over Martin Cauchon's political comeback is symptomatic of a party that has lost sight of the most basic tenets of democracy, says a former national director of the Liberal party.

"We've turned into one big appointment society," Sheila Gervais told The Canadian Press.

"It's a perfect democratic deficit storm."

I think the bigger problem is that there is a belief that Igantieff can't hack it. Personality-wise he is too aloof, he seems to speak down to the public and he talks in confusing generalities. Liberals must be wondering if they have elected another loser as their leader.

It's been reported that Denis Coderre is maneuvering himself into being Iggy's successor, an amazing situation, if true, given that Ignatieff has only been the leader a few months.

NB - if Iggy does stumble I hope for their sake the Libs can find someone more electable than Coderre who's noted for his abrasiveness.

[leewgrant]

Another view of Ignatieff.

$1:

He is cocky and uncertain almost simultaneously, aggressive and challenging one moment, hesitant and even confusing in his message the next. That message, what there is of it, is a muddle. He casts the word “vision” around like it's a talisman, but speaks in the mushy platitudes of a high school valedictorian. He seems stranded between the two models of successful Liberal leadership, caught between the saloon and the salon. He cannot, by nature, mimic Jean Chrétien's carefully crafted populist style. Neither does he have the electricity and presence of Pierre Trudeau. Mr. Trudeau's braininess was sexy, Mr. Ignatieff's you merely gather from the résumé.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opi ... le1302307/