The news that Liberal Party leader has demoted Denis Coderre raises many questions:

• Is Stephane Dion finished, or are more shifts on the way?
• Is Michael Ignatieff next?
• What is Bob Rae's role in all this?
• With Denis Coderre gone, who in Ottawa will represent the interests of Hezbollah?

OK, that last one is me being a jerk, but there are plenty legitimate questions to consider.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 08:39 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 481 words, total size 4 kb.

There has been a lot of focus on Quebec this week.  For a time, it looked like Liberals in the province were ready to rise up against Stephane Dion. 

Stephane Dion reacted with a news conference and a demand for discipline and loyalty.

Now a new poll shows Liberals facing electoral disaster in Quebec, not leading in any region, anywhere in the province.

I think it's safe to say that Stephane Dion's Quebec troubles are not behind him.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 10:37 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 747 words, total size 6 kb.

I wrote recently about Joyce Murray's nomination filings.  The (barely) successful candidate for the Vancouver Quadra by-election filed a description of her spending to secure the Liberal nomination that seemed to indicate the she ran her own copy business, pizza franchise, phone company and so on.

Every vendor charged for services, under every category, was named "Joyce Murray".

I wasn't the only one who thought this looked odd.  Kevin Libin of the National Post has carried the ball forward on this.  No one suggests that Murray has done anything wrong.  But as Libin's article shows, that such a filing is considered acceptable showcases just how campaign financing rules are an incredible burden that fail to do what they are designed to do -- provide a transparent window into how our politicians raise and spend money to secure their positions.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 07:48 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 1316 words, total size 9 kb.

Elizabeth May has embarrassed herself trying to play the role of a socialist firebrand instead of her more accustomed job of environmental gadfly.

It is a small example of the trouble the Green Party is going to face as it tries to capitalize on the gains enjoyed at the expense of the NDP.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 11:55 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 811 words, total size 6 kb.

Just a timely contrast.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 09:16 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 181 words, total size 2 kb.

Liberal blogger James Curran has installed the Intense Debate commenting system.  Here's hoping it will encourage blog readers to visit blogs from "the other side" more often.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 06:56 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 487 words, total size 3 kb.

There is some excitement around today's news story that a former Liberal candidate Pierre-Luc Bellerose has announced his intention to seek Stephane Dion's ouster from the Liberal Party.

Liberal bloggers are almost universally scornful of Bellerose.  I think they have a point.  Bellerose is hardly the poster boy for a loyal Liberal Party member.  And his plan seems like a stretch.

But that doesn't mean Bellerose can be so easily dismissed.  He might be an idiot, but is he a useful idiot?  And if so, who is using him?

Posted by: Steve Janke at 01:51 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 826 words, total size 6 kb.

Stephane Dion is dismissing comments made in Quebec calling into question his leadership of the Liberal Party.

I guess we can expect to hear more of the same.  Apparently a group of Liberals will be voicing their opinions in a Montreal newspaper tomorrow.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 08:56 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 476 words, total size 4 kb.

In a particularly brutal attack on Stephane Dion's qualities as a leader, former Liberal Party cabinet minister Liza Frulla cuts deep.

And she uses the sharpest knife of all -- pity.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 11:49 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 390 words, total size 3 kb.

With the violence in Tibet grabbing the world's attention, many are calling for a boycott of the upcoming Olympics.

Let me add my voice to that.  By finally winning the Olympic bid, China has put itself into a profoundly weak position. 

Now is the time to strike and strike hard.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 08:49 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 877 words, total size 6 kb.

Pope Benedict XVI has performed the traditional Easter baptism of adults, but the tradition is not well known.  When adults enter into the Church, it is traditional to do all the baptisms on Easter Saturday (infants are baptized soon after birth).  The pope will perform a number of baptisms as any priest is called upon to do.

But this Easter, the pope has stood apart, performing a baptism that any priest could perform, but that the pope has taken onto himself to do.  It was a surprise -- a well-known Muslim has abandoned Allah for Christ.

In the eyes of many Muslims, that is a crime punishable by death, and it would not be a surprise if the priest who performed the ceremony might be targeted as well.  That is a risk any Catholic priest would be willing to take.  It is clearly a risk the pope was not going ask anyone else to take.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 10:20 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 793 words, total size 5 kb.

The Conservative government has reduce or cut off funding to a number of programs, including quasi-private special interest groups.  Though I have no problem with the government vacating these areas, there are some unintended consequences to be considered.

In particular, of course, is having government computers help out with the spread of online pornography.

But you knew that's where I was going with this.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 06:27 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 1244 words, total size 8 kb.

Mike Duffy reported today that senior Liberals are actively working on a plan to ease (or force) Stephane Dion out as leader of the Liberal Party.

But who?  I think I know the answer.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 08:13 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 327 words, total size 2 kb.

Listen to the Liberals crowing about the Afghanistan motion.

Of course, we supported it, they say.  It is the Liberal plan that we forced the Conservatives to adopt.

Right.  So why did so many Liberals not vote for it?

Posted by: Steve Janke at 12:04 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 573 words, total size 4 kb.

Apparently, there is Liberal "private" and then there is Garth Turner "private".

Which is to say that what Liberals are saying privately are published on Garth Turner's blog.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 09:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 345 words, total size 3 kb.

Only Stephane Dion can leader the Liberals into four by-elections, win three, and be seen as the loser.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 11:29 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 700 words, total size 6 kb.

Last Friday, it was reported that a rather ugly meeting was held in Quebec by federal Liberals.  At issue was the fact that nothing seemed to be done to get the Liberals in Quebec ready for an election.

Just what the heck have they been doing?  The Liberals have paid a high price for constantly rolling over in parliament, a price they paid in order to buy the time needed to get ready for an election.  That time seems to have squandered.

It's like a case of embezzlement. 

Posted by: Steve Janke at 11:53 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 763 words, total size 5 kb.

I know it's hard to believe, but I wonder if Farhan Chak is planning to run for office again.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 10:36 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 540 words, total size 6 kb.

Remember Farhan Chak?  He was the Liberal nominee for Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont who was forced to resign when it was revealed that he had told a bunch of whoppers on his application.

Well, like the cat in the Harry Miller song, he comes back when you expect that his story is over and done.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 09:54 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 1027 words, total size 7 kb.

Arguably, no vote is wasted, at least not by the voter.  The vote cast contributes to the collective decision to select a representative for the constituency.

But with the Liberals racking 10 abstentions or so, you have to wonder if Stephane Dion is wasting all the votes cast in ridings represented by Liberals.

No matter who the vote was originally cast for.

And then you have to worry about what might come of that in the long term.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 10:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 464 words, total size 3 kb.