Watching and blogging about the recent American Republican and Democratic primaries has made me realize that if the same process of leader selection was done in Canada, the political landscape would be quite different. Stephane Dion would have never been the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. This has nothing to do with either his inability to do the job or his Quebec heritage. It has to do with likability and popularity, plain and simple. When he was selected, no one, except for those avidly active in politics, knew who he was. Michael Ignatieff, on the other hand, was wildly popular, well known and respected. Although as Canadians we often look down on American politics, this is certainly a superior situation where leaders are selected democratically and not by a small group of people that certainly don’t represent the average citizen. Iggy could have been ours!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are so right. Iggy would have been ours and what a different position Canada would be in now if he had been elected Leader.