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Having arrived on Tuesday night for the Etobicoke Lakeshore all
candidates meeting, I missed most of the presentation by the Marxist
Leninist. I did, however, catch the last question: “If you implemented
the changes to society that you propose, you would very likely be
forced to take this country to war with the United States. What is your
defence strategy?” The answer turned on the idea that because the
polity would be acting in concert with its own interests, this would be
a decidedly different kind of war than one in which the violence is a
product of false consciousness.
This answer was greeted with polite applause, after which the moderator
introduced the Green candidate, who sent an electric charge through the
crowd with this noble reminder: “Let's not forget about us, we're
important too.” Towards the end of an intense Q&A which included a
question as to what the Greens might do in order “to take us back to a
time when there were no cars,” I heard the Greenie say “I don't believe
that we have a specific policy regarding transponders.” But he'd let
the questioner know.
Then came the NDP candidate, who - though not yet a lawyer - assured his
audience he was in fact a “soon to be lawyer.” His name was Liam and he
was “proud of” and “excited by” the NDP platform. You could
almost see the exclamation points bouncing over his head. Still, I
mustn't be snarky. The kid was preternaturally articulate, well-informed, and polite. (Scrappy and ambitious, too. Earlier in the day
he'd put out a press release saying that Patrick Boyer and Michael Ignatieff were
ducking him on a televised debate. Turns out that debate is scheduled
for exactly the same time as the French-language leaders' debate. Nice try,
though.)
Then came the Tory, Boyer, who was warm and winning. The
audience clearly liked him and remembered him from his two term tenure
as a PC MP in the riding.
Iggy was last to speak, and had a tougher time with the crowd - mostly
because it was seeded with malcontents still steaming from a
controversial nomination meeting two-and-a-half years ago. The Liberal
incumbent had to put up with several people murmuring “bullshit” while
he answered questions, and one nutbar who claimed in his “question”
that he was being spied on by CSIS and “harassed by thugs and Jews.”
Charming.
Iggy handled it all with his usual frosty aplomb and moved on. One of
his aides told me later that the canvas is going swimmingly and that
despite the evident BS, things seemed well in hand. Though on the
record, they're taking nothing for granted.
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Andrea Something from Toronto, Canada writes: Your dismissal of Liam McHugh-Russell, is merely a ploy, and beneath you. I assume when discussing Tommy Douglas you would point out he was short, or has funny ears.
On the "nice try" about the debate,they aren't showing up because they want to watch a debate, and not defend their positions,and this is a good excuse?- Posted 01/10/08 at 10:03 AM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment
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stan bowles II from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Just wondering Mr Bell if you are officially a committed member of the Liberal elite, or do you still lie to yourself at night and repeat to yourself you have some journalistic integrity left?
- Posted 02/10/08 at 11:11 PM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment
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Jason Mote from Toronto, writes: I am not sure Mr. Bell was even at this meeting because his comment about the Green Party's response to a question about cars has nothing to do with what he's written here. Obviously a Tory plant, his report on this meeting is utterly worthless. Please ignore.
- Posted 12/10/08 at 9:29 PM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment
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