A DECEMBER TO REMEMBER
It has been awhile since my keystrokes have graced this page, not since Oct. 17 I believe. It is now December and I assure you now it will be a December to remember. And not because of that present that you did, or didn't get on Christmas morning. The month starts off with the Liberal leadership race which is taking place as I write this and I promise there will be more on this in a moment. Following the leadership convention there is new life in the same-sex marriage question in Canada. As well we have already seen the recognition of Quebec as a 'nation within Canada'. It is December 2nd and until things settle down for Christmas there will be a lot to say.
The Liberal leadership convention is taking place as I write in Montreal. It started yesterday with the 1st ballot. For those of you not following I will recap what has happened up until now. There were 8 candidates on the 1st ballot on Friday night. To clarify for everyone a candidate must receive 50% of the support plus one to become leader so until this happens the candidate who gets the least amount of votes on each ballot is dropped of the list until the 50% is achieved. After the 1st ballot Michael Ignatieff placed 1st with 29.3%, former NDP Premier of Ontario Bob Rae was 2nd with 20.3%, and there was a virtual tie for 3rd between former Liberal cabinet minister Stephane Dion and former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy with 17.7 and 17.8% respectively. Martha Hall Findlay came in last with just 2.7% of the vote and was dropped off the ballot.
As is customary with leadership conventions if a candidate is dropped off the ballot or pulls out of the race they usually put their support behind another one of the candidates. Hall Findlay, after being dropped off, gave her support to Stephane Dion. Joe Volpe who came in 7th with just 3.2% of the votes voluntarily dropped out of the race and put his support behind Bob Rae. Scott Brison was next to drop out of the race after finishing 6th with 4% and also put his support behind Rae.
So the 2nd ballot was set for this morning with 5 candidates left on the ballot (Ignatieff, Rae, Dion, Kennedy, and Ken Dryden). Michael Ignatieff retained his first place position as he saw his support grow to 31.6%. Rae maintained his 2nd spot with 24.1%, and Dion and Kennedy were still a very close 3rd and 4th with 20.8% and 18.8% respectively. Ken Dryden finished in last place on the 2nd ballot with just 4.7%. Ignatieff was in first place, however since he did not hit the required 50% +1 there would have to be a 3rd ballot. Dryden was dropped off the list and gave his support to Bob Rae. Then, after some dealings, Gerard Kennedy dropped out of the race and gave his 18.8% support to Stephane Dion.
And the stage was set for the 3rd ballot with just three contenders remaining (Ignatieff, Rae, and Dion). And the results came in... and there is new name on the top of the list... Stephane Dion. Dion was first with 37%, followed by Ignatieff with 34.5%, and Rae with 28.5%. Just like in the first two ballots the 50% mark was not reached meaning there would have to be a 4th and final ballot cast to determine the next leader of the Liberal party. Rae was dropped off the ballot after being 2nd for so long. In his speech he did not give his support to either Ignatieff or Dion and told his supporters to vote for who they wish.
As I write this the votes are currently taking place to determine whether it will be scholar Michael Ignatieff or former Liberal cabinet minister Stephane Dion to replace Paul Martin as leader of the Liberals. Martin hasn't been leader of the Liberals for almost a year now following the results of the election back in January and Bill Graham has been the interim leader from then until now. I will say one thing... and pay attention because you may never hear me say another good word about the Liberals ever again. Bill Graham has done an excellent job as the interim leader of the Liberals. He has enabled them to still be a force in the House of Commons while they were in the midst of a leadership race. He is a formidable opponent for Stephen Harper and has proven so on many occasions. There, I'm done. If you missed it, too bad.
I will be back soon to discuss the results of the final ballot and the new leader. Plus all of that other stuff I was talking about as well, the Quebec as a nation thing, and the same-sex marriage debate.
- DCM
The Liberal leadership convention is taking place as I write in Montreal. It started yesterday with the 1st ballot. For those of you not following I will recap what has happened up until now. There were 8 candidates on the 1st ballot on Friday night. To clarify for everyone a candidate must receive 50% of the support plus one to become leader so until this happens the candidate who gets the least amount of votes on each ballot is dropped of the list until the 50% is achieved. After the 1st ballot Michael Ignatieff placed 1st with 29.3%, former NDP Premier of Ontario Bob Rae was 2nd with 20.3%, and there was a virtual tie for 3rd between former Liberal cabinet minister Stephane Dion and former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy with 17.7 and 17.8% respectively. Martha Hall Findlay came in last with just 2.7% of the vote and was dropped off the ballot.
As is customary with leadership conventions if a candidate is dropped off the ballot or pulls out of the race they usually put their support behind another one of the candidates. Hall Findlay, after being dropped off, gave her support to Stephane Dion. Joe Volpe who came in 7th with just 3.2% of the votes voluntarily dropped out of the race and put his support behind Bob Rae. Scott Brison was next to drop out of the race after finishing 6th with 4% and also put his support behind Rae.
So the 2nd ballot was set for this morning with 5 candidates left on the ballot (Ignatieff, Rae, Dion, Kennedy, and Ken Dryden). Michael Ignatieff retained his first place position as he saw his support grow to 31.6%. Rae maintained his 2nd spot with 24.1%, and Dion and Kennedy were still a very close 3rd and 4th with 20.8% and 18.8% respectively. Ken Dryden finished in last place on the 2nd ballot with just 4.7%. Ignatieff was in first place, however since he did not hit the required 50% +1 there would have to be a 3rd ballot. Dryden was dropped off the list and gave his support to Bob Rae. Then, after some dealings, Gerard Kennedy dropped out of the race and gave his 18.8% support to Stephane Dion.
And the stage was set for the 3rd ballot with just three contenders remaining (Ignatieff, Rae, and Dion). And the results came in... and there is new name on the top of the list... Stephane Dion. Dion was first with 37%, followed by Ignatieff with 34.5%, and Rae with 28.5%. Just like in the first two ballots the 50% mark was not reached meaning there would have to be a 4th and final ballot cast to determine the next leader of the Liberal party. Rae was dropped off the ballot after being 2nd for so long. In his speech he did not give his support to either Ignatieff or Dion and told his supporters to vote for who they wish.
As I write this the votes are currently taking place to determine whether it will be scholar Michael Ignatieff or former Liberal cabinet minister Stephane Dion to replace Paul Martin as leader of the Liberals. Martin hasn't been leader of the Liberals for almost a year now following the results of the election back in January and Bill Graham has been the interim leader from then until now. I will say one thing... and pay attention because you may never hear me say another good word about the Liberals ever again. Bill Graham has done an excellent job as the interim leader of the Liberals. He has enabled them to still be a force in the House of Commons while they were in the midst of a leadership race. He is a formidable opponent for Stephen Harper and has proven so on many occasions. There, I'm done. If you missed it, too bad.
I will be back soon to discuss the results of the final ballot and the new leader. Plus all of that other stuff I was talking about as well, the Quebec as a nation thing, and the same-sex marriage debate.
- DCM
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