Stephane Dion has decided not to run a Liberal candidate against Green Party Leader Elizabeth May in the next federal election.
Dion, who shares May’s environmental idealism, is expected to make the announcement today. In return, sources say May will promise not to run a Green candidate against the Liberal leader and will essentially endorse Dion for prime minister.
The extraordinary back-scratching between two supposedly rival leaders is unheard of in Canadian politics and could generate a backlash within both parties.
The riding in question is Central Nova in Nova Scotia, currently held by Peter MacKay of the Conservatives:
She has chosen to run in Central Nova, a longtime Conservative stronghold held by Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay. To beat MacKay, May would have to pick up all the votes that went to the third-place Liberals in 2006 and half the second-place NDP’s votes.
At the risk of a backlash aimed at me, I have to admit the move sort of makes sense. Think about it. Based on the last election results, Stephane Dion's Liberals would have to hold on to all 10,349 votes cast for the Liberals, and pick up 6,400 votes from the NDP to take the seat away from Peter MacKay. Under this plan, Stephane Dion would have to convince 10,349 Liberals that it is a good thing not to vote for his leadership.
I suppose Stephane Dion has picked the path of least resistance.
Ba-dum-dum. Thank you, thank you. I'm here till Saturday. Try the veal.
Check out what Conservative bloggers are saying about this story
Results will open in a new window.
OK, seriously, it will be interesting to see just how many Liberal supporters in Central Nova decide to not bother voting at all to send a message that they are not pawns to have their votes sold off to another party for Stephane Dion's personal benefit:
M. Dion also believes that we need to be ready for an election next spring. We must know what we want to offer the country and we must have a leader prepared to offer it. We need candidates in every riding and we need to be in a good financial position as of next March. Stephane Dion will be prepared.
None of this means that I will suddenly become a blind partisan for Dion. I will continue to accentuate the positive of each candidate and I will continue to be honest if I think Stephane Dion makes a mistake.
Those are the words of Dion booster Jason Cherniak. It'll be interesting to see if he still thinks candidates are needed in every riding, or if he accepts the premise that Stephane Dion's need for a personal endorsement trumps the need of the people of Central Nova to have the chance to be represented by a Liberal.
Check out what Liberal bloggers are saying about this story
Results will open in a new window.
We should give him some time to formulate an opinion. He's probably overwhelmed with relief right now that Elizabeth May had not decided to run in the riding of Richmond Hill, where Jason is riding president.
While we wait to see, I'll be looking for this Liberal Party webpage to be updated:
Your riding is currently not held by a Liberal Member of Parliament. Please Donate Now to help us win back this riding.
So what would be good alternative text?
Your riding is currently not held by a Liberal Member of Parliament and never will be.
Your riding is currently not held by a Liberal Member of Parliament and we intend to keep it that way.
Your riding is currently not held by a Liberal Member of Parliament. Vote Green or you'll make Stephane Dion look bad.
Or do you think the Liberals will pull the page altogether? They might, and pretend Central Nova just doesn't exist. Makes sense. That's the way Stephane Dion has decided to treat 10,000 loyal Liberals in the riding.
Check out what NDP bloggers are saying about this story
Results will open in a new window.
One more thing to consider. Stephane Dion might be playing a particularly cynical game here. He might be hoping that 10,000 Liberals will be so disgusted with him, the Liberal Party and the Green Party for playing games with their votes that they'll vote for the NDP, who came in second in Central Nova in the last two elections. Stephane Dion just has to manipulate about 6,000 Liberals into voting NDP to unseat Peter MacKay. He still gets his endorsement, the Conservatives lose a valuable MP, and Elizabeth May isn't sitting in parliament holding a big IOU with Stephane Dion's name on it.
I hope that's the plan. I can respect that sort of duplicity for the sheer cleverness.
