Angry in the Great White North

With the Jamie Carroll story still unresolved, the Liberals are making noises about running a successful general election:

The Liberals have mapped out the first 10 days of a federal election campaign in which they would present Stephane Dion as the leader who advocates a strong federal government, according to a senior Dion adviser.

Despite fundraising difficulties, the Liberals have secured election financing – about $18-million – and an airplane and buses, the adviser said. Seventy per cent of their candidates have been selected and the provincial and regional campaign structures are in place.

Mr. Dion is ready to campaign, according to his adviser.

“We are a lot further ahead than people think we are,” said the adviser, who thinks it's “50-50” whether there will be a fall election.

Right, the Liberal Party is ready with the party in full rebellion in Quebec and polling numbers dropping.

But then, it really depends on who this advisor is. If you were a Liberal who was fed up with Stephane Dion as leader, wouldn't you encourage him to force an election? A loss in a general election immediately triggers a leadership review, though that rarely happens since a resignation is often included in the election-night loss speech.

I'm not all surprised that there is a large faction of Liberals cheering Stephane Dion on, telling him in no uncertain terms that they are ready for an election.

Telling him that he is ready.

You're ready! You're ready! You're ready

The sad thing is that Stephane Dion is buying this line:

On the contrary, Dion insisted at a news conference following the caucus gathering at an Old Montreal hotel, Quebecers will come around to him and the Liberal Party once they fully grasp the Liberal message and seriously consider the alternatives.

"I am convinced that when they will see what we have to offer, for families, for the economy, for the environment, for the pride of being Canadian in the world, they will say, 'Wow, a vote for the Liberal Party is the way to go ahead.'"

Wow! Cool! Neato!

The real problem, according to Stephane Dion, is the Stephane Dion caricature:

[Stephane Dion] conceded he has an image problem in Quebec. "I need to fight against a caricature of myself, and I will win."

If he really believes the people who tell him that the Liberal Party under his leadership is ready for an election, then I know exactly what caricature Stephane Dion has to fight:

I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready!

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