Angry in the Great White North

One thing about elitists is that they don't hide their elitist attitude.  It's like they are proud of their status as know-it-alls, and need other people to know it too, if only so those other people are clear on who is calling the shots.

Ralph Goodale, the only Liberal MP from Saskatchewan, pushed hard on Stephane Dion to appoint Joan Beatty as the nominee for the northern Saskatchewan riding of Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River.  In fact, it has been alleged that it was much about making sure that David Orchard was not a nominee as it was about Joan Beatty.

David Orchard has a national following as a populist politician.  Perhaps Ralph Goodale was feeling threatened.

Whatever Ralph Goodale's personal issues, the Liberals are being portrayed as undemocratic elitists for shutting down the nomination process and appointing Joan Beatty.

Ralph Goodale doesn't try to deny Liberal elitism:

In the 2006 federal election, Liberal Gary Merasty beat incumbent Conservative MP Jeremy Harrison by a scant 67 votes.

Merasty's official resignation last September prompted the need for the byelection, which was called along with three others by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in December.

Saskatchewan Liberal Ralph Goodale said there was a feeling in much of the party that another aboriginal candidate with strong credentials was needed in the constituency. Merasty was a former chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council.

There was a feeling in much of the party...

Notice that the feeling in much of party trumps the votes in the riding itself.  Much of the party had decided that Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River needed an aboriginal Liberal candidate, and presumably determined that the Liberals in the riding could not be trusted to realize that for themselves, or even they did, could not handle the democratic process and ensure the current result.

I don't even live in this riding, and I feel insulted.

Sometimes a party needs to step in when a nominated candidate is determined not to be suitable.  Sometimes a candidate needs to be appointed because an imminent election leaves no time for a nomination fight.

But to nominate a candidate because the party brass believes that is what the riding needs?  Because it believes it is what a riding with a large aboriginal presence needs?

It is insulting and patronizing and elitist and quintessentially Liberal.

Here's hoping the voters in the riding send the elitists in charge of the Liberal Party a message.  Clearly Stephane Dion doesn't listen to advice from local Liberals.  Perhaps he'll listen if his hand-picked candidate is sent packing by the voters.

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