Angry in the Great White North

According to the NDP, Stephane Dion and the Liberals have given the Conservatives a pass on 14 different occasions.  On a few issues, to be fair, the Liberals really did support the Conservatives, but the NDP is making the obvious point -- at least ten opportunities came and went when the Liberals criticized the Conservatives on a confidence matter, saying that the government's position was wrong for Canada in some serious way, but then abstained from actually voting against it.

Why?  The Liberals weren't ready for an election.  But here's the thing.  You'd expect that with each abstention, the Liberals were getting closer and closer to getting ready.

Just one more abstention...just one more...

But now word that the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal Party, at least, is still not ready for an election, and not ready in a big way:

All is not well in the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal party, which held a crisis meeting to deal with grassroots grumbling over election planning that a source described as "close to non-existent."

A group of disgruntled Quebec organizers took the unusual step of activating a clause in the party constitution to force a meeting of the executive committee to discuss their mounting grievances.

"I've never seen that happen before," said a Liberal involved in the party's inner workings for more than two decades.

Several party sources said much of the donkey work of preparing for elections – renting office space, co-ordinating local fundraising chairs, booking phone lines, printing signs – has not yet been done.

"The last time we looked like we were headed for an election, I read in the papers that the Quebec wing isn't ready. Well I don't want to be blamed for that. The executive hasn't met since December," an influential Quebec Liberal fumed before the meeting. "I think the way this is being handled shows a lack of respect to Stéphane (Dion) and to the party membership."

Like many of these matters, it is hard to know what is true.  Perhaps some people are alleging a lack of preparedness to embarrass Stephane Dion.  But then an actual election loss would likely result is Stephane Dion being removed as Liberal leader, so wouldn't it make more sense to get things ready and push for the election?

But if they really aren't ready, why not?  How many abstentions and walk-outs have to happen to give the Quebec Liberals enough time to get ready? 

The time they have already been given was bought at a very high price.  With each abstention, the credibility of the Liberal Party as party with any real policy goals suffered.  Each abstention adds ammunition for other parties to use against the Liberals.   The NDP, in particular, might benefit from this.

So why aren't we hearing about mass firings in Quebec?

After all, if management gives you a big pile of cash to get a job done and six months later it appears that you've spent the money but nothing was accomplished, people would say you embezzled the money.

You'd be fired.  You'd be lucky if all that happened to you was that you were fired.

So I wonder when someone is going to start looking for evidence that the Liberal Party's sad performance in parliament is paying dividends.  And if key people can't show that the time so dearly purchased was put to good use, then I wonder when we're going to hear about shake-ups.

But then shake-ups would have the effect of forcing more delays.  Perhaps the Liberals feel that they can't afford to replace organizers who have allegedly failed to prepare for an election.  New people would take even longer to get ready.

If that's the case, then the delays have been pointless.  The Liberals weren't ready six months ago, aren't ready now, and won't be ready six months from now. 

It's been a waste of everyone's time worrying about the Liberals.