by arthur Weinreb, associate Editor,
March 1, 2004
That was the response of Conservative Party leadership hopeful, Belinda Stronach, when she was asked how she thought that she did in the leadership debate that was held in Ottawa on February 22.
"I think I did okay".
How sad.
How typically Canadian.
Here we have a person who is aspiring to the leadership of the political party that forms Canada’s Official Opposition. and since the release of the auditor-General’s report that plunged new Prime Minister Paul Martin’s government in what is arguably the greatest corruption scandal in our country’s history, the Conservatives have a chance, albeit a small one, to form the next government. Three months from now, Belinda could end up being the Right Honourable Belinda Stronach, Prime Minister of Canada, and she seems perfectly content to just do "okay". Is it too much to ask to require people that seriously want to lead this country to aim for something more than the mediocrity that is implied in her description of "okay"?
Stronach likes to brag about that she has absolutely no political experience, quite an unnecessary remark to make to anyone who has even casually observed her on the hustings. If she had at least a modicum of experience, she never would have described her debate performance in the terms that she did. She does deserve some Brownie points, however, for her honesty, especially at a time when we are inundated with daily revelations of fraud, corruption, kickbacks and money laundering at the hands of the Chrétien/Martin government. What is coming out now about the Liberals adds to the perception that many people have that all politicians are corrupt. and Stronach plays into that observation by openly bragging that having no experience is a plus because she has no baggage. a surgeon who is about to perform a quadruple bypass operation but has never operated before could equally make the "no baggage" argument. It’s not a plus. So this is what it has come down to--a potential leader who has no experience and is perfectly happy to do "okay".
It would be nice if Canada could find a leader that aspired to greatness or excellence instead of the mediocrity that now defines this country. It would be nice to have a leader like Ronald Reagan who was great because he believed that the United States and americans were great. Even Jean Chrétien believed that Canada was a great country, something that we don’t see in Ms. Stronach. Of course, Chrétien only thought Canada was great because he was leading it and from his point of view Canada was a great country where anyone could grow up, join the Liberal Party, start an advertising agency in Quebec and become wealthy. any greatness that Jean Chrétien might have had was lost however in his petty and silly anti-americanism and his general distain for the citizens and their money.
Paul Martin is no different, although at the moment he might be happy to just be doing "okay". Martin is trying to run the country like he ran Power Corp. and Canada Steamship Lines, getting rid of the unprofitable elements (alphonso Gagliano) protecting the Board of Directors (the Cabinet) and showing little interest in the shareholders (the taxpayers). If Paul Martin does have any plans to achieve excellence for either himself or the country, he certainly hasn’t shared them with the general public.
Belinda Stronach is a product of the generation that grew up learning that self esteem and feelings are more important than achievement and where tolerance and diversity is more important that beliefs and principles. This would explain some of her beliefs such as her view that Canada should allow same sex marriage because it is a "human right". It also explains her concept of the Conservative Party as being a big tent where anyone or everyone is welcome, regardless of what their political beliefs are.
If Belinda Stronach becomes leader of the Conservative Party and possibly prime minister of Canada she will do, well, okay and it appears that she will be satisfied with that.
Unfortunately too many people in this country are prepared to settle for "just okay".