Oh Canada - is it our turn yet?

I never seem to get enough work but I do seem to spend most of my working hours on things political. Whether I'm writing about land use issues or arranging interviews for political authors or any one of a number of other things, they always seem to circle back to the political arena.

In such an environment it is nearly impossible to avoid forming opinions about party leaders and of course being somewhat opinionated anyway, it's doubly difficult.

When I was writing for the Frontier Centre, I tried to put my observations behind me - I'm not writing for them anymore, not because I don't need the work or the money but because I simply cannot maintain even the most theoretical support for reflex Conservatism. This means I'm free to state an opinion, however outlandish that opinion might be and here it is: Canada needs Danny Williams to run for the leadership of the Liberal party and ultimately as MP for his riding, to serve as Prime Minister of Canada.

I've floated this idea past a couple of people and they both said the same thing. First, he's a Conservative who has, thus far, expressed no interest in federal politics and second, could he win?

These are good questions and here are what I think might be good answers:

Federal parties have long since lost any real identification with provincial parties. Look at BC's Liberal party, they are well known as the descendants of the Social Credit party that held power in BC for so many years - the SoCreds, as they were known back in the day, were paeloconservatives. The SoCreds made Stephen Harper look like a candidate for the NDP.

Politicians have changed sides so often lately anyway that I really think the only party that could be considered to have a concrete and inflexible philosophy is the Bloc Quebecois and even there, remember the coalition agreement? Party loyalty is not what it once was and that's good, this is not inter mural sports - the future of the country is at stake. Blind team loyalty works for hockey, in politics it is for people who prefer not to think, just look at the Harper posse.

The bigger question is; could he win? I think he could. Canada needs a new leader, we need a leader who is sensible, compassionate and patriotic. We need a plainspoken leader who can understand the many and varied concerns that range across the vastness of this nation. We need someone who can speak to university intellectuals and to loggers and ranch hands alike. We need a leader who is not entirely urban nor entirely rural.

Newfoundland is a fishing province, it is an energy producing province, it is no longer a have-not province but it has been one for long enough to remember the sting of it. Newfoundlanders know what it means to depend on the land and to live in close proximity to the United States. Newfoundland is gorgeous, has been impoverished and has had to fight the feds to keep the wealth they've generated by the sweat of their own hard work. They've had to be smart. And Williams is one of their smartest. Oxford educated, business savvy and down-to-earth. He is as intellectually equipped as Ignatieff and as folksy as Bob Rae. He is well spoken, passionate and straightforward. Williams can win the west. Ignatieff cannot.

Williams has led a province through some of its darkest times and not an easy province to lead either. He knows what it takes to speak the truth with respect and have his views heard. BC residents will respect him for his awareness of logging and fishing issues, Alberta can be won over by his refusal to bend to the feds over the Oil clawbacks, Manitoba can relate to Newfoundland as one of Canada's other "other" provinces, consistently seen to be out of step with Ontario and always treated like a middle child.

Ontario just wants someone smart for a change. Ontario could be won over to Williams based only on the fact that he would be the only candidate who might look nearly as cool as Obama. In fact, Williams is taking on the U.S. in a nice way, with the Abitibi expropriation case. He's right and he'll win but he has, at least so far, done so nicely and with dignity. Harper has recently learned to ape those qualities but his act smacks of that fuzzy sweater from his latest election campaign - you can tell he can't wait until people stop expecting him to behave this way so he can take it off and return to his usual dead-eyed self.

Quebec likes a man who stands up for what he believes, Newfoundland and Quebec have both rejected federal control at one time or another, I think there are greater affinities between the people of those two provinces than we consider. Both have distinct cultures identifiable by even the most uneducated observer. Both are "down home" provinces happier to have a kitchen party than a Gala any day of the week - no matter what Harper says more artists gather in kitchens across this country than have ever even seen the inside of a Fairmont Hotel during a Gala. (I should know, I have worked Galas and let me tell you, they are chock-a-block with politicians. If artists are present they are usually the one in the corner of the room wearing the not-quite-appropriate ensemble and nervously trying to muster up the nerve to make eye contact with the Minister of somethingorother, while seceretly hoping they won't strike up a conversation and wondering where the guy with the appetizer tray has gotten to because they can't afford to eat things like like smoked duck on potato galettes or wild mushroom springrolls and they probably won't be able to afford that kind of thing for a long time to come. The artist at the table at the Gala is easy to spot because they finish their dessert and they do that because they won't be eating anything that decadent for a long time to come.)

As for the maritimes - I would argue that they have been Canada's second-tier Canadians for so long now that it is about time they had the opportunity to vote for one of their own. No, we don't have the same racial divide that they do in the states. (Ironically though, a big part of our African-Canadian population comes from the maritimes.) What we do have is a geographical divide and it is time the least among us in that regard, held the reins of power for a while. Canadians love an underdog and Newfies are our underdogs in almost every way - have been for decades.

I know Williams hasn't expressed the slightest interest in this - he should, his country needs him and I don't think it is just doable, I think it is crucial.