American here, curious

[Wabbajack]

to see who Canadian DUers are backing in the Liberal leadership race.

[Spazito]

1. My first choice is Dryden

of not him then Kennedy.

[MrPrax]

2. I'm a social democrat...?

But Kennedy stands tall on most of the saliant Progressive issues in Canada...IMHO

Dryden is a good bet...



o 5.1 Carolyn Bennett
o 5.2 Maurizio Bevilacqua
o 5.3 Scott http://www.scottbrison.ca/">Brison
o 5.4 Stéphane Dion
o 5.5 Ken http://www.kendryden.ca/">Dryden
o 5.6 Martha Hall Findlay
o 5.7 Hedy Fry
o 5.8 Michael Ignatieff
o 5.9 Gerard Kennedy
o 5.10 Bob Rae
o 5.11 Joe Volpe

Now handicapping...

Bennett, Frye and Bevilacqua are in the race largely to make the Liberal Party look diverse and representative.

Iggy is the establishment candidate and the guy to beat IMHO...Brison was a Tory...Rae was a Dipper...Joe is way too conservative, stupid and a joke...Findlay was the first candidate to declare and ski'ed...

So that leaves Gerard Kennedy and Ken Dryden!!!

(on edit -- forgot Dion...French and probably the compromise candidate for the Liberals as the elites are comfortable with Harper and he would make a good show for national unity 'no matter who wins, we're all Canadian' schtick -- hehe)

[Bassic]

6. Dion is not very well liked in Québec though, so that might

become a factor when they go to the polls.

[MrPrax]

8. True...

But I think he will be a 'compromise' candidate...a few things; 1)liberals usually alternate French and English leadership and that point might be made on the floor 2) he's slightly right of center and might end up being the guy that all the 'heavies' decide to back rather than the 'other' guy. 3) federal cabinet experience which might sway delegates if there is multiple voting

But I think the Tories are favoured by the elites, so Dion would look good in a election run. But I hope not...I hope the public will see through the media propaganda and get rid of him.

[Bassic]

9. That's true, but considering the fact that they want to re-take

a lot of seats in Québec, and given the general confusion in Québec as to Whether Paul Martin is anglophone or francophone, I think they could elect an anglophone without worrying too much about the reaction in Québec. Don't get me wrong, I still think he's one of the likeliest candidates, but he's got obstacles in front of him.

[MrPrax]

11. I think you hit on the

problem....unless something changes, there really is not a strong Quebec candidate, which is rather unusual for the Liberals. The Quebec wing usually has a 'star candidate' groomed and ready to go -- but there seems to be really no interest.

But your right -- Dion has baggage and Quebeckers don't seem to like him... :shrug:

[Bassic]

16. If he wasn't such a pompous ass, he may have been more popular

And you never know, his PR people might still be able to salvage his image over here. It sure didn't take too much effort from Harper's PR people, so you never know.

[Telly Savalas]

3. I'm not a Canadian nor a Liberal supporter...

but since I live here and since the winner of the Liberal leadership race will likely be our next Prime Minister, I have a stake in the issue.

I like Dryden and Kennedy. (Until he resigned, Kennedy was my MPP during my entire stay in this great land. I haven't heard anything but good things about him here.) A Liberal minority government headed by one of those guys with the NDP holding the balance of power would make for a really good government.

[Mother Jones]

7. My picks as well....

though I really like Bob Rae too, I'm afraid he won't get the much-needed Ontario support.


Anyone but Ignatieff!

[Telly Savalas]

14. I still have enough faith humanity to believe that Ignatieff won't win.

[IntravenousDemilo]

12. Hi, neighbour!

He was my MPP, too.

[Telly Savalas]

13. Howdy!

I gotta get off my butt to help Rev. DiNovo take his old job. (Assuming of course that Mr. McGuinty decides to call a by-election sometime this geological age.)

[daleo]

4. Kennedy and Dryden

I think Dion would be good too.

[Jazz2006]

5. Martha Hall Findlay (totally unlikely but....

she rocks.)

Second, Dryden.

[glarius]

10. I'm for Dryden....I like Dion too but don't think he has much of a chance!

So long as it's not IGNATIEFF!

[Jazz2006]

15. I agree with the "anyone but Ignatieff" sentiment.

And like Telly Savalas above, I still have enough faith in humanity to believe that such an unfortunate and disastrous result will not come about.

[iverglas]

17. nobody

I'm not a Liberal, and I don't give a crap who they elect as their leader.

Yeah, yeah, they're the Natural Governing Party, and they're not electing a party leader, they're electing a prime minister, and I should care a lot. Well, nobody cares whether I care, so I'm not going to bother. If I cared, I'd go join the Liberal Party and make it matter. Ha ha, like it would matter even then, and like that's gonna happen. Not.

[gula]

18. I live in Québec and listen to french CBC (Radio Canada) and

I have yet to hear anything about the race. Is it really being covered in the english media?

[Spazito]

19. Not much, the odd tidbit only....

We won't hear much until either harper forces a confidence vote, more and more unlikely, imo, or, which is the more likely scenario, the coverage begins on the actual Liberal convention to choose the new leader.

[Canuck55]

20. Ken Dryden

"Learning is at the core of our future. For a person, a society, an economy, a country, learning is our only real security, our only real opportunity. There can be no more important, no smarter, investment in the future of our country than an ongoing, determined investment in learning. Learning at all stages; learning at all ages. Nothing is more important to Canadians' standard of living, to our continued success as individuals, or as a country, in North America, and in the world." - Ken Dryden