GreenDude

OK, I admit it, I love CPAC. Much to the chagrin of my wife and 3 kids, I spend a couple of hours a day (at least!) watching Canada’s Public Affairs Channel when parliament is in session. I think Peter Van Dusen is Canada’s best news anchor (sorry Lloyd.) and I especially enjoy question period.

I watch QP for the same reason that race fans watch NASCAR… for the crashes. Unfortunately these days QP has become a bit of a one man show with government house leader Peter Van Loan taking most of the opposition’s questions. Aparrantly the PM figures that it is much easier to keep on message when there is only one person delivering it. (I suppose that’s one way to avoid the problems caused by having both Gordon O’Connor and Peter MacKay giving different answers to questions on the treatment of Afghan detainees.)

Van Loan is a perfect choice for this role. In fact both his demeanor and his responses give the clearest indication of exactly what the Conservatives think of both parliament and the people they are there to serve. Van Loan’s constant smirk and uncontrollable eyebrow raises give off the look of bemused indifference that can only come from someone who not only thinks, but knows, that he is better than you. And don’t mistake his seeming inability to actually answer a question for a lack of knowledge, he knows the answer, it’s just that no one else has enough security clearance to hear it.

The Canadian Press has also noticed Mr. Van Loan. In a recent article they liken him to Barney Rubble. I couldn’t resist.

…or you’re gonna fall for anything.

Watching Stephane Dion dodge the land mines Stephen Harper has laid out for him keeps that John Cougar song playing in my head.

For the second time this session Dion’s Liberals have abstained on a vote in the House in order to avoid triggering an election. It’s an interesting strategy. Trading looking like a completeley ineffective opposition for time to rebuild the party, and the ability to pick the precise issue on which to take down the governement. Risky, but maybe the right play, and it’s driving Stephen Harper nuts.

For those remaining few who might actually believe the Conservative rhetoric of “we want to govern” consider the following: Harper is currently getting everything he wants done policy wise, since the Liberals are refusing to stop them. If he really wanted to govern he should be happy. He’s not.

Harper desperately wants to go to the polls, hoping to capitalise on a weak Bloc Quebecois and a Liberal Party in disarray. Unfortunately for him, the passing of Bill C-16 means that he can’t call an election until Oct. 19, 2009. So the PMO has instructed Conservative MPs to attack the Liberals for failing to vote, trying to goad them into toppling the government.

Dion, however, is going to have to pick his battlefield, and soon. Continuing to avoid an election has the nasty side effect of allowing more and more time for the Conservatives to take us farther down the path away from sustainability, sound fiscal policy and real justice for all Canadians.

For the sake of the country, I hope M. Dion knows what he is doing.