Prorogation: Was It Good For You?

As most of you know, in light of prorogation of Parliament by this Prime Minister, Liberal support in the polls has gone up to the point where a fifteen point deficit has been eliminated and we are now "competitive" with the Harper government.

On the surface, that should strike all Liberals as good news. But in reality, it isn't. What we're experiencing now is what I would term prorogation froth -- a temporary manifestation of righteous indignation on the part of everyday Canadians.

I feel sorry for those who actually believe that we can build a solid foundation on top of prorogation. Polling patterns clearly demonstrate that we can't. Canadians for better or worse, have grown comfortable with a Jack and Michael political ménage à deux.

You saw it with your own eyes at the rally in Ottawa. There is no political dividend to be had. Both parties are pursuing the backing off strategy and that will lead to voters backing off from choosing their champion to fight for them against the Harper government. It's like a cat chasing its tail. Don't expect different results by repeating the same flawed strategy.

I will bet you dollars to doughnuts that I'm on the money here. Give me a call in March just before the PM takes the screws to the opposition and we will be right where we find ourselves now -- in second place.

In politics, you can't fight gravity by inaction. Coasting along is not a winning strategy. Waiting for the other guy to shoot himself in the head won't do it either. In short, you win by defining your leadership and your party, by picking your battles, by boldly striking out and seizing the right moment to propel your party past the others on the Hill. By having a vision for Canada and by having the stones to lay it all out for the Canadian people...oh, Harper will steal it, is the retort. So what. Better to stand for something concrete than to stand for nothing more than a political vacuum. No substance, no relevance, no credibility and certainly no political glory.

Is anyone willing to take my bet? Liberals can get it right or they can prepare to sink once again in the post-prorogation polls. When people think of I-G-N-A-T-I-E-F-F, I want him to remind them of a street fighter who is willing to put his leadership on the line and fight for what he truly believes in. It's time for Michael to let his gut and heart do the talking. Stow away the brain-centered reservation and get on with it. The last thing we need, as Liberals, is for people to yawn, or worse yet, shrug as soon as his name is mentioned.