Even More Liberal-On-Liberal Violence

Well, well, well....our anonymous friends over at QPComments had speculated that the race for PCPO President was going to be a brutal, backstabbing affair. But as is often the case, the Liberals ended up hoist on their own petard when their egos got the better of them.

First, a bit of background: The top two contenders for Liberal Party of Canada President (i.e. Alf Apps' replacement) are 1990's throwback Sheila Copps and ex-Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario) President Mike Crawley. (Yes, the federal Liberals have a president for each province that has nothing to do with the provincial Liberal parties. It's very confusing, but what did you expect from Liberals?)

Both of these retreads have significant baggage: Sheila Copps is, well, Sheila Copps, and Crawley got himself entangled in one of those confusing green energy contract rigmaroles, as documented by the fine folks over at Wind Concerns Ontario. Crawley is running as the change candidate and Sheila is running as Bob Rae's handpicked favourite, setting the stage for a bloodless coup in which current interim leader Rae takes over the party for good until the next election.

The Liberals are quite divided and angry over yet another race where the establishment has staked out the high ground and threatened to make life very difficult for anyone who opposes them. Discontent bubbled over this weekend when an anonymous Twitter account popped up bashing Crawley asking difficult questions about whether Crawley could be trusted. I'd guess that this account is run by some communications person affiliated with the Copps campaign, but then again I am not a Liberal.

Meanwhile, Steve Paikin's son, Zach Paikin, is running for Policy chair of the federal Liberals. For reasons unknown to me, Paikin has come under attack from Max Naylor, son of University of Toronto President David Naylor. Naylor Jr., who is apparently affiliated with the Ontario Young Liberals (the Ontario Liberal Party's youth wing) posted a lengthy jeremiad on his blog recently. Supposedly Paikin is too pro-Israel for Naylor's liking.

Contrast this with the positive race for President we're having at the PCPO. We're exchanging ideas and having serious discussions about the future of our party, while the Liberals are fixated on the past. None of the three candidates have attacked each other publicly the way the Liberals are doing. And I for one intend to make sure things stay that way, despite Liberal attempts to stir the pot. 

Remember, PCPO friends: whatever these losers do, we do the exact polar opposite. :)