From Belinda to Dhalla

I saw Ruby Dhalla on television today being asked if she was going to switch parties, which she denied with a coy look on her face. When I heard the breaking rumour, I didn't really believe it. She has said some very negative things about Conservatives in the past, and I sincerely doubt that she would ever cross the floor. But as I was watching her speak, I began to visualize her wearing Tory blue, and she became very compelling. Then I had to slap myself in the face and say "remember Belinda!"

I will confess that I have a weakness for political women who are "easy on the eyes", and so before I could write any opinion on whether or not Ruby Dhalla should be embraced by the Conservative Party if she decided to cross, I had to reflect on Belinda Stronach. This was before I had a blog, but when Belinda entered the political scene to unite the PC and Alliance I was completely "smitten". I adored Belinda. She was helping facilitate a merger that needed to happen, and she is both gorgeous and a moderate. She represented a demographic that the Conservatives absolutely needed to court and I was "all in".

When she crossed the floor, I was devastated. I was visibly shaken for at least a week. Strangers on campus were coming up to me and asking what was wrong. But shortly after she crossed, suddenly the hypnotic affection had been snapped. I then asked myself for the first time; how in the Hell can you justify running for Prime Minister with no experience in the legislature? Why of all people did she start “banging” the deputy leader? Then I began to realize that all she ever wanted was power, and she temporarily increased her power by exploiting a desperate Paul Martin. Then I began to chart share prices of Magna International against her political career, and saw the correlations. She was a sort of "Manchurian Candidate" all along and I couldn't see it because I adored her.

This time around, if Ruby Dhalla is indeed negotiating a deal to cross the floor, I can't have an opinion. She is like a Siren, and I am like an Argonaut. Somebody chain me to a mast when we sail by this exhibit, because I cannot allow what I feel in my underpants to overrule what I think in my brain.

That's all I have to say about Ruby Dhalla ever again...