There is a new book being released in Canada by the former NDP campaign manager Brian Topp, outlining how he and Jack Layton nearly overthrew the government. I just finished watching an interview with the author who described how he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder after the coup failed; and I am not without empathy. I recall with vivid detail the post traumatic stress that I suffered after the Toronto Maple Leafs eliminated the Detroit Red Wings from the 93 playoffs. I know how it feels to have your dreams crushed. Though that experience was not nearly as painful as the major depressive episode I experienced when Belinda crossed the floor. With the help of therapy, I was able to overcome that trauma.
When asked for his opinion on Mr. Ignatieff, the response was that he was consumed with replacing Stephane Dion and was not interesting in overthrowing the government in a legislative coup. He was more interested in overthrowing government "the old fashioned way", while Bob Rae remains a mystery. One statement that the author curiously made was that the Coalition was not intended to get the NDP into power, but rather to "get things done." That's right, get things done by getting into power, or is it getting into power to get things done?
Get things they want done, not what Canadians want done. They can't see that not everyone wants to be taxed to death so that anybody with a problem runs to government for it to be solved.
ReplyDeleteI somehow got the feeling that Mr. Topp's comments were partly true: the coup wasn't so much about getting the NDP into power, as it was about booting Harper and the Tories out of it. The NDP would rather have a vague, weak Liberal government than a strong Tory one.
ReplyDeleteGetting into power to get things done -- as opposed to getting into power for its own sake. As I said in the book, there are people who want to be something (like having titles), and there are people who want to do things (using a title to achieve some goals). I think Mr. Layton is the latter sort of statesman. All the best, Brian Topp
ReplyDeleteYeah, they would have got things done. Like a cap and trade system for CO2 that shipped billions off to the crooks at the U.N., or a national daycare program that would drive us farther into debt, or a beefed up EI program that would have made it better to stay unemployed than working for a living, that would slap another 2%, or more, on the GST to pay for all this, and, worst of all, would have given Elizabeth May a seat in the senate.
ReplyDeleteinstead of Mr. Topp suffering from PTSD, it would have been the entire nation.
Well Brian, good luck on your book sales. I will say though that I would have likely suffered some kind of traumatic episode had your coup been successful, so at the end of the day it all comes out in the wash.
ReplyDeleteYes, thanks for the book Mr Topp,
ReplyDeletethat should wipe out any doubt that a LibDipper 'coalition of losers' is ALWAYS a possibility, and was years in the making.
Bunch of airheads...Prime Minister Dion and Finance Minister Layton,
what were they thinking.
Thing is, Iffy ONLY needs the Dippers if he doesn't win.
To Brian Topp: what role did Thomas Mulcair play in the attempted coup?
ReplyDeleteJack Layton wanted a power position so badly that he was willing to sell out the wishes of Canadian voters.
Dion was still leader and would have been PM if they had succeeded. Does anyone really think that if he had that title he would have resigned as leader a few months later. Think again.
ReplyDeleteMr. Topp has confirmed in his book that the coalition had little to do with the fiscal update and the elimination of the subsidy. Rather it became their excuse because they had been plotting their coup before the election was called. Harper may have heard about it and that is why he decided to go against the spirit of his fixed election date law and caught the opposition parties off guard.
ReplyDeleteThe coalition is going to be a major part of the next election with the Tories reminding Canadians ad nauseum that Canada needs a Tory majority government. Anything less will see an attempt by the opposition to defeat a minority Conservative government asap or at least keep the country politically unstable.
Mary T....I agree with you but then why does Iffy keep saying he could have been PM but turned it down? They would have had to blow Dion out of the PM's chair if the coalition had worked and he was PM.
ReplyDeleteBrian - Appreciate your comments on this thread, BUT - my question now is, what do you think Stephen Harper's goal is, being something or doing something? Just your personal opinion will do, however, it's quite clear to me that he needed his position in order to effect any type of change in our political system.
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt he's just in it for the title and pension. Ignatieff would be in the category or 'being something,' but Harper needs to be something in order to do something.
Harper and Layton both have noble goals, just from the opposite sides of the political spectrum.