uni.ca - 1997 Federal Election and unity

1997 FEDERAL ELECTION AND UNITY

HOUSE OF COMMONS:

RESULTS:
Liberal - 154
Reform - 60
Bloc Québécois - 45
New Democratic Party - 21
Progressive Conservative -20
Independent - 1

TOP STORY
uni.ca Rates rates the leaders on unity

May 12, 1997

HALIFAX - Unity is the most important issue in the federal election. In 50 years (when there is, or is not a Canada), unity is the only issue on which the current politicians will be judged. We therefore decided to rate the leaders on this issue. In so doing, we use 3 criteria - Track Record, Leadership, and Vision.
The Track Record criterion is based upon past positions, statements, and actions of the leader on the unity issue.
The Leadership indicia asks "How strong and consistent are the leader's views?" "How committed is the leader to the issue?" "Does the leader understand the issue / the stakes involved?" "Does the leader sing the same tune in all regions?" and "Is the leader up to the enormous challenge?"
The Vision indicator considers, foremost, whether the leader has one for Canada. We also considered how inventive the leader is, how inspirational his/her approach is, and whether we'd trust them at the helm in another referendum. Party platforms only come into play if the leader follows them, believes them, or uses them.
Our nation-wide panel deliberated on the Internet over the past ten days. The D range indicates a warning to Canadians. The C range indicates major areas of concern. The B range means there is good potential. The A range indicates the leader has shown exceptional ability.
The results:

Track Record Leadership Vision

Charest
A B B

Chrétien
C C D

McDonough
N/A N/A C

Manning
D C D

Duceppe
F F F

The details of our non-partisan rating are presented below.
See also our release on Canada NewsWire Ltd.

JEAN CHAREST
RANK: #1 SCORE

Track Record: Charest was on fire during the 1995 referendum, as much as any separatist. It seems looking back that people like Charest carried the day for Canada, while others assumed doing nothing was best, or jumped in much too late. A veteran of failed constitutional rounds in the past, at least he was up at bat.

A

Leadership: First in popularity in Quebec, many view Charest as the natural opponent of Lucien Bouchard. Some exhort him to enter provincial politics, to end the lackluster leadership of Daniel Johnson. On the issue of unity, he shows consistent resolve to bring the crisis to a conclusion.

B

Vision: Charest is not afraid, as many Quebec federalists are, or pushing his vision of a united Canada - right into sovereigntist territory. He supports distinct society, has a balanced vision of the future not all based upon decentralization, and his focus on the Plan A track is genuine. His party platform is vague, but Mr Charest is not - recognition of Quebec is essential to the survival of Canada.

B

JEAN CHRÉTIEN
RANK: #2 SCORE

Track Record: Chrétien would score lower here but for his performance during the 1980 referendum. Remember, he's been at this a while. But lately, he's been asleep (by our watch about 3 ½ years). The 1995 referendum was a disaster, and responsibility for that rests squarely on his shoulders.

C

Leadership: Chrétien did try to entrench distinct society in the constitution after the 1995 referendum, but was rebuffed by Mike Harris, and some in his own Cabinet. In lieu of that, he hasn't done much. Sorry, Prime Minister, but Mining, Forestry, and Manpower training are not inspirational stuff. Nor was the $20 million flag programme. And, of course, the regional veto sans British Columbia showed just how out of touch Chrétien is.

C

Vision: Selling the Best Country in the World like a new line of encyclopedias is not visionary. And, after all, what happens if we slip to #2 in the ranking? The Prime Minister's fixation on keeping Quebecers asses in Confederation (Plan B, Supreme Court of Canada Reference), instead of their hearts and minds, shows a deficit in this category that worries us.

D

ALEXA MCDONOUGH
RANK: #3 SCORE

Track Record: Unfortunately, the devil you know in the unity game is better than the devil you don't. To date, McDonough has no track record on this issue.

N/A

Leadership: McDonough has shown a drive to learn French, get to know Quebec better, and speak confidently of her party in Quebec. Simply put, unlike many in Canada, McDonough is listening and trying to understand. However, there is not enough on the record to rate her in this category.

N/A

Vision: McDonough's political goals are tied to the economic - employment goals, social programmes, more progressive taxes. However, separatists are building a country, a dream, and it will take more than a "make the economy OK and they'll never leave" to oppose their vision. Canada will not sustain itself on economics alone. The party platform asserts "recognition" of Quebec is important, but that is not specific enough, and when asked, McDonough walks around the issue and hedges.

C

PRESTON MANNING
RANK: #4 SCORE

Track Record: Manning is the leader of the unity opposition. His career was built on opposing Meech Lake, Charlottetown, and now Distinct Society. Unfortunately, a critic never builds anything.

D

Leadership: With Manning at the helm, Canada would be doomed. His "referendum on any subject" style of leadership is a triumph of process over substance, and in the tricky game of unity, it would be a disaster. He has, to his credit, shown a consistent vigour in presenting his views across the country.

C

Vision: Reactionary hot-buttons like BC separatism do little to advance the debate about Canada's future. The Globe recently stated Manning has "no understanding of the larger view of Canada." We have nothing to add to that. His party platform is empty on unity, and his recent lip service to Plan A is shallow and vacuous.

D

GILLES DUCEPPE
RANK: #5 SCORE

Track Record:
F

Leadership: Separatist Leader

F

Vision:

F

PARTY UNITY PLATFORMS

New Democratic Party Strengthening the Canadian Community - from their federal election platform (link outdated)

Progressive Conservatives A Renewed Federation - from their federal election platform (link outdated)

Reform Party of Canada The Calgary-based party has made a "Fresh Start," including on the unity issue (link outdated)

Liberal Party of Canada The governing party have pledged to "... work with the provinces towards the constitutional recognition of the distinctiveness of Quebec society."
See "Charting a Clear Path for a Changing Country" - from their federal election platform, Securing Our Future Together

Libertarian Party Check out their unity policy (link outdated)

Communist Party of Canada Here is a list of policy statements

Natural Law of Canada Take in some of their unity ideas.

PARTY HOMEPAGES

Reform
Liberals
Progressive Conservatives
New Democratic Party
Bloc Québécois

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JEAN CHAREST	RANK: #1	SCORE
Track Record: Charest was on fire during the 1995 referendum, as much as any separatist. It seems looking back that people like Charest carried the day for Canada, while others assumed doing nothing was best, or jumped in much too late. A veteran of failed constitutional rounds in the past, at least he was up at bat.		A
Leadership: First in popularity in Quebec, many view Charest as the natural opponent of Lucien Bouchard. Some exhort him to enter provincial politics, to end the lackluster leadership of Daniel Johnson. On the issue of unity, he shows consistent resolve to bring the crisis to a conclusion.		B
Vision: Charest is not afraid, as many Quebec federalists are, or pushing his vision of a united Canada - right into sovereigntist territory. He supports distinct society, has a balanced vision of the future not all based upon decentralization, and his focus on the Plan A track is genuine. His party platform is vague, but Mr Charest is not - recognition of Quebec is essential to the survival of Canada.		B

JEAN CHRÉTIEN	RANK: #2	SCORE
Track Record: Chrétien would score lower here but for his performance during the 1980 referendum. Remember, he's been at this a while. But lately, he's been asleep (by our watch about 3 ½ years). The 1995 referendum was a disaster, and responsibility for that rests squarely on his shoulders.		C
Leadership: Chrétien did try to entrench distinct society in the constitution after the 1995 referendum, but was rebuffed by Mike Harris, and some in his own Cabinet. In lieu of that, he hasn't done much. Sorry, Prime Minister, but Mining, Forestry, and Manpower training are not inspirational stuff. Nor was the $20 million flag programme. And, of course, the regional veto sans British Columbia showed just how out of touch Chrétien is.		C
Vision: Selling the Best Country in the World like a new line of encyclopedias is not visionary. And, after all, what happens if we slip to #2 in the ranking? The Prime Minister's fixation on keeping Quebecers asses in Confederation (Plan B, Supreme Court of Canada Reference), instead of their hearts and minds, shows a deficit in this category that worries us.		D

ALEXA MCDONOUGH	RANK: #3	SCORE
Track Record: Unfortunately, the devil you know in the unity game is better than the devil you don't. To date, McDonough has no track record on this issue.		N/A
Leadership: McDonough has shown a drive to learn French, get to know Quebec better, and speak confidently of her party in Quebec. Simply put, unlike many in Canada, McDonough is listening and trying to understand. However, there is not enough on the record to rate her in this category.		N/A
Vision: McDonough's political goals are tied to the economic - employment goals, social programmes, more progressive taxes. However, separatists are building a country, a dream, and it will take more than a "make the economy OK and they'll never leave" to oppose their vision. Canada will not sustain itself on economics alone. The party platform asserts "recognition" of Quebec is important, but that is not specific enough, and when asked, McDonough walks around the issue and hedges.		C

PRESTON MANNING	RANK: #4	SCORE
Track Record: Manning is the leader of the unity opposition. His career was built on opposing Meech Lake, Charlottetown, and now Distinct Society. Unfortunately, a critic never builds anything.		D
Leadership: With Manning at the helm, Canada would be doomed. His "referendum on any subject" style of leadership is a triumph of process over substance, and in the tricky game of unity, it would be a disaster. He has, to his credit, shown a consistent vigour in presenting his views across the country.		C
Vision: Reactionary hot-buttons like BC separatism do little to advance the debate about Canada's future. The Globe recently stated Manning has "no understanding of the larger view of Canada." We have nothing to add to that. His party platform is empty on unity, and his recent lip service to Plan A is shallow and vacuous.		D

GILLES DUCEPPE	RANK: #5	SCORE
Track Record:		F
Leadership: Separatist Leader		F
Vision:		F

	New Democratic Party	Strengthening the Canadian Community - from their federal election platform (link outdated)
	Progressive Conservatives	A Renewed Federation - from their federal election platform (link outdated)
	Reform Party of Canada	The Calgary-based party has made a "Fresh Start," including on the unity issue (link outdated)
	Liberal Party of Canada	The governing party have pledged to "... work with the provinces towards the constitutional recognition of the distinctiveness of Quebec society." See "Charting a Clear Path for a Changing Country" - from their federal election platform, Securing Our Future Together
	Libertarian Party	Check out their unity policy (link outdated)
	Communist Party of Canada	Here is a list of policy statements
	Natural Law of Canada	Take in some of their unity ideas.