He Did It His Way

In November, the Liberal Party's Leadership Convention will choose a successor to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. There are three candidates in the running: former Finance Minister Paul Martin, Deputy Prime Minister John Manley, and Heritage Minister Sheila Copps. If you are an incredible geek, and if you're reading this the odds are good that you are, then the first question to come to your mind is liable to be 'Who has the best website?' Paul Martin sweeps this one, with his very own blog (which he never updates); Sheila Copps gets multimedia kudos for a large animated maple leaf. John Manley redeems an otherwise uninspiring site by looking much like Bill Clinton, and having the almost pornographic name 'John Manley'. Which is not quite as good as 'Lance Manley'. I once lived upstairs from someone whose father was called Lance Longman...But he is not a candidate.

But what of those who are? Whither now for Canada?

I. DRUGS

Prime Minister Chrétien has very civilisedly decided to decriminalise marijuana possession.

"We will soon introduce legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana," he told a Liberal party fundraiser. Amid applause, he quipped, "Don't start to smoke it right away! We're not legalizing it."

His successors all support the smoking of a bowl. Manley comments on marijuana:

"No, never," Manley deadpanned when asked if he'd ever smoked pot. "I regret that, now, because apparently it's 'de rigueur.' "

Sheila Copps tops him boisterously:

The 50-year-old, who attended the University of Western Ontario and university in Rouen, France, freely acknowleged she smoked marijuana in her salad days.

"As a young person? Of course," said Copps, before laughing self consciously.

And Paul Martin, while supporting the measure also, is sadly lacking in amusing quips.

After our first issue, it's a dead heat, one point all, though Manley and Copps win kudos for cool.

II. GAY MARRIAGE

The British Columbia Appeal Court has just ruled that refusing to allow same-sex couples to marry is unconstitutional.

In its decision the court gave the federal government until July 12, 2004 to change the law preventing gays and lesbians from marrying.

Justice Minister Martin Cauchon hasn't decided whether to appeal the B.C. judgment, he said Thursday outside the Commons.

Would the Liberal candidates support or appeal the ruling? Paul Martin wavers.

"It's an issue I'm wrestling with, as I think are a great number of Canadians," he said in an interview yesterday.

He would not appeal any court decision, however, that would require Ottawa to include same-sex relationships under the definition of marriage, he said.

...

Mr. Martin is clearly uncomfortable discussing same-sex marriages and several times over the weekend avoided saying where he stands on the issue.

The article also mentions that Martin is personally opposed to abortion, but supports a woman's right to choose; Martin, in short, seems to be shaping up as a personally somewhat conservative man who would put his convictions aside to groove with the liberal Zeitgeist. His opponents, however, are unashamedly, flamingly pro-gay. His firm Christian beliefs do not impede Mr Manley from making the very civilised proclamation that

"I think the issue here is if people make a life commitment then it is a matter for them to decide and the state should treat that kind of commitment the same regardless of who it is, or whether they are same sex or different sex or whatever. We have moved on to that stage."

And the very inclusive Ms Copps has a page on her site 'For Gays and Lesbians', very boldly labelled too, on which she states:

For many years now, I have called for recognition of gay marriages. To me it is an issue of fundamental human rights. It is also clearly an issue of inclusion and empowerment for young lesbians and gays who are struggling to be accepted and, in many cases, to build their own sense of self-worth.

Which brings the score then to two of two for Copps and Manley, and one for Martin. Though it seems a pity to penalise him for taking a position that would be considered quite liberal in the United States, where nominees to the Federal judiciary compare homosexuality to necrophilia.

On which note, join us next time, as we go deep inside Paul Martin, gently probe at John Manley, and explore every crevice of Sheila Copps. Who will win? Who will lose? And will they ever play the harmonium again?

Posted by aloysius at May 02, 2003 12:41 AM |