Rejected

There's been plenty of talk about the Libs' state of disarray. But while there's been little doubt about some turmoil in terms of staffing and management, another more important factor seems to have revealed itself within the story:

While Proulx said he's a team player and has no problem with being replaced, sources said he quit after learning that Dion had offered the lieutenant's post to Montreal MP Denis Coderre.

However, Coderre declined. Dion then tried to persuade Pablo Rodriguez, another Montreal MP, to take the post. Late Tuesday, he finally announced that Senator Celine Hervieux-Payette will take the job.

In other words, the Libs have now reached the point where even sitting MPs aren't interested in taking up positions of prestige within the party if it means having to share in the responsibility for what's to come. And if those most closely tied to the Libs' current brand are themselves completely uninterested in trying to help right Dion's sinking ship, there's little reason to think that swing voters on either side will stay on board.

(Edit: see comments.)

The Mulcair Effect

While it's no secret that Thomas Mulcair's arrival as the NDP's Quebec spokesman has given the NDP a significantly stronger media presence in the province, I don't think anybody expected him to be publicly talked up by a high-profile Lib as a direct challenger to the Cons. But based on Pablo Rodriguez' comments in the Hill Times challenging Michael Fortier to face the will of Quebec voters, Mulcair appears to have become just that:

Public Works and Government Services Minister and Quebec Senator Michael Fortier is "like a ghost floating around Parliament," say his political foes on the Hill.

Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez (Honoré-Mercier, Que.) declared last week of Sen. Fortier of the previous spring House session: "You know he's somewhere around, but you never see him."

Over 102 sitting days of the Senate, where Sen. Fortier represents Rougemont, Que., he has voted only five times all in one day.

Sen. Fortier was unavailable for an interview last week. But his press secretary, Frédéric Baril, said the Public Works minister is hoping his days in the Senate are numbered as he focuses on winning the Quebec riding of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, as highlighted in the website, www.michaelfortier.com.

However, Mr. Rodriguez points out that the federal government could call a byelection for the Montreal riding of Outremont, left vacant by the resignation of former Cabinet minister Jean Lapierre. Sen. Fortier, who also serves as the minister responsible for the Montreal region, could easily throw his hat in that race, said Mr. Rodriguez, who added that the NDP has a candidate–former Quebec Liberal environment minister Thomas Mulcair–ready to run whenever an election is called.

Of course, it's entirely likely that Rodriguez will ultimately throw his support behind whichever Lib candidate ends up running in Outremont.

But it's still noteworthy that even the Libs are showing some willingness to shine the spotlight on the NDP's star candidate where the result is to highlight Con unaccountability. And that decision could bode well both for the ability of the NDP and the Libs to cooperate to a greater extent, and for the NDP's chances of a major breakthrough in Quebec.

Backing off

Blogging Horse notes that rather than trying to push the Cons toward action on the climate change bill or any other progressive priority, the Libs used their opposition day last week to try to reopen two corporate tax loopholes. But that may be the least of the signs of the Libs' lack of commitment to act on climate change, as Pablo Rodriguez seems to be pushing to put the focus back on a private member's bill which carries strictly symbolic value rather than containing any plan to reduce emissions.

We'll see if this means the Libs will start actively placing roadblocks in front of any effort to pass the agreed amendments to C-30, rather than simply failing to do anything themselves to move the plan forward. But if the Libs plan to shift back to a position that the Cons should make the key decisions as to how to pursue Kyoto, then the odds of getting anything done in the current Parliament look grim at best.