The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
More about leadership How about a leadership quiz? (courtesy of American friend Hubert). It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates: Candidate A: Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists . He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8-10 martinis a day. Candidate B: He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening. Candidate C: He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer, and never cheated on his wife. In electing a leader, what someone has done is generally considered a good indication of what they will do in office. How would you vote on these three? Answers at the end of the article. Paul Martin started to display vestiges of leadership in early October, although still apparently four months from becoming Prime Minister. Still unelected as either leader or P.M., Martin toured the hurricane-ravaged Maritimes while Jean Chretien continued his 'leadership by hiding'. The former finance minister also scheduled an informal meeting with the Premiers at the Nov. 16 Grey cup game in Regina, and held his own caucus meeting with the Liberal MPs. Maybe there is some hope for strong leadership by Martin, or is he just 'showing well' in contrast to Chretien? He has to do well, after all an election is coming next year. Jean Chretien continues to rationalize his actions in office. In an early October interview, the Prime Minister defends his 10 year administration, claiming he was right about not supporting the U.S.A. in Iraq because he is not being criticized now by press and opposition for Canada's non-support for its former closest friend and biggest trading partner. Chretien claims that a top official from the Bush administration told him that the U.S. understands Canada's stand and doesn't consider it a "double cross". If this is so, why did the President cancel his state visit to Canada, why has the P.M. not been invited to the White House or met with the President, why do leaked reports from Washington whisper that the U.S. expects Paul Martin to be better, why did the U.S. ambassador to Canada blast Canada's position on Iraq in a most unusual speech, and why does the border remain closed to our live cattle? Persistent reports from the U.S. government and congress predict tougher regulations for Canadians entering the U.S., ominous warnings for snowbirds and those who travel frequently on business. What about leadership at the provincial level? That is the leadership of Gary Doer and his cabinet ministers. During the May election campaign every TV, radio and print ad from the NDP emphasized the great leadership of Gary Doer for all the people of Manitoba. Leadership is much less important in good times and most critical in times of crisis. The main post-election crisis, the 'mad cow affair' which directly affected 12,000 Manitoba families displayed an incredible lack of leadership by Manitoba's agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuck, who also doubles as deputy premier. Wowchuck spent most of her time complaining about the Federal government, then signed an aid agreement which she later said she knew would not help the province's cattle producers (it didn't). Later, she signed another (the A.P.F.), which she claimed would fill the bill, but the opposition pointed out that little money would flow to the cattle producers. They said what they need are cash advances, and the $43 million of provincial funds committed to the A.P.F. in September would be much less helpful than $20 million in cash advances. Gary Doer, who had promised strong leadership, was inactive during most of the B.S.E. crisis. He refused to meet with farm groups for 72 days, then announced programs of low interest loans, drought assistance, and slaughter compensation, none of which were embraced by the cattle producers. In this crisis, leadership was assumed by the Tory's Stuart Murray and Jack Penner plus the cattle producer's association which continues to this day, a most unusual situation. The lack of provincial government leadership has only been exceeded by the abandonment of leadership at the federal level. The NDP government did one other thing to help solve the crisis. In late September, large and expensive ads appeared in Winnipeg and rural papers headed 'Supporting Our Farm Families'. The ads explained the government programs to assist Manitoba's livestock producers and patted the NDP on the back for its great support. The ads concluded by saying "Manitoba producers can find more information on the provincial government's B.S.E. programs by calling this numberÉ" The ads, of course, were not meant for the producers who could have been informed by letter at insignificant cost, but for the public, to show (at taxpayer's expense) that the NDP was doing something. The PCs quickly attacked the ads as a useless expense with Murray claiming: "It is outrageous that the Premier is wasting taxpayer's dollars to run an ad campaign to pat his government on the back for its handling of the B.S.E. crisis, when that money could be used to help the 12,000 farm families in crisis". They again called for cash advances, but it looks like none is forthcoming. By the way, only 3% of the ranchers applied for the government loans which would have used their farms and cattle as collateral. More about leadership or lack of it to followÉ How did you vote for world leader? Candidate 'A' is Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Candidate 'B' is Winston Churchill. Candidate 'C' is Adolph Hitler. Sometimes what a person has done is not an indication of what they will do in positions of power.
