March 13, 2000
Stockwell Day - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- Stockwell Day is an interesting fellow.
CPAC, the cable channel that beams the House of Commons into our homes (channel 69 in Vancouver,) recently interviewed Allan Fotheringham. (Anyone whose paid an ounce of attention to this column, in recent months, will know he’s my hero in the column writing business.) Anyways, Dr. Foth was asked by the interviewer, whose name is forgettable, whether he was a cynic or not. Foth said no, saying he was a bruised idealist. The interviewer asks how he got bruised, he said that he had great hope for anyone that appeared on the political scene. When they failed to live up to his expectations, he’s feel very dissapointed.
About a year ago, CPAC delivered wall-to-wall coverage of the United Alternative’s founding convention. UA, by the way is the pre-cursor to CCRAP. Around the time of the convention, the press was a buzz over this Albertan guy named Stockwell Day, who was grabbing people’s intrigue and attention. I tuned into CPAC one idle Saturday, and Day was making his way to the podium. He was greeted with an ovation, spoke ellequently and won the crowd over with his magnetic personality. The thing that struck me most, was the guy spoke without using any notes or anything of the sort. Some have compared him to Clint Eastwood (which I don’t see) and he makes politics look easy, perhaps noble.
Currently the Treasurer in Ralph Klein’s Tory government in Alberta, Day is making a hell of a lot of noise on the federal scene. He’s captured the nation’s interest again, because of an interesting budget he just released recently, also he’s also being touted as the person to face Preston Manning for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance. He’s calm, photgenic and not easily desuaded by the press or the issues. Remind anyone of Pierre Trudeau?
As a Tory, Day brings some sort of right-wing acceptance that Manning can’t. Manning has the party Reform behind him, which scares a lot of people east of Manitoba. Day, through his ability to speak both official languages and his appeal in Ontario, could easily bring Presto’s vision to power. What should Manning do? I think Manning should step aside and let Stockwell Day take over. If the Canadian Alliance choses to endorse Manning instead of Day, then the Liberals will be in power for years and years to come. Stockwell Day provides appeal that will win seats east of Manitoba.
He may be more right-wing than Preston Manning is right-wing, but he provides the hope Canadians need to go into this new century. He’s got what it takes: a youthful image and a great ability to win people over. The only road block in his way is the fact his beliefs may get in the way of acceptance. He also has got the Presto act to follow. Some die-hard Reformers may not want to embrace change. Worse yet, Preston Manning won’t and he’ll stick around, splitting the right-wing vote further. Where are you now Joe Clark? Our nation turns it’s former-Tory eyes to you.
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