Considering the non-partisan events going on in Montreal this weekend this post seems particularly poignant. It is still unclear if this conference will be about new ideas or safe and well trodden ideas. It will be interesting to read what the media thinks.
My sense is that fear of ideas has gripped Canadian politics. Ideas are seen as communication liabilities in an election. But I continue to believe it remains the only way out of the current morass, for Liberals, Conservatives, NDP or Bloc. Sadly, there isn’t much going in that department on any of those fronts. Maybe this weekend will help change that. Or maybe it will not.
eaves.ca 
I agree. Ideas that resonate with the undecided voter as well as the Liberal are vital if the LPC is to break free of these doldrums. Yet I don't know that this conference is really about ideas. The list of speakers is dominated by management consultants, bankers, political mandarins, CEO's, academics and economists. If the party's problem is a management failure then these advisors would be ideal. If, however, it comes down to a leadership vacuum resulting from an utter lack of vision (ideas) that connect with the voting public, then I'm not so sure the lineup at Canada150 is useful.Any meaningful vision would recognize that Canada, like every other nation, will be facing enormous challenges this century, problems that could easily turn critical within a generation, two at most. Vision foresees problems and identifies challenges that need to be met. That's very forward looking. Canada150 – Canada in but 7-years – isn't especially forward looking. That's but two electoral cycles max. It's unfortunate the focus wasn't on Canada200 – Canada in 2067, because that's the reality we need to begin preparing for right now. That's the vision we need in today's Liberal leader.
If the Liberals put out any ideas they will be brutally attacked by the Conservatives. That's how the CPC plays the game and the LPC should just do it, take their lumps and stand for something already. They've been playing gotcha for 4 years now and it's pathetic.I'm wondering who the hell is in charge of their strategic planning because 'frightened and weak-willed' isn't going to make me vote for them.
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I agree. Ideas that resonate with the undecided voter as well as the Liberal are vital if the LPC is to break free of these doldrums. Yet I don't know that this conference is really about ideas. The list of speakers is dominated by management consultants, bankers, political mandarins, CEO's, academics and economists. If the party's problem is a management failure then these advisors would be ideal. If, however, it comes down to a leadership vacuum resulting from an utter lack of vision (ideas) that connect with the voting public, then I'm not so sure the lineup at Canada150 is useful.Any meaningful vision would recognize that Canada, like every other nation, will be facing enormous challenges this century, problems that could easily turn critical within a generation, two at most. Vision foresees problems and identifies challenges that need to be met. That's very forward looking. Canada150 – Canada in but 7-years – isn't especially forward looking. That's but two electoral cycles max. It's unfortunate the focus wasn't on Canada200 – Canada in 2067, because that's the reality we need to begin preparing for right now. That's the vision we need in today's Liberal leader.
If the Liberals put out any ideas they will be brutally attacked by the Conservatives. That's how the CPC plays the game and the LPC should just do it, take their lumps and stand for something already. They've been playing gotcha for 4 years now and it's pathetic.I'm wondering who the hell is in charge of their strategic planning because 'frightened and weak-willed' isn't going to make me vote for them.