There is a lot of talk these days about the work of Canadian bloggers using Youtube and fancy video editing software in countering a negative Conservative ad blitz. These efforts are laudable but hardly harkens the arrival of a netroots based progressive movement in Canada. If anything Liberalism in the U.S. is much more robust and relevant. Although many DK readers admire Canada's decision to stay out of the Iraq war that has obscured a right-ward movement of Canadian politics over the past decade. A movement championed by Jean Cretien and the Liberal Party of Canada.
A careful observer of the Canadian scene might have noticed Liberal bag man Jean Lafleur was finally arrested the other day. Lafleur is the former owner of Lafleur Communication Marketing Inc., a central figure in the federal sponsorship scandal, is facing 35 counts of fraud. No doubt Lafleur would have no trouble fitting in with the right-wing noise machine in the U.S.
DK readers should not be fooled. The Liberal Party of Canada is essentially a slightly right-of-centre DLC-type political party. I applaud the Liblogs for fighting back but they can hardly be said to be defending a netroots-type progressive movement. Dion may be slightly more progressive than most in his Party but the Liberal Party of Canada remains a staunchly conservative party in many respects. For example, at a downtown Toronto rally this week Dion called for broad based tax cuts. Given the devastation the LPOC reeked on Canada's vaunted social programs in the 1990s this can hardly be said to be a left turn. Michael Ignatieff, who came within a whisker of being the new LPOC leader last winter, is closer in orientation to Joe Lieberman than Ned Lamont.
I notice a lot of Canadians come on here to decry Harper. Fair enough, but it is not like there is a broad-based progressive movement waiting in the wings like there is in the U.S.