By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, February 16, 2013
Marc Garneau challenges Justin Trudeau to take a stand. Any stand.
In The Bourne Identity, the first of the films on the Robert Ludlum novels, Matt Damon as Jason Bourne is hauled from the sea and dumped onto the deck by a group of fishermen who assume he’s dead. Then his arm moves and they leap back: It’s alive!
Something similar has happened to the Liberal leadership race. Two debates into the contest, and with just two months to go before the choice is made, Mark Garneau has openly criticized Justin Trudeau, the perceived frontrunner.
“Federal Liberal Leadership frontrunner Justin Trudeau has a responsibility to tell Canadians where he stands and where he intends to lead now, not after the leadership race is over,” Garneau says in a press release headed “Garneau calls on Trudeau to take a stand.”
As Liberals, we cannot wait until after the leadership race is over to find out what we signed up for,” Garneau said in a prepared statement. “That is like asking Canadians to buy a new car without first test-driving it.”
It takes a shot at Trudeau’s fundraising talents, thanking him “for his contribution to the party’s coffers”, but suggests that leadership is about more than raising money.
“Garneau said he has made his leadership vision clear and has outlined his plan on the knowledge economy, trade, telecommunications, Western Canada, electoral reform, and student debt and youth employment. He added he will continue to do so for the duration of the campaign.
“This is not the case with Justin. He has told Canadians that we need a “bold” plan and a “clear vision” without defining either. On Justin’s two clear priorities, the middle class and youth engagement, he has said nothing,” said Garneau. “Therein lies the fundamental difference between Justin Trudeau and myself.” (Source: National Post)