Krieber's new party?

Over at The Globe and Mail website today, Norman Spector is asking why we in the English media haven't paid more attention to the part of Janine Krieber's (now deleted) Facebook post, in which she muses about joining another party.

“I am starting a serious reflection. I will not give my voice to a party that will end up in the trashcan of history. I am looking around me, and certain things are attractive. Like a dedicated party that doesn't challenge its leader at every hiccup in the polls. A party where the rule would be the principle of pleasure, and not assassination. A party where work ethic and competence would be respected and where smiles would be real. Maybe I'm not dreaming.”

Spector seems to automatically believe that Krieber would go to the NDP. My colleague Chantal Hebert, at her blog, says it could be the Greens or NDP.

Well, contrary to his Spector's speculation, I  did actually read to the end of the translated post, and wondered more whether Krieber was thinking about the Green Party. (I stress this is my speculation alone -- I haven't talked to Mme. Krieber or anyone close to her since this news broke on Saturday.)

But here's the argument in favour of the Greens. Let's not forget that Dion had a pact of sorts with Elizabeth May in the 2008 election and the two have been on good terms for a long, long time -- before either of them led a political party.  If I recall correctly, Janine Krieber shared her husband's good relations with Elizabeth May.  It wouldn't surprise me in the least if   Krieber, looking for a new party, was  leaning toward the Greens. But I doubt she'd take many Liberals with her in any defection.

*** Update ** For people who enjoy conspiracy theories and/or coincidences, here's a notice of a press conference we just received.  Apparently Elizabeth May has a new deputy leader in Quebec; identity to be revealed tomorrow. Do I believe it is Mme. Krieber? No. But is it fun to speculate that it could be? Yes.

Announcing Green Party of Canada’s New Deputy Leader

 

The Green Party of Canada will be announcing their New Deputy Leader in Quebec. Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and Deputy Leader, Adriane Carr will join the new Deputy Leader at the press conference.

 

Date : Tuesday, Novembre 24th 2009

Time : 9:30 am

Location :  Hotel Fairmont – Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Room Hochelaga 5, 900 Rene-Levesque West Blvd., Montreal, Quebec

 

The new Deputy Leader and Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada will be available for individual interviews following the press conference.

 

Comments

[Patrick]

re why the English media haven't played up Madame Krieber's comments... isn't because she didn't play much of a role in the Liberal Party prior to the last election? Laureen Tesky was active in the Reform Party, Maureen McTeer was a PC Candidate, Aline Chretien famously never gave interviews (or did her own PR ahem) and was perhaps best known for fighting off an intruder in 24 Sussex... any of those three, for example, giving an interview on the state of their respective parties may have more weight than Madame Krieber's?

I am not saying she is entirely wrong. The Liberal Party is not at its best yet. But on the coalition, and what brought her husband down as leader, she shouldn't have very far to look as the the cause.

[Jim Whitehammer]

The Green Party??? you've got to be kidding.

I think you're more likely to see her join the Christian Heritage Party.

The parsing of her comments makes it pretty clear that she is talking about the NDP. This is what La Presse picked up on.

[maudie]

How about CAP (Canadian Action Party)? Can't imagine a one-issue party, which the Greens still are, getting the nod from an expert in political science and terrorism. The NDP seems the likeliest bet of all three. Especially when one's in a hurry to stop Harper and Co. running /ruining the country.

[wascally wabbit]

I'm thinking the Greens for two fundamental reasons.
1) The integrity of Elizabeth May - even when her party - no longer fledgling - only commands 1 million or so votes.
2) More than most of the others these days - it respects the input of its grassroots!

[John W.]

Ridicule thy name is Dion family.
Maybe Dion will go to the Greens! They would have instant credibility and a lot of Libs and maybe even NDP supporters would follow. No?
Go Stephane!

[Gabby in QC]

My guess is that Mme Krieber will not be the new Deputy Leader in Quebec. That post will probably go to Steven Guilbeault http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Guilbeault

[George]

It's a truly tempting conspiracy theory but the time line wouldn't seem to fit: Krieber, who writes Saturday that she is "starting a serious reflection" regarding her allegiance to the Liberal party, is announced as the new deputy leader of the Greens four days later?

[Thane]

The bigger question though - if Ms Kreiber (I don't understand why people here seem to think that it makes sense to write in English except for one word - does the French press refer to Mister Harper, or Monsieur Harper?) does go, does she take her husband with her?

[MCBellecourt]

Mme. Krieber may be well-educated and well-versed in the workings of Canadian politics, but she is also a human being who, I would assume, is loyal to her husband, and she may be somewhat embittered by the humiliation and defeat of M. Dion. Instead of writing this Facebook entry, which causes me to question her judgement given Facebook's sometimes questionable usage protocols, an interview on Evan Solomon's show or something like that may have been more appropriate.

I'm just an ordinary Joe, but even I won't get involved with Facebook or MySpace because of the fact that social networking like Facebook are often used for things like cyber-bullying. On the other hand, forums like this are most often monitored and the quality of discussion, for the most part, remain on a higher level.

Give me the reasoned interview with a journalist rather than the hit-and-run nature of a Facebook entry any day of the week.

[MyThought]

I have to wonder why anyone cares?

The other leaders' wives (other than Jack Layton's) have stayed in the background supporting their hubbies. I think Ms Kreiber hurt her husband more than helped him.

Again, why is this even a conversation?