Fri 28 Apr 2006
creating the conditions for success
Posted by rt under UncategorizedIs this AWESOME? [ \Y/ or N ]
[2] Comments
Hello Mr. Dryden,I just wanted to say that I was very impressed by your take on the issues, specifically in the area of “creating conditions for success“.Too often do I see the left try to use the government to create success and fail, or the right just give up and let market forces prevail no matter what outcome. Your vision of laying the groundwork for Canadians to create success via education is a refreshing take on what is usually a very stale issue. It’s almost like an infrastructure project, where you lay the solid foundation for Canadians to build our future on.Unfortunately I am a non-resident Canadian, so I cannot join the Liberal Party to help in that way, nor can I afford to donate to the campaign at this time. But I wish you the best of luck in the coming times, and hopefully in the future I can do something more. In the meantime, keep up the good work!–
Cheers,
-Ryan Thiessen-
April 28th, 2006 at 10:03pm
I like Ken Dryden, and I think he’d do well as head of the Liberals. His “Conditions for Success” look spot-on and he’s a likeable guy; he’s definitely leadership material.
But what I don’t like is his little whine about the demise of the Liberal early childhood policy. He writes, “For eighteen months the Liberal Party of Canada was dedicated to a great national endeavour that truly mattered, a national system of early learning and child care. Now it is gone.” Well, if it’s so f-cking important, why didn’t the Liberals enact it during the decade they had a majority government? Obviously, their victorious opponents were going to wipe out this bureaucracy-creating boondoggle and replace it with a breeder vote-buying handout of their own, so there’s not a lot of point in bitching about it. At least the Conservatives’ stupid policy will be simple to implement – mail out a cheque. Even they can’t screw that up.
April 28th, 2006 at 11:03pm
Joey:
Have no doubt, I fully agree with you. I think the Liberals didn’t enact the program in the 90s because it’s just plain not a good idea. If child care is to be considered a worthwhile policy goal, which it probably is, the question still remains what is the best way to deal with the problem?
I don’t like the Liberal program, which was to create another giant beaurocratic government administered agency — governments just aren’t good avenues for doing that sort of thing, they don’t allocate properly nor do they spend money efficiently. But on the other hand, I don’t like the Conservative program which simply amounts to a tax cut directed at families with kids.
I would prefer to see either no program in place at all with the funds marked to a general tax cut, or if the child care policy is to be put in as a priority then have a minimal government agency directed at accrediting child care instituions and partially reimbursing parents who use these accredited institutions.
But then again, I’m not in charge of anything so my say doesn’t count for much. Dryden is pumping that I suspect because it was his most tangible accomplishment as cabinet minister, but I think it’s misplaced being given such a high priority on the issues.
Nonetheless, I like Dryden as a candidate and feel that he’s on the short list of who I’d like to see replace Martin. The others are Brison and Ignatieff, in that order. And god help us all if Bob Rae wins the nomination…