Yep. I’m here just hoping we don’t repeat the mistakes of the Harris campaign.

Freeland is qualified, and knows very well what it takes to govern. But having served as Trudeau’s second in command, she will be representing the very thing people have been conditioned by the Conservatives to hate (Trudeau). Unconscious sexism within voters will also be a disadvantage here. Finally her campaign announcement to scrap the proposed capital gains tax increase (that she herself had introduced) is a concerning regression to the mean that Harris’ campaign did too often. A month ago I had thought Freeland would be the ideal candidate, but I have since changed course.

Carney looks to be in a suitable position to assert himself like “not your same old Liberals”. We’ll see if he does. If Quebec goes en masse for the Bloc that’s not the worst thing, if he can pick up more support in the rest of Canada. I just hope he doesn’t court endorsements from people like Premier Mike Harris.