Political Tantrums

Here he is in living colour, none other than that filmic-indestructible colossus incarnated as Governor of California. This is a man with a purposeful vision, newly brought into the atmospheric heights of dedicated environmentalism. Furthermore, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as governor of a huge state located in the country next door to Canada - but with a population that surpasses that of this country, and an incredible gross state product that in 2005 represented an economy already 50% larger than that of Canada's - is a man who carries a big stick.

Here is a Republican politician whose social agenda looks nothing like that of the Bush administration's, supportive of a woman's right to choose, of stem-cell research, of gay rights, and now fighting the good fight to combat greenhouse gas production in his vast state. Here is a Republican politician whose values place him somewhere between Stephen Harper's and Stephane Dione's. Governor Schwarzenegger's open support of women's and gay rights, and research isn't joyfully shared by Stephen Harper.

But the impact of his commitment to environmental issues, to ensuring that his state be in the vanguard of change, hauling the rest of the U.S. in its wake, makes him a powerful figure indeed in this current world-wide political atmosphere of Global Change concerns. Our doubting, recalcitrant prime minister has in a very short period of time changed his mind about previous conceptions surrounding the environment. So much so that he has actually enacted provisions for change far beyond initiatives the previous Liberal government ever considered.

Still, he's not getting much credit for these constructive changes, and is catching a whole lot of flak. Most particularly from the official opposition, and certainly most of all from the leader of the federal Liberal party. And look here, the Liberal party platform certainly shares a lot of ethical values and orientation with those being espoused by this particular Republican. So much so that the governor has signed exchange deals with two provincial Liberal governments, in Ontario and British Columbia.

So why on earth is Stephane Dion throwing a sullen tantrum? It isn't exactly a diplomatic stroke of genius for the officious leader of the official opposition to disdain an invitation from the U.S. ambassador planning a reception for the visiting Governor of California. Mr. Dion seems incapable of missing an opportunity of doing injustice to his elected post. This is a visitor to Canada whose environmental agenda far surpasses that of the ever-goading Mr. Dion, someone with whom he can make common cause, but Stephane Dion decides not to associate with one such as he.

Go on, figure that one out. Good work, leader of the federal Liberal party. Little wonder it's difficult to know exactly what you stand for and where you stand on the issues of the day.