Liberal Party Convention choice of Howard Dean a further sell-out to U.S. interests

Compiled by John Stokes

	Howard Dean.

Liberal brass think hearing from the Democrats' top organizer in that party's Nov. 7 electoral triumph south of the border is a brilliantly timed coup. But some are greeting the scheduled appearance of the failed U.S. presidential hopeful, famous for his on-air scream, with resentment.

"I had heard a rumour of it a couple of weeks ago, and I thought, `Oh surely, it can't be true - nobody would make that decision,'" says Toronto MP and leadership candidate Ken Dryden.

"I'm really surprised. I can't imagine the sense of it."

Dryden said it's a mistake to have someone from another country delivering a speech meant to set the tone for a convention wrapping up a nine-month effort to put the party back in touch with Canadians.

"Whatever interesting things Mr. Dean might say, and I'm sure he has lots of interesting things to say, it's just not the place. This is an event that has to do with us."

They are not amused that their party, which has often accused Prime Minister Stephen Harper of marching in lockstep with the United States, is looking to an American to establish the tone of the national convention in Montreal.

"This is an insulting choice," said Ray Heard, a well-known Toronto Liberal. "Howard Dean is a loudmouth and the ultimate loser."

Heard said he resents the fact the party could not find a Canadian of national stature to open the convention, which runs from Nov. 28 to Dec. 3

"Why couldn't a Canadian do it? If Stephen Harper invited an American conservative to open a Conservative convention in Canada, the Liberals would be going crazy with outrage."

It appears that Liberal Party elites now view that once Great Canadian "Party of National Unity" (which had once championed national independence from the United States), to be little more than a "northern extension" of the U.S. Democratic Party, along with the U.S. in general.

Support by Liberal Party elites for Howard Dean as its Convention Keynote Speaker, is also consistent with support among these elites for the covert agenda by Mr. Harper's minority government for the U.S. take-over of Canada via a so-called "North American Union".

Become an honourary associate member of The Canadian to get more details in articles for our subscribers. Please note that associate members are eligible to receive our print editions for free, which includes articles not available in the 'online' edition, that is accessible to non-members.