Peter and I have both noted Al Gore’s characteristically intemperate comments about the Canadian election. So has the WSJ’s James Taranto, as you’ll see if you scroll to the last item. And if you look at his acknowledgements below that, you’ll find JvH’s name. This puts JvH in the quite rarefied company of David Foster, whose post on Mark Twain and the Middle East attracted similar attention from the master of the snark.
All hail von Heyking and Foster!
Update: In the comments, weve moved from congratulating JvH and DF to debating the role of intellectuals in Canadian politics. Inquiring minds want to know: is Michael Ignatieff a potential philosopher-king?
Well, Im back after having fought tooth and nail, but unsuccessfully, to save my Party and my candidate in the Canadian elections. In Toronto-Danforth we (the Liberals) lost to the social democrats, the NDP by about 5000 votes, maybe a bit more. There was much anger about the Liberals, partly due to a scandal involving a small but high up group of party people in Quebec. Also, the Liberal campaign at the national level, lacked focus and didnt get a clear enough message ought despite many really excellent and imaginative policy proposals on a whole range of issues. One reaction of the angry was to vote Conservative; another was to vote for the NDP. As my candidate, Deborah Coyne, said in her concession speech, "we have a different government, but not a different country." The anger at the Liberals has now been released, and with a new leader and a cleaned up party, we will be set to retake the country next time.
Canada has little history of stable coalition government. Apart from the seperatist Bloc Quebecois (where but in Canada a federal political party dedicated to seperation?) there is no obvious coalition partner for the Conservatives. They will not be able to do much, and as soon as the other parties are able to refresh their coffers, etc. the Conservative government is likely to fall, and then we will be in election mode again.
This was the first time in my life that I was involved in all the aspects of an electoral campaign, from getting much of the funding to finance it, to doing policy and strategy, to canvassing door-to-door with the candidate. It was fun, even if I had to commute back and forth from Ann Arbor. Michael Ignatieff, who was elected for the Liberals, was still teaching at the Kennedy School during the early part of the campaign, so I guess this transboundary politicking is a trend . . .
Despite all the talk in the right-wing press in Canada about the destruction of the Liberal party, the fact is that the Tories dont have people of the calibre and public profile of Ignatieff who will run for them. And the Tories were unable to keep Belinda Stronach, the former CEO of one of Canadas leading multinational companies, who defected months ago to the Liberals and won her seat in the recent election. We may see more real talent in the Liberal leadership race alone than in the entire Conservative Party of Canada!
Rob
Rob,
Just curious. What do you know about folks in Alberta, like Ted Morton and Rainer Knopff (both Toronto Ph.D.s from just a tad before your time, if Im not mistaken, and prominent Canadian political scientists). I get the impression that theyve been demonized in the press. I know that they dont have Ignatieffs cachet and Harvard connection (though I find his work more glib than profound). And they may not be the dominant figures in the upper echelons of Harpers party (JvH knows this--and them--better than I do). But as a Canadian politics brain trust, theyre pretty doggone good. Wouldnt they compare relatively favorably to their counterparts in the Liberal Party?
It goes without saying that old Mr. von Heyking, though not as prominent as Ted and Rainer, is no slouch himself. He may, however, not be a partisan Conservative. Ive never actually asked.
Joseph,
I know little about Rainer Knopff but you are correct concerning Morton--he is a very prominent Alberta politician. He sits as a provincial member of parliament, and his name has often been mentioned as a possible leadership candidate for the Tories in Alberta. My remarks about the Conservatives are really about the federal party. In fact, in a number of provinces they have some really excellent people, Morton being one of them, a real star. Have you seen his website?
Rob
John von Heyking sends this along in an email.
This is a curious post. As a Kojeve scholar, I imagine Prof. Howse has an
interesting perspective on the alleged widom to be found within the
Liberals and the Conservatives. However, he would also know that
comparing the 2 parties would take the form of determining which one has
the better managers for effecting the universal homogeneous state.
Whether or not this is a philosophically interesting activity is a
question. I guess it depends on whether you think Strauss was right or
whether Kojeve was right.
As for the individuals involved, I would refer you to remarks of Barry
Cooper (another prominent Kojeve scholar) on Ignatieff and the role of
intellectuals in politics (from the Calgary Herald in December):
Cooper, who I suppose would side with Strauss against Kojeve, regards
Ignatieffs ambition as philosophically dangerous. Hes too much like
Trudeau, not only in that regard, but also in regard to his understanding
of Canadian federalism (which would diminish the powers of the provinces
as much as possible).
As for Stronach, one needs to remember that though CEO of her dads
company, her dad always made sure to have his friends there to make the
real decisions. Cf. Machiavellis discussion of the prince who rules with
the arms of others.