Dion loves Atlantic Canada

“Well of course he is.”

That’s the response I hear from people in Central Nova when I tell them that Stephan Dion is in favour of implementing the Atlantic Accord the way it was written. And it’s the right response to hear.

It has a little of two view points.

The first is that if Stephan Dion WASN’T in favour of giving Newfoundland and Nova Scotia what was promised to them, then he’d be selling himself and the Liberals down the river in Atlantic Canada. The second is a little more satirical- as if to say “well, of course he is, he has to have the opposite position of the Prime Minister.”

The point that is missed though, is that Dion doesn’t realize we ALREADY KNEW he supported the Accord. It was, afterall, his government that signed the now defunct deal with both provinces, under then-PM Paul Martin. He, as a cabinet minister, wasn’t all that hot on the idea, but ultimately bowed to the wants of a PM who wasn’t all that hot on him.

But, why does the Liberal Leader feel the need to continue this debate? He can gain very, very little from it politically. Dion already has monumental support in Atlantic Canada. And, there are only a few politicians in the region that are even close to losing their chairs in the Commons.

You have to think that Bill Casey has punched his ticket for the foreseeable future because he acted decisively on behalf of his contituents. Unlike Gerald Keddy. If the issue stays in the minds of Atlantic Canadians, it’s a good bet the South Shore MP could find himself without a job after the next election. The same fate could befall Fabian Manning in Avalon, NL. The same can’t really be said for political heavyweights like Central Nova MP Peter MacKay and Federal Fisheries minister Loyola Hearn, both of whom will probably have their seats for as long as they care to keep offering.

Back to Dion.

The Liberal Leader sure seems like he’s spending an awful lot of time in Atlantic Canada. The party is holding a caucus meeting in St. John’s over the next several days to map out strategy for the fall sitting of the house. Why St. John’s? Why not somewhere where the Grits support is softer? B.C., Saskatchewan, hell, even Quebec would be better than a province where the Liberals took 4 of 7 seats in the last election. It would make just as much sense for the Grits to hold their annual caucus in P.E.I.

Dion seems to be playing a game of follow the leader with the Prime Minister. He’ll see trouble with that if he starts to mirror Conservative policies and especially if he starts to backtrack on the Liberal position on Afghanistan. Any change in position on that issue would only help Dion get crucified during the next election– as he has become the voice for positive change in the combat role for Canadian Troops– differing in opinion from the PM, who wants to keep troops there for as long as the US needs them, and also from Gilles Duceppe, who will force the issue by threatening defeat in the Commons and will ultimately be seen both in Quebec and other parts of the country as a french Jack Layton- when the going gets tough, turn and run.