Leadership is about trust
Stéphane Dion is no ordinary leader.
He’s a man of sincerity, honour and personal integrity. He believes leadership is about trust – and teamwork.
Stéphane Dion has defied his critics to fight for what he believes in. Strongly committed to Canadian unity, he entered federal politics in 1996, becoming a highly respected Liberal cabinet minister. First as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, and later as Environment Minister, he impressed colleagues and Canadians with his intellect.
For years, he has been a passionate advocate for the environment, who understands the links between a greener society, a healthy economy and social justice.
The Stephen Harper Conservatives ran in the 2006 election on a platform of honesty and transparency.
But then they were elected, and the honesty and transparency disappeared.
They broke promises by:- taxing income trusts;
- failing to implement the Atlantic Accords for Newfoundland and Nova Scotia;
- ignoring their own fixed-date election law.
They bent and broke rules:- on election spending;
- by using a 200-page book on how to disrupt the work of committees;
- by ignoring, firing, smearing or forcing the resignation of public officials such as the Ethics Commissioner, Chief Electoral Officer, Environment Commissioner, and Nuclear Safety Commission President, among others.
They talked about accountability, but their actions were the exact opposite – increasing secrecy and central control to new levels. When it comes to ethics, the record on the Harper Conservatives has been pure hypocrisy.
In this election, Canadians can choose between leaders with sharply contrasting views on ethics and leadership.
For Stéphane Dion, it’s all about trust and teamwork.
Stéphane Dion is no ordinary leader. But he’s the right leader at the right time.
