Like Two Peas In A Pod

Is Dwight Duncan the role model for Eddie Francis? Preposterous you say. Well think about it.

Back about two years ago, Gord Henderson wrote about him "Windsor-St. Clair Liberal MPP Dwight Duncan is the new poster child for conquering the kind of shame and humiliation that would make most of us want to crawl under the nearest rock and die. Fresh from his landslide election victory and awaiting his appointment to the Dalton McGuinty cabinet, Duncan is on the verge of completing a triumphant comeback from one of the most pathetic political meltdowns this province has witnessed. Remember Dec. 1, 1996? That's the night Duncan's Liberal leadership ambitions crashed and burned in Maple Leaf Gardens, leaving him a puddle of despair captured for posterity by candid documentary TV cameras and mics."

After being in probably the toughest job in the Cabinet, Minister of Energy, Dwight Duncan becomes Minister of Finance, a position he wanted but which the Premier would not give him until Sorbara resigned. And as a good friend of his told me, expect Dwight to build on this when Paul Martin retires or is forced out. Forget the talk about him moving to a high-paying private sector job right now. After all, he did not learn to speak French to watch French TV on Radio-Canada!

Dwight clearly overtook the strong lead that his Cabinet colleague had to become the power in Windsor. No matter how much fun I make of his $500M announcement, it is a fact that he made it and NOT Sandra. As someone told me, "Do you think Dwight would make such a comment without it being cleared by the Premier first?" Obviously, Sandra was not in the loop. Even Eddie is no match for him now as the Border Czar/Salmons appointments proved.

What has all of this got to do with Eddie? Everything.

Can Eddie be in worse shape, as Dwight was? If you have been reading this Blog, you will understand what I mean...nothing is going right for him. But yet he seems to land on his feet like a cat.

Dwight's appointment means that it is highly unlikely that Dwight would run federally now, opening up that alternative for Eddie. Perhaps Dwight will be shamed into giving Eddie some more money for his border extravaganza too.

Sandra running federally means that Bill M. might take a shot at her seat provincially and leave the Mayor's job for Eddie since who could run successfully against him. (Sorry Ernie!)

Sandra and Susan Whelan both winning might mean that Eddie would not become the "Herb Gray" of Windsor. The three of them would have to compete for that title.

The gossip around town however is that Eddie has turned off some of his biggest supporters and friends. That could mean that running for Mayor might be a problem for Eddie against a strong candidate since it requires money and organization to run city-wide. It is clear too that Eddie has burned some bridges with the Federal Liberals (sorry, I could not resist). Anyway, if he ever wanted to be Prime Minister, he would have too much competition.

So what is poor Eddie to do? Simple...run as a Conservative federally. He could name his own ticket if he won for them down here. Remember the Tories tried hard to get him to run for them provincially. They would supply him with the money and organization that he would otherwise lack.

If the Tories won, unlikely as that is, then Eddie gets a Senior position in the Cabinet. If the Tories lose, then Harper is out, and Peter Mackay is damaged goods after Belinda and his on-again, off-again running for Nova Scotia Premier.

Who would have a real shot at the Conservative Leadership now....Eddie Francis.

If the Star was behind him and if Gord Henderson begged him to run to save Windsor on the border, with his courting of the NDP and Labour via Dave Cooke, Ken Lewenza Senior and Junior and Brian Masse (sorry Joe), with a weak Liberal candidate, how could he lose?

One final thought. Do they both have a fatal weakness that ultimately will prove to be their downfall? With Dwight is it money issues--his golf tournament and European trip as examples? With Eddie---is it his obsessivenes on secrecy?