Shelia Copps wrote recently that John Tory’s promise to fund religious schools is proof that policy can engage Canadians and so there is still hope for Dion yet. http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Copps _Sheila/2007/10/03/454577 4.php" title="http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Copps _Sheila/2007/10/03/454577 4.php" target="_blank"http://www.torontosun.com/New...

“So what happened? Contrary to the usual post-modern, leader-driven campaign, an idea took centre stage.

An idea that could cost Tory his own seat.

In an ironic twist, he is facing down the education minister in a quasi-referendum on public education versus faith-based funding.

Was Tory on the wrong side of this one!

The last thing the public wants is a fragmentation of a functioning education system into multiple religious schools.

Tory's own base is eroding so fast that he was forced into a Hail Mary pass this week to save a campaign run aground.

What does all this have to do with Dion?

Well, when superficialities are scraped away, it proves the public can be engaged in more than the colour of the candidate's eyes.

When a powerful idea dominates the debate, Canadians demand more than simple leadership politics.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper thinks he can win a majority government because Dion is dead man walking.”

I responded to Copps thus;

I agree with you and I think if the Liberals would promise to legalize marijuana, they would have their issue. Harper has been trying to create distance between himself and his social conservative base and the Bush administration ever since he become Prime Minster. If the Liberals promised to legalize marijuana, not only would Harper find himself in lock step with Campaign for Life and Real Women, but Dick Cheney, George Bush, John Walters, Fox news, the Washington Times, James Dobson, Pat Robinson and the faculty at Bob Jones University will line up behind him. The Liberals could play the nationalist card and social conservative card all at once. The thought of being able to strike a fatal blow the US ’s war on drugs will make Canadians giddy with excitement. If that was not enough, on the flip side of things, a legion of rock stars, intellectuals, movie stars, and high brow magazines, such as the New Yorker and Harper’s will line up behind the Liberals. Imagine a hundred and fifty thousand people or more at a pro legalization concert in Vancouver in the midst of an election campaign. Seattle ’s Hempfest regularly draws over a 100,000 and in terms of significance such a concert would, how should I put this, smoke it. It would not be possible to organize anything now, but should the Liberals announce such a policy now and stave off an election for say another 6 months it is possible. Dion would certainly not lack for name recognition anymore. Overnight he would become a household name, not just in Canada but abroad as well. Continuing on, such a promise would tear the Right apart. Libertarians and social conservatives would be at each other’s throats and the National, Post and great swaths of the Sun Media chain will side with the Liberals on this one! Last but not least the Conservatives would left defending a bunch of talking points that are so discredited they are considered a form of “madness”, “reefer madness”.