Time for Stephen Harper to Step Aside?

There come times in our lives where we must make tough choices, do things we don’t want to do, let go of elements of our past that we can’t carry with us any longer. I think that time for Stephen Harper has come.

This should not be interpreted as a slight against Harper’s leadership skills or quality of character, as I believe he possesses these skills, but they don’t make up for what he lacks: the confidence of Canadians.

Whether or not Stephen Harper is deserving of the negative perceptions he carries is immaterial. He is simply carrying too much baggage, and that is pulling the party down.

We need to bring a fresh face to the leadership of the party. We need somebody who can be given a reasonable and fair chance to sell his or her message to the Canadian people, without having to face deeply held preconceived notions of hidden agendas and radicalism.

Believe me when I say that I don’t think its “fair” that Stephen Harper should have to step aside. He doesn’t deserve 9/10ths of the shit that is said about him. But it’s a sad reality in the arena of public relations.

A good relative example is the American automotive industry, and its reputation for being third-rate quality behind Europe and Japan. When in fact, General Motors scored 3 of the top 10 highest quality cars according to JD Power and Associates this year, while not one single European vehicle made the list; only American and Japanese companies ranked. A clear example of how facts don’t necessarily change perceptions.

Stephen Harper is like the American auto industry right now.