Has Brian Deserted Eddie Too

The way I heard it a bunch of Senior Windsor Liberals were sitting around a back room the other day.

Normally, it would be a cigar-smoke filled back room but this time there were bubble gum wrappers strewn around the premises. You see none of them were certain whether the Provincial Liberal No Smoking law applied if they were discussing Federal politics and they did not want to cause a constitutional law issue over the subject.

The shocking news that I heard was that these Senior Liberals thought that Eddie Francis is going to run federally in Windsor West for the Liberals. I could not believe what I heard. Why would Eddie run against the guy, Brian Masse, who was one of his friends and big supporters with respect to the border crossing issue?

Then I got to thinking... Eddie did move into the Windsor West riding and he did send a letter support to Sandra Pupatello whose provincial riding overlaps the federal one. Of course, Brian is also pushing for a Public Authority for the new crossing and perhaps he is hedging his bets, positioning himself for a new job in case he loses.

Then it all made sense. I am sure that you saw the Star story that mentioned Brian Masse's new position:

• "MP Brian Masse (NDP -- Windsor West) has been appointed NDP transport critic by the party's federal leader Jack Layton.
  
  In a news release issued Monday, Masse said his new responsibility comes at a "critical" time, as Windsor prepares for a new border crossing -- an issue that is in Transport Canada's jurisdiction.
  
  Masse is also the NDP critic for auto policy and U.S.-Canada border issues."

I must admit that I looked at his new job differently. I wasn't sure if it was a promotion or recognition that Brian failed in his job to get a public bridge at the Windsor Detroit crossing.

Frankly, I think Brian is a better politician than at achieving results. I think that he can see the writing on the wall and knows enough to back off while the time for backing off is good. I think that he is smart enough to realize that the Bridge Co. has won and will get its Enhancement Project. After all, isn't his big issue now making sure that people who are expropriated for the DRIC road get the proper amount of compensation.

This may have infuriated Eddie and he decided to try and teach Brian a lesson. The story is out there now that Eddie may run against Brian just like the story that Councillor Ron Jones was going to run against Sandra until he said no, presumably after the Liberals buckled. Is the same thing happening now with respect to Brian? Will Brian knuckle under as well or will he call Eddie's bluff and dare him to run against him?

If Eddie starts to make nice to The Junction owners, then you really know that Brian is in big trouble.

I can take both sides of the argument as to whether Brian was demoted or promoted. It looks like his job was expanded in general but as far as Windsor is concerned, have his responsibilities been reduced? Take a look at his history of jobs with the NDP

New shadow Cabinet job
Transport,
Canada Border Services,
Deputy Critic for Industry (Auto Policy)

June 30, 2007
Industry, Science and Technology,
Canadian Borders,
Automotive Policy

June 2006
Serves as the NDP critic for Industry, Science and Technology, Auto Policy, Canada/US Border Issues, and Canada Customs and Revenue Agency; also acts as the Urban Affairs Advocate.

You see what I mean. It looks like his Transport Canada portfolio has expanded but his "border" responsibilities have been reduced so that his Customs responsibility is CBSA only and not border issues in general. His Industry, Science and Technology responsibilities have been greatly reduced.

If I am right about a demotion, then it appears to me that truly Eddie is a irrelevant on the border. He has no friends now to help him out. We'll know for sure right after the Provincial election when the Liberals will have to make good on the deal that they made with Eddie.