dion the pun is in the meal , roasted

Dion dodges leadership questions at local luncheon
The Gazette Thursday, April 12, 2007

Liberal Party leader Stéphane Dion was warmly received by a luncheon crowd in his St. Laurent-Cartierville riding today, but was dogged by media questions on grumblings about his leadership.

Dion got standing ovations from 400 at the roast-chicken lunch sponsored by the St. Laurent Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

But Dion’s call for “a richer, fairer and greener Canada” under his leadership was overshadowed by a news report in Journal de Montréal about “grumblings around Dion” and his lack of momentum in recent opinion surveys.

The story quoted unnamed sources as saying Liberals were eager for an early election defeat so Dion could be replaced.

According to Dion, an MP for 11 years, his lack of popularity is merely a matter of “name recognition – Mr. Harper and Mr. Layton have been there for a long time.”

Dion insisted his vision of Canada based on Liberal ideals of economic growth, social justice and environmental sustainability, will triumph over the “very narrow, right-wing, republican approach of Mr. Harper.”

“The next election will be a key one, will be at the crossroads,” Dion added, conceding there is “a bit of nervosity, anxiety.”