[bizorky]

Stronach quitting politics for Magna
GREG KEENAN AND GLORIA GALLOWAY

Globe and Mail Update

TORONTO and OTTAWA — Belinda Stronach, who left Magna International Inc. to forge a career in politics, is returning to the company her father Frank Stronach founded in a Toronto garage in 1957.

Ms. Stronach will replace Fred Gingl as executive-vice chairman of Magna, returning at a time when Magna is in the midst of teaming up with Onex Corp. to consider a bid to buy Chrysler.

“My father is looking to the future, the company is facing important strategic decisions and the Canadian and global auto sector and economy is in a period of great challenge,†Ms. Stronach said in a statement issued Wednesday.

Magna is one of four entities interested in separating Chrysler from its parent DaimlerChrysler AG after DaimlerChrysler effectively put the unit up for sale earlier this year.

Ed Lumley, who is departing as Magna's lead director when a new board of directors is elected next month, said Ms. Stronach brings “an unparalleled understanding of Magna's unique corporate culture, which has been the major contributor to Magna's historical success.â€

She has extensive experience in the auto industry and has gained national and international exposure as a federal Cabinet minister.

She left the company in January, 2004, to run for the leadership of the federal Conservative Party, which she helped create by urging the leaders of the Reform and Progressive Conservative parties to unite.

At the time, she was president, chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors.

She lost the leadership race, but was elected to Parliament, then later crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party and take a cabinet seat.

Ms. Stonach said she will not stand for re-election in the next federal election.

“I am always assessing the best role I can play in public life and after being encouraged by members of the corporate leadership at Magna to return, I have decided the timing of my return to the business should not be delayed,†Ms. Stronach said in a release.

 

[adma]

I wonder how he feels...

 

[Observer Walt]

Who cares how Clinton feels?

I wonder how Dion feels.

 

[prometheus the supremo]

well, we know what belind's about now. this is not good for dion.

 

[EnviroTO]

She has quite the record. Gets into politics, helps to unite the right, runs for leader of the right, has a fling with the deputy leader of the right, becomes fearful of the right and crosses the floor to the Liberals, the Liberals get kicked out of office by the party she united, has fling with married hockey bully, and then quits politics. On one hand probably the best thing she ever did was to quit politics. On the other hand, how can someone so wishy-washy not be a politician... oh right... she's blonde.

 

[BrianHawkins1]

I'm not clear on how this hurts Dion or the Liberal party beyond specific concerns about Stronach's individual seat. My personal reaction to this was along the lines of, "huh - yet more unexpected and entertaining antics from Belinda". It's obvious that Stronach marches completely to her own tune, and that party affiliation is virtually arbitrary to her. How badly was the Conservative party really hurt when she crossed the floor, outside of the house vote that immediately followed? Not much, it seems to me. Belinda's actions have always appeared to be evidently exclusively about Belinda, and little if anything else. This is just more of the same.

I've heard it suggested a few times that Stronach was 'useful' for attracting votes from women to her party outside of her own riding, but I wonder if there's really any truth to that - seems to me that could go either way, given her specific personal behaviour. I'm not convinced she ever actually was the political rock star some painted her as being, in terms of attracting popular support. If I were Dion, I think I'd be pleased with this - he no longer has to concern himself with an unpredictable loose cannon of dubious value. I suspect she'll be entirely forgotten by the time the next election rolls around, even if it takes place in the next couple of months.

 

[bizorky]

Belinda held on long enough to prevent Martha Hall Finley from being nominated in the riding she originally ran in.

 

[yelluwskys]

I think one of the reasons maybe that her relation with Dion is not as close as with that Iffy guy. I watched the Liberal convention...during her commentary, she addressed Dion full name, whereas she addressed that Iffy guy "Mike" or "Michael" and you could tell she was hoping he'd win....which he didn't...

Dion has Kennedy and his own people, Belinda is not in his group, she's not going to get a plum position.....so no way she will stay.

Regardless, in her short period, she DID make a big impact, esp crossing the floor and helped defeating the PC....or else, not sure if we can have gay marriage today...

Don't count her out though...she will be back, I'm sure...

 

[bizorky]

By "Iffy" I assume you mean "Iggy."

He'll be back. Pretty much everyone is awaiting Dion to crash and burn.

 

[Darkstar416]

Regardless, in her short period, she DID make a big impact, esp crossing the floor and helped defeating the PC....or else, not sure if we can have gay marriage today...

Huh?

The PC's don't exist anymore.

Her floor-crossing probably only helped Harper buy enough to time to organize properly for a campaign.

Same-sex marriage? It was a done deal already. Harper tried to revist it a year later, but that's moot WRT Belinda.

 

[afransen TO]

Belinda did a lot to give voice to the moderate wing of the conservative party wrt issues like abortion and SSM. Without her influence, I imagine that the Conservative party might not have left all that baggage under the rug.

 

[yelluwskys]

Same-Sex Marriage was only legal in some provinces, not all, so it's not ALL DONE DEAL. Sure, eventually, it will...after every province goes to court...

 

[Darkstar416]

It's a done deal EVERYWHERE in Canada.

 

[prometheus the supremo]

when it comes to human rights issues, if it doesn't apply throughout, what's the point of federalism?

i hate the arguement "these laws are un-democratic" because it wasn't up to a vote.

heck, if everyone decided to jump off a bridge......

well, shit! i guess i'd have to right? it's democracy! :lol

 

[billonlogan]

Exit the opportunist. She believed she can run a G8 country and everybody played along. She was clearly out of her league, even if most journalists and politicians weren’t impolite enough to say so.
But for many Canadians, like myself, hearing of her defection, she danced on the speakers at an Ottawa night club with a string of senior Liberals. Her vulgar display confirmed for many that her principles were hollow, her political mission wholly self-serving. Magna shareholders can only hope her contribution to the corporate world will be greater.
Good riddance.