Mark Holland's love affair with the west

The Star reports The infamous Liberal MP Mark Holland is taking his anti-oil sands growth agenda to Alberta:

"There's clearly an effort by the petroleum industry to characterize anybody who questions the unlimited growth of the oil sands and the unlimited production of emissions . . . as having an agenda to shut them down or be against oil sands or have an agenda to destroy the Alberta economy, which is nonsense..."

It's becoming clearer and clearer everyday just how much in error Mark Holland really is.

First there was his stubborn insistence that he was somehow for capping oil sands growth while at the same time he wasn't for it.

Which isn't mentioning the Charles Adler interview that started his now infamous stature in the universe of Canuck politics by suggesting that there should be consequences if Oil companies refuse to co-operate with the Federal government. Further clarification led him to state that he wasn't insinuating oil companies would be nationalized, although that was clearly what Charles Adler was asking, but rather that "everybody has to be part of the solution here."

And now he claims all his problems are the result of a massive oil company conspiracy to "characterize" anyone like him as being against Alberta. Which is shear nonsense. Imperial Oil has better things to do then to worry about the ramblings of a nameless Liberal MP.

One must wonder if Mark Holland's infamous stature has more to do with his inability to make a decision as to just what he stands for, or perhaps his poor media relations experience, than what he really stands for. But that's another issue altogether.

Mark Holland would do best to follow some of my father's better advice: "It's better to keep your mouth shut and look like an idiot, than to open your mouth up and confirm it."

Why, after all the trouble he's caused his party, would Mr Holland even consider taking a wild ride down into Liberal wasteland Alberta to sell a message no one believes in out there?

I think the answer lies is some stubbornness on Mr Holland's part. Stubbornness can be quite the liability in politics. He'd be better to take the advice my father once gave.

In other words, for the good of your own political career Mr Holland, stop talking. There's a time to fight and a time to know when you're burying your own grave.