Quotes by Bob Rae

“I didnt think we were going to win.[after winning the Ontario Provincial election 1980]”

“This was a mass murder. This was a bombing attack that was carried out on Canadian civilians. And the consequences of that have to be understood by the people of Canada,”

“This was a mass murder. This was a bombing attack carried out on Canadian civilians and the consequences of that have to be understood by the people of Canada.”

“It isnt realistic in this province to think that tuition is going to be frozen indefinitely. It doesnt make sense.”

“Love is stronger than hate.”

“But I can say one thing -- I will not say a negative word about anyone on this platform.”

“When other countries seem to be able to move forward in that area, I think Canadians expect to see their governments to be able to do the same thing.”

“For me, this is a great opportunity to serve and ultimately it will be a decision of the delegates of the Liberal Party as to who they want to be their leader.”

“What happens to Canada and what happens to Canadians matters. I believe that Canada needs a party that embraces change.”

“I think he adds a lot of perspective to any discussions about the future of the country.”

The best leaders are well-rounded, able to draw on whatever skills suits the particular situation at hand. They are determined, insightful, shrewd, and, most important, able to command the attention of the people around them.

Leadership is not a voice crying in the wilderness, aloof and apart. It requires an ability to command as well as to inspire, to learn in the process of collaboration and to build a team with a common purpose that can take action and execute the change they envision.

This points to a central tension in our very idea and practice of democracy – it is not a simple appeal to the rule of the majority. It is also about respecting that the power of the people is limited by what’s fair to minorities, what’s reasonable, and by what’s legal and constitutional.

Forgiving is all forgetting is another thing.