Joyce Murray trying to derail Trudeaumania.

The issue of cooperation defines every government as it signifies their willingness to pursue the public interest as opposed to their own. Compare the current Federal paradigm, in which cooperation is considered a four-letter word, to the recently elected Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, appealing to NDP leader Andrea Horwath for support. A government's stance on cooperation can end up defining their term in power. As we approach the Federal Liberal leadership election in mid-April, the idea of cooperation is turning into a wedge issue that sets candidate Joyce Murray apart from her opposition.

As the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra, Murray has a distinguished track record academically, environmentally and politically. She co-founded Brinkman and Associates Reforestation Ltd. with her husband and has a track record of environmental advocacy and protection. This amalgamation of interests has created a candidate that can be attractive to a wide variety of voters who may be divided between the other candidates. While Murray has advocated for cooperation among those she calls “progressives,” it's a sentiment that is generating equal appreciation for its unifying nature and criticism from those who see it as a compromise in values. At the Halifax debate on March 3, Justin Trudeau himself rhetorically asked Murray if she were abandoning the Liberal party.

In this particular election, voters must decide to either support a candidate whom they identify with, or one whom they can count on to beat incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the upcoming 2015 Federal election. In an ideal world, the two would be one and the same, but in this case they most certainly are not. Trudeau's rival candidates have, with some merit, accused him of not having strong policy standpoints, however it's a technique that, as they well know, could end up working in his favour. If Trudeau fails to identify significant wedge issues, he simultaneously robs the opposition of points to attack him on.

The field of candidates with even a chance to challenge Trudeau for the top job in the Federal Liberal Party is down to two after the debate in Halifax on March 3. Marc Garneau and Joyce Murray were the only two candidates to stay on message and present themselves as a viable alternative to the young politician during the Sunday debate. While in previous debates candidate Martha Hall-Findlay engaged Trudeau as well, her subsequent apology after the previous debate on February 16 has damaged her credibility more than her initial accusation that Trudeau's upbringing made him an elitist. While Trudeau's hold over the Liberal constituency remains ironclad, it's beginning to look like Murray's strategy of offering alternative options instead of competing ones could resonate with the broader public.

A lot will play out over the coming weeks that will determine whether Trudeau is able to win in a landslide or whether one of his opponents will constitute a serious threat. Perhaps the ultimate question for Liberal supporters is whether they want a leader who represents a fresh new face for the party or one who will try to rally the supporters of bygone days.
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