2012 NDP leadership convention

[RogueBeaver]

Out of curiosity, how many Dippers are annoyed with the TO media's caricature of Mulcair as "Tony Blair with Paul Keating's personality?" I am, and I'm not even a Dipper.

[Senator MaxQue]

I'm annoyed, but the general electorate doesn't remmeber Blair or Keating, so, I'm not worried.

[DL]

Saying the general public in Canada doesn't "remember" Blair or Keating implies that they ever knew who these people were in the first place!! I guarantee you that less than 1% of canadians would ever have been able to name the PM of Australia in the early 90s. As for Blair, all that most Canadians know about him is that he joined Bush's war in Iraq...as long as Mulcair is not pushing for a Canadian invasion of Iraq, there is nothing "Blairite" about him...and given Mulcair long standing outspoken opposition to the war in Afghanistan - its hard to see what he has in common with Blair. 

[RogueBeaver]

Which is precisely my point- the Toronto media quite often openly wondered whether Mulcair  would take them in said direction when all the evidence stated otherwise. I certainly don't agree with it and am tempted to see this as a larger, longstanding trend of Toronto media misinterpreting (or worse) Quebec, its trends and politicians.

[Hatman]

If Mulcair is perceived as moderate, even if he isn't, that can only be a good thing.

[Peter the Lefty]

If Mulcair is perceived as moderate, even if he isn't, that can only be a good thing.

Yeah...just not too moderate.  And I hope he doesn't succeed in trying to drop the "socialist" wording from the NDP's constitution....and I also hope he talks about taxing the rich....PLEASE!  The NDP is social democratic, after all...ACT LIKE IT!  And if I hear him say "sustainable development" or "competent public administration" one more time, I swear my head will explode. 

[RogueBeaver]

If Mulcair is perceived as moderate, even if he isn't, that can only be a good thing.

Yeah...just not too moderate.  And I hope he doesn't succeed in trying to drop the "socialist" wording from the NDP's constitution....and I also hope he talks about taxing the rich....PLEASE!  The NDP is social democratic, after all...ACT LIKE IT!  And if I hear him say "sustainable development" or "competent public administration" one more time, I swear my head will explode. 

10 months ago, a resolution removing said wording was tabled at the Dipper policy convention. The argument became so divisive that leadership yanked it from the floor. That was with Layton as leader.

As for sustainable development...

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1157191--thomas-mulcair-tells-business-community-ndp-cares-about-developing-economy

[Senator MaxQue]

What is the problem with sustainable development?

[Hatman]

If Mulcair is perceived as moderate, even if he isn't, that can only be a good thing.

Yeah...just not too moderate.  And I hope he doesn't succeed in trying to drop the "socialist" wording from the NDP's constitution....and I also hope he talks about taxing the rich....PLEASE!  The NDP is social democratic, after all...ACT LIKE IT!  And if I hear him say "sustainable development" or "competent public administration" one more time, I swear my head will explode. 

For me, it's "Dutch disease". If he says that one more time, my head will explode.

[RogueBeaver]

What is the problem with sustainable development?

Ask Peter.

[Peter the Lefty]

What is the problem with sustainable development?

Ask Peter.

Nothing.  It's just that he's said it so many times that it's getting annoying, as is the same case with "We are a team of skilled women and men who are capable of providing competent public administration.". 

[Holmes]

While we're somewhat talking about it, 34/30/30 PC/NDP/Lib in Ontario according to Forum. 38% of Ontarians want an elections called now.

[Hatman]

And yet for their projected seat totals, they give the NDP 15. WTF?

[You kip if you want to...]

While we're somewhat talking about it, 34/30/30 PC/NDP/Lib in Ontario according to Forum. 38% of Ontarians want an elections called now.

Hudak still the leader? Does he still make Dalton look good, by comparison?

[Sibboleth]

With those numbers, wouldn't there be a certain logic in bringing down the government?

[RogueBeaver]

With those numbers, wouldn't there be a certain logic in bringing down the government?

After a PC campaign that made Rick Perry's look brilliant in comparison? I think not. As for the Dippers, they have more leverage in a minority situation, especially given that McGuinty's their sort of Liberal.

[Holmes]

Well, in theory, yes, but it all depends how effectively the NDP can use their position during the current budget. If it doesn't work out, an election might look good for Andrea. I mean, Hudak's a total tool and McGuinty is toxic.

15 seats? Sounds wrong. It's probably based on their crappy regional results. No way that the PC is ahead in Northern Ontario - it's probably closer to 45 NDP/30 PC/20 Lib. Small subsamples, margins of error, etc etc.


Léger federal poll: 33 NDP/32 CPC/19 LBP/8 Green

QC: 47 NDP/ 29 BQ/ 10 CPC/ 10 LBP
ON: 39 CPC/ 26 NDP/ 25 LBC

Ugh, even the provincial NDP is beating the federal party now.

[Senator MaxQue]

Well, Harper is more popular than Hudak with Ontarians, too.

[RogueBeaver]

Et sa commence...

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1157615--tony-blair-s-new-labour-offers-blueprint-for-thomas-mulcair

[Senator MaxQue]

They wish...

Well, it isn't surprising. Bay Street is prefering New Labour to real social democracy.

[RogueBeaver]

Were Blair Canadian he'd be a Liberal.

[adma]

Or, he would have been, pre-2011 (and certainly not provincially in places like Manitoba)

[Senator MaxQue]

Or, he would have been, pre-2011 (and certainly not provincially in places like Manitoba)

Don't be overconfident.
We will need a stabilisation of the situation (Liberals returning to their place or NDP taking it) before answering questions like that.

[Sibboleth]

Ah, but when he first got involved in the Party in a big way he was on the Left; it's even possible that he voted for Benn in the 1981 Deputy Leadership election. Sedgefield was also the only coalfield CLP in County Durham not utterly dominated by the Right in the early 1980s.

[Hatman]

Yeah, I thought as much. Blair would've been an NDPer through and through, and would probably get involved in provincial politics depending on the province.