2012 NDP leadership convention

[Hatman 🍁]

Pat Martin said what!? That crazy loon. I have an idea where he can put all those pennies he hates.

[Hatman 🍁]

Pat Martin said what!? That crazy loon. I have an idea where he can put all those pennies he hates.

Calm down. The NDP is a mature party and a serious discussion must be held on that subject, I think. My opinion on that is already done, but, some in the party disagree. Him running could be useful to know which %age of the party supports it.

And yes, Pat Martin is a little bit loony, but that isn't new. He is against monarchy, too.

Well, many NDPers are against the monarchy, that's nothing new.

I don't mind the NDP moderating itself, that's ok. We're a Social Democratic party at heart, and that's what counts. We need to be moderate, and then move Canadians to the left with us. We can't sit around and wait for them to come to us. We have to go them and bring them to the promise land. That's what Tommy Douglas did in Saskatchewan. If we merge with the Liberals, then what will the promise land be?

[Hatman 🍁]

If the NDP can keep this support building, this race will indeed be to choose the next PM, thats a big prize, might see some out-of-caucus names appear

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/public-grief-over-layton-puts-ndp-even-with-tories-in-poll/article2148563/

HARRIS DECIMA
Tories - 33%
NDP - 33%
Liberals - 21%

Oh, I guess you beat me to it.

[Hatman 🍁]

There needs to a real drive to engage the average left wing voter across the country. It would be cool to do some primaries as well (not to elect delegates, but all by popular vote).

[Hatman 🍁]

Wanting to vote for a particular candidate for party leader is, perhaps, not the greatest reason to join a political party.

That's the main reason anyone joins parties in Canada (that and nomination contests)

[Hatman 🍁]

Union quotas: Topp v. Mulcair. Those are staying, though perhaps reduced. Even Blair couldn't junk them.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndp-solidarity-cracks-over-role-of-unions-in-picking-leader/article2153405/

As expected, Chow won't run.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/olivia-chow-wont-seek-late-husband-jack-laytons-job-of-ndp-leader/article2153517/

What role should labour play?

One member, one vote period. If they have the convention in January, then I would support weighing votes by province or something.

As a political geographer, my hope is that they release the votes by province- at least - so that I can make maps.

[Hatman 🍁]

I think 2003 Tory results were released by riding, so maybe they'll do likewise.

They are released by riding because that's how the votes are counted.

The NDP never releases votes for nomination contests, and I would say are very unlikely to have even provincial results. They will probably released the Labour (Affiliated) vote however, if there is one (as they did for 2003).

[Hatman 🍁]

Total BS.  The media is trying to make stuff up.

[Hatman 🍁]

Catherine Clark interviews Thomas Mulcair (2009): http://www.cpac.ca/forms/index.asp?dsp=template&act=view3&pagetype=vod&hl=e&clipID=2690

Mulcair seems charismatic, sensible and moderate. Not brash, tempered or angry like others suggest. I think this is the Mulcair we are most likely to see run for leader, and hopefully become the next PM of Canada

[Hatman 🍁]

Well, that's too bad.  At least it's nice to see that some potential Quebecois alternatives to Mulcair are emerging.  But are there any potential candidates who are from the more moderate wing of the party, but would still firmly oppose a merger with the Liberals?  If I were Canadian (and an NDP member, since that's where I'd fit ideologically), I'd probably support them.

Mulcair?

Mulcair hasn't really rejected it.  He sorta dodged the question by saying the main priority should be to seek out supporters from Liberal ranks. 

Well, if he wants to win, he has to say that. At the last convention, the delegates voted against a motion forbidding merger talks.

You can blame the socialist caucus for that, with their verbose rhetoric in favour of it, as well as a few key MPs speaking against it.

[Hatman 🍁]

Why is the merger non-issue even being debated?

The media loves it.

BTW, I just love this cartoon:



(let me know if it doesn't work)

[Hatman 🍁]

Excellent news. Central Canada means I will probably be able to go (although having a convention in Vancouver didn't stop me this year). Maybe I will be able to meet Holmes!

[Hatman 🍁]

Excellent news. Central Canada means I will probably be able to go (although having a convention in Vancouver didn't stop me this year). Maybe I will be able to meet Holmes!

Who decides who goes to the Conventions?

Technically the ridings, but I'm sure you could just show up at the convention and they'll randomly assign you a riding to represent.

[Hatman 🍁]

Excellent news. Central Canada means I will probably be able to go (although having a convention in Vancouver didn't stop me this year). Maybe I will be able to meet Holmes!

Who decides who goes to the Conventions?

Technically the ridings, but I'm sure you could just show up at the convention and they'll randomly assign you a riding to represent.

Well, I don't have time to go there anyways. I'll focus on the campus association.

If it's in Montreal, you have no excuse!

[Hatman 🍁]

Excellent news. Central Canada means I will probably be able to go (although having a convention in Vancouver didn't stop me this year). Maybe I will be able to meet Holmes!

Who decides who goes to the Conventions?

Technically the ridings, but I'm sure you could just show up at the convention and they'll randomly assign you a riding to represent.

Well, I don't have time to go there anyways. I'll focus on the campus association.

If it's in Montreal, you have no excuse!

I have the excuse than Outremont riding will be full of delegates already. And if all the members of Montreal goes, that will be a mess.

Even if I can pretend than I'm Abitibian and not from Montreal.

Who cares. Show up to the convention, and request to participate. You may represent Wild Rose or Cardigan or Selkirk-Interlake or Parry Sound-Muskoka. It doesn't matter...

[Hatman 🍁]

Excellent news. Central Canada means I will probably be able to go (although having a convention in Vancouver didn't stop me this year). Maybe I will be able to meet Holmes!

Who decides who goes to the Conventions?

Technically the ridings, but I'm sure you could just show up at the convention and they'll randomly assign you a riding to represent.

Well, I don't have time to go there anyways. I'll focus on the campus association.

If it's in Montreal, you have no excuse!

I have the excuse than Outremont riding will be full of delegates already. And if all the members of Montreal goes, that will be a mess.

Even if I can pretend than I'm Abitibian and not from Montreal.

Who cares. Show up to the convention, and request to participate. You may represent Wild Rose or Cardigan or Selkirk-Interlake or Parry Sound-Muskoka. It doesn't matter...

Seems illogical, but it worked like that last time. Well, I don't see why I should speculate on a event which may be far away from Montreal in months.

Fair enough. If it is in the 514, we should have an Atlas get together

[Hatman 🍁]

Toronto? WTF

Oh well. I'll try to be there!

[Hatman 🍁]

Nash would be a very good candidate in my opinion. Probably the top female candidate (although Boivin would be very good too!)

As for Libby Davies, unilingualism aside, she doesn't "look" like a leader. I'm sorry, but image if very important in politics.

[Hatman 🍁]

I don't know... the kinds of Canadians the NDP has to appeal to win are going to be lukewarm on unions. There are a lot of left of centre voters who don't like unions, and get angry when certain public services go on strike.  A lot of them are Liberals, of course.

By those who don't have the fortune to be unionized, the unionized can be seen as elite. The NDP should be fighting so that more Canadians are unionized rather than solely standing up for those who are already protected by unions.

[Hatman 🍁]

Im still backing Mulcair.

Tommy is the 2nd most popular politician in Quebec right now (after Legault). Can't mess with that.

[Hatman 🍁]

Totally meaningless poll, but as we can see no one knows who Topp is in Canada: http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/12/ndp-leader-race-still-wide-open-poll

Mulcair with 46% in Quebec. Run Tom run! The NDP needs another Tommy as leader!

[Hatman 🍁]

Ian Capstick said yesterday on P&P that Dewar is also one of the favourites. I will support the hometown boy first, but Tommy on the final ballot if it's just those three.

[Hatman 🍁]

More than likely Topp will run in T-D

[Hatman 🍁]

I think his support is one of those cases of being a mile wide and an inch deep.

[Hatman 🍁]

Mulcair better smarten up, or he may  everything up for the party.