Layton temporarily stepping down

[Meeker]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/07/25/layton-ndp.html

For health reasons; says he'll be back in September. Recommends Nycole Turmel to be interim leader (not Mulcair...?)

[lilTommy]

Just talking about Mulcair:
Here is what "Threads" @ rabble said: (giving cred to others)

(2) If you subscribe to the view that Jack has privately designated Mulcair as his preferred successor, you might be apt to paint the recommendation of Turmel (or, equivalently, any non-Mulcair MP) as keeping Mulcair's leadership options open—because if he is not able to return to the leadership for whatever reason, there's going to have to be a leadership race to replace him.  As it might be considered unseemly for an interim leader of the party to themselves be a candidate to be the next permanent leader, why not recommend somebody else as interim?

(3) If Turmel (or any of the NDP's other female MPs) is named interim leader, would this make her the first female Official Opposition leader in Canadian federal history?

[Meeker]

(3) If Turmel (or any of the NDP's other female MPs) is named interim leader, would this make her the first female Official Opposition leader in Canadian federal history?

No - Deborah Grey was acting Leader of the Opposition for six months in 2000.

[lilTommy]

thanks! i am going to correct them now

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Urgh. Hopefully he pulls through.

[RogueBeaver]

Best wishes to Layton and hope he pulls through.

On the politics: I suspect it's one of 2 things. A) He doesn't want a spat between Mulcair and Nash B) His relationship with Mulcair is less than rosy. Given how defensive Mulcair gets when asked about his relationship with Layton by journalists, I say a bit of both.

[Hatman 🍁]

Turmel is not a good choice. Her English is very poor.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

If he's appointing an interim, he might not make it; which is very sad.

[Hatman 🍁]

Oh, I of course should do the obligatory "get well" comment for Jack. My Dad is going through the same experience, and my prayers will be there for Jack and his family.

[RogueBeaver]

Resident Dippers: any idea why Aylmer was chosen if QP will be a nightmare for her?

[Hatman 🍁]

Resident Dippers: any idea why Aylmer was chosen if QP will be a nightmare for her?

Her name is Turmel. Her riding is Hull-Aylmer. She hasn't been chosen yet, but she does have amazing credentials. QP will be hard unless she answers all questions in French, but that wouldn't look good either.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

She's no worse in English than Dion was...

Frankly, and I know it is sad (I already sent Layton a get well message though the NDP website) but I don't think he will make it, which is very unfortunate. This is him setting the party up to allow anyone (IE Mulcair) to run for leader without being hampered by being Interim.

Turmel's English right now is probably better than Dion's was when he resigned. She will do fine for a party that's 60% Quebec (MPs) for the few months she will be in the job.

[lilTommy]

You guys know who Nycole is right? i've seen here on Power&Politics... her english is not perfect but its far from horrible, infact shes not at all hard to understand and is quite able to express herself. Here English is better most Conservative MP's french including most of the cabinet.

a clip talking about AECL:
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Politics/1244504890/ID=2030247515

[Hatman 🍁]

You guys know who Nycole is right? i've seen here on Power&Politics... her english is not perfect but its far from horrible, infact shes not at all hard to understand and is quite able to express herself. Here English is better most Conservative MP's french including most of the cabinet.

a clip talking about AECL:
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Politics/1244504890/ID=2030247515

Well, she was having troubles when I heard her speak at the convention.

She's no worse in English than Dion was...

That's not saying much.

[RogueBeaver]

So she'll do OK- and I agree that the lack of decent French amongst RoC MPs is a disgrace.

If Layton resigns, it will be Mulcair by a country mile. There is quite literally no one else, since Nash or Davies are completely unsellable to the public.

[lilTommy]

So she'll do OK- and I agree that the lack of decent French amongst RoC MPs is a disgrace.

If Layton resigns, it will be Mulcair by a country mile. There is quite literally no one else, since Nash or Davies are completely unsellable to the public.

Really? Davies, i can see, shes a darling of the left but outside that is too controversial, sadly. But Nash? how is she unsellable? (maybe i just don't see it)... what other names pop up, i've heard Dewar, Masse, Chisholm... might be names from outside the House too (could Miller step up?)

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

On Dion: Remember he took double the current Liberal seat total.

On Leadership: Don't just say Mulcair, there are others, let me do a bit of digging and get back to you

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Hélène Laverdière
Gary Doer
David Miller
Elizabeth Wier

Each could mount a credible campaign (though the latter 3 would need to be able to speak french) and if they all ran and an anti-mulcair thingy developed (not as unrealistic as you might think) then one of them could certainly win.

[Hatman 🍁]

So she'll do OK- and I agree that the lack of decent French amongst RoC MPs is a disgrace.

If Layton resigns, it will be Mulcair by a country mile. There is quite literally no one else, since Nash or Davies are completely unsellable to the public.

Peggy Nash would be fine, although I have not been impressed with her interviews, as she doesn't answer questions directly, or even close. But that's just politics.

Davies wouldn't be very sellable. I haven't liked her since I saw her ride first class on the plane back from Vancouver. What kind of socialist rides first class!?

Hélène Laverdière
Gary Doer
David Miller
Elizabeth Wier

Each could mount a credible campaign (though the latter 3 would need to be able to speak french) and if they all ran and an anti-mulcair thingy developed (not as unrealistic as you might think) then one of them could certainly win.

1. Unknown (but has potential)
2. Too old (but that's his only draw back)
3. Too hated (but then again, so was Jack)
4. Unknown outside of New Brunswick (and where has she been lately?)

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Paul Dewar (could be added to the list)

Some people think Libby Davies would run, but I don't think she'd manage to get more than a dozen votes - and I don't mean delegates.

[Hatman 🍁]

Paul Dewar (could be added to the list)

Some people think Libby Davies would run, but I don't think she'd manage to get more than a dozen votes - and I don't mean delegates.

Dewar would be good, but I don't think he can speak French well. Also, add Peter Julian to the list. He may be a BC MP, but he is 100% fluent in French and also knows sign language.

[RogueBeaver]

Davies is infamously known as a Truther , for those wondering why she's unacceptable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xc_ttOtXYc


Forgot about Dewar, whom I like, but he's not a household name and doesn't have the charisma to make himself one. Doer is too old and unilingual, plus he worked for Harper. I don't think that would go over well with the NDP base.


David Miller: Why not just voluntarily surrender those 416 NDP seats back to the Grits? It would be quicker.

Julian: Another good choice if he chose to run, but nowhere near the star power and experience of Mulcair.

Lavirdiere: Too inexperienced, and too old by the time she gets the experience.

Wier: Who?

[MaxQue]

Wier: Who?

She is the former leader of New Brunswick NDP, but, she is totally unknown out of NB.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Urgh. Hopefully he pulls through.

[Dr. Cynic]

Aww, Jesus, not cancer again?!