2012 NDP leadership convention

[MaxQue]

I still doubt than Mulcair is the favorite.

NDP has no members and no infrastructure in Quebec Province.
They would have to build up things very quickly this fall.

[MaxQue]

I still say Mulcair can not be beat.

Ontario in particular has always been willing to vote for whomever they think can win Quebec. Check the last federal election and how the NDP's poll numbers shot way up only after they did in Quebec.

Beyond that you need to remember the union movement does have guaranteed votes. While normally this might not mean much, it did elect the Labour leader over in the UK, and in a close race might be very important.

The Quebec union movement doesn't vote, since all unions are affilied with Bloc.

[MaxQue]

Just for the record (which means that there's no need for anyone to actually respond to this post), the Boardbashi has no problems with this thread, given that Layton set the ball rolling with his last letter.

Which is exactly why I didn't think it inappropriate.

I still say Mulcair can not be beat.

Ontario in particular has always been willing to vote for whomever they think can win Quebec. Check the last federal election and how the NDP's poll numbers shot way up only after they did in Quebec.

Beyond that you need to remember the union movement does have guaranteed votes. While normally this might not mean much, it did elect the Labour leader over in the UK, and in a close race might be very important.

The Quebec union movement doesn't vote, since all unions are affilied with Bloc.

Time to switch their affiliations then. I agree with Teddy. NDPers want a winner, and that's why they'll go with Mulcair. He is basically the person mileslunn described in his post. He will probably have my vote (not necessarily on the first ballot though, that will be to Peter Julian or Paul Dewar or something if either run)

Members directly votes?

[MaxQue]

Just for the record (which means that there's no need for anyone to actually respond to this post), the Boardbashi has no problems with this thread, given that Layton set the ball rolling with his last letter.

Which is exactly why I didn't think it inappropriate.

I still say Mulcair can not be beat.

Ontario in particular has always been willing to vote for whomever they think can win Quebec. Check the last federal election and how the NDP's poll numbers shot way up only after they did in Quebec.

Beyond that you need to remember the union movement does have guaranteed votes. While normally this might not mean much, it did elect the Labour leader over in the UK, and in a close race might be very important.

The Quebec union movement doesn't vote, since all unions are affilied with Bloc.

Time to switch their affiliations then.

Well, I think than the largest union, FTQ, is part of the CLC. Perhaps it is enough to be able to vote.

[MaxQue]

One out-of-caucus possibility the mainstream media is offering: Brian Topp.

He did a wonderful job from behind the scenes from what I heard. I suppose he may rather prefer to stay there, no? He has a little notoriety problem, too.

[MaxQue]

Just for the record (which means that there's no need for anyone to actually respond to this post), the Boardbashi has no problems with this thread, given that Layton set the ball rolling with his last letter.

Which is exactly why I didn't think it inappropriate.

I still say Mulcair can not be beat.

Ontario in particular has always been willing to vote for whomever they think can win Quebec. Check the last federal election and how the NDP's poll numbers shot way up only after they did in Quebec.

Beyond that you need to remember the union movement does have guaranteed votes. While normally this might not mean much, it did elect the Labour leader over in the UK, and in a close race might be very important.

The Quebec union movement doesn't vote, since all unions are affilied with Bloc.

Time to switch their affiliations then. I agree with Teddy. NDPers want a winner, and that's why they'll go with Mulcair. He is basically the person mileslunn described in his post. He will probably have my vote (not necessarily on the first ballot though, that will be to Peter Julian or Paul Dewar or something if either run)

Members directly votes?

75% of the vote comes from individual members yes. The other 25% is the so called "union vote", which is actually just affiliated organizations. While most of that means unions, theoretically a church group or a student council could affiliate themselves with the party and vote for a candidate.

They will make us aware of how to vote, I suppose? (I joined NDP in February)

[MaxQue]

Just for the record (which means that there's no need for anyone to actually respond to this post), the Boardbashi has no problems with this thread, given that Layton set the ball rolling with his last letter.

Which is exactly why I didn't think it inappropriate.

I still say Mulcair can not be beat.

Ontario in particular has always been willing to vote for whomever they think can win Quebec. Check the last federal election and how the NDP's poll numbers shot way up only after they did in Quebec.

Beyond that you need to remember the union movement does have guaranteed votes. While normally this might not mean much, it did elect the Labour leader over in the UK, and in a close race might be very important.

The Quebec union movement doesn't vote, since all unions are affilied with Bloc.

Time to switch their affiliations then. I agree with Teddy. NDPers want a winner, and that's why they'll go with Mulcair. He is basically the person mileslunn described in his post. He will probably have my vote (not necessarily on the first ballot though, that will be to Peter Julian or Paul Dewar or something if either run)

Members directly votes?

75% of the vote comes from individual members yes. The other 25% is the so called "union vote", which is actually just affiliated organizations. While most of that means unions, theoretically a church group or a student council could affiliate themselves with the party and vote for a candidate.

They will make us aware of how to vote, I suppose? (I joined NDP in February)

Yes, of course. You will probably have to renew your membership soon so it will be good for next year so that you can vote.

Who do you think you would support?

I don't know yet. Unlike you, I don't really know NDP MPs.
Especially than NDP MPs weren't really covered in the news before May in Quebec news.
But I quite like Mulcair, even if I dislike his Liberal past.

In fact, I never participed in a partisan event, because of timing problems. I did some pre-campaigning (calling people in March). Is that a problem which would deprive me of voting ability?

For renewing, I supposed they would sent me a letter or an email saying me I read to renew my membership. I'm not a very informed member, really sorry.

[MaxQue]

They held the investiture ceremony of Mulcair and they sent me an email, but I wasn't avaliable that night. Since then, nothing.

And no sight of an riding association appearing in Abitibi.
In fact, my MP didn't inaugurated his office yet (He was supposed to do it on Wednesday, but, obviously, things changed.)

And my local association is Outremont, which is already active. I often receive a newsletter.

EDIT: I checked, both Abitibi associations are still based in Montreal and chaired by Anne-Marie Aubert, which is an NDP-Québec staffer.

[MaxQue]

They held the investiture ceremony of Mulcair and they sent me an email, but I wasn't avaliable that night. Since then, nothing.

And no sight of an riding association appearing in Abitibi.
In fact, my MP didn't inaugurated his office yet (He was supposed to do it on Wednesday, but, obviously, things changed.)

And my local association is Outremont, which is already active. I often receive a newsletter.

EDIT: I checked, both Abitibi associations are still based in Montreal and chaired by Anne-Marie Aubert, which is an NDP-Québec staffer.

Ahh then, it's time to create one!

I guess if you're in Montreal most of the time, it would be pointless, but if you do spend a lot of time in Abitibi, you should go to the new office and talk to the staff about creating one. That is, if they are NDPers.

I'm in Montreal too much time. I'm only in Abitibi during summer (and it is if I don't get an internshp next summer). Well, they succeded to find people to do phone calls for Saganash and to have a campaign office, I suppose they have enough people for launching an association. They perhaps wait the fall. I hope they launch one, it would be ridiculous to have an MP, but no association.

[MaxQue]

I note than there is still no thread about the December 2011 Bloc leadership convention.

[MaxQue]

who says you have to help build in Outremont? Why not Laurier or Rosemont, those will be very important assosications to help build up.

Well, I'm a member of the association in the riding where I live, which is Outremont. And I'm closer to Mount Royal and Westmount-Ville-Marie than Laurier and Rosemont, geographically.

Earl, that is "Abitibi--Baie-James--Nunavik--Eeyou". Abitibi can cause confusion with "Abitibi-Témiscamingue", which is another federal riding. Even if I'm almost sure than Saganash will not run.

I think also than the new leader has to be bilingual. If not, there could a big crisis in the party.

[MaxQue]

Brian Topp is also being considered one of the favourites.

I still wonder why.

Like I said, he seems a wonderful organiser and it would be a loss to the party if he became leader.

[MaxQue]

Brian Topp is also being considered one of the favourites.

I still wonder why.

Like I said, he seems a wonderful organiser and it would be a loss to the party if he became leader.

Im not sure either. What would separate him from Mulcair? I guess with Mulcair, there's the thought of him being too new to NDP circles.

The issue is pretty difficult. Mulcair having the support of Quebec members, but losing because English Canada coalized around another candidate would be very badly felt in Quebec.

[MaxQue]

Wow. I jusr read than Peter Julian ran for NPD-Québec in the 1989 provincial election (in Saint-François) and was the organiser of the campaign in Quebec during the 1993 federal election.

During that campaign, he said than it was sure than in 15 or 20 years, the majority of Quebec MPs would be from NDP.

He should start a forturetelling business.

Earl, does implication in a NDP campus club is good?

And for sure, the Socialis Caucus will run someone and they will probably have lower results than in 2003.

[MaxQue]

Talking of TV shows, Elizabeth Weir, the former New Brunswick NDP leader also shares her name with a sci-fi show character.

[MaxQue]

Maybe in 2015 Turmel will retire (she will be 72 by then) and then Ducasse can run...the point is that Layton was known in NDP circles in 2003 as well as in Toronto. and that was critical to winning the leadership. I doubt if more than 1% of NDP rank and file would even know who Ducasse was.

And he had the crucial Broadband endorsement.

[MaxQue]

Thomas M is a Quebecois because the media told us so

And no, I dont take card-carrying NDPers for fools. I take people for fools. Because they are fools.

Mulcair is a Québécois because he is clearly nothing else and because he sat in Assemblée Nationale for years.

[MaxQue]

Anyways, I think the NDP should really try to engage Canadians in the race. The party should invite Canadians across the country to sign up and be a part of the political process to choose the next Prime Minister of Canada! It's what Jack would have wanted.

Usually, most parties do a membership drive before a leadership race, no?

[MaxQue]

An interesting article in the newspaper "Le Devoir" remembers us than the NDP voted to remove the 25% of votes reserved to the unions in the constitution at the 2009 convention. The party is still free to reserve a part to them, though.

The article also says than Rebecca Blaikie is currently reviewing rules and will make recommandations to the executive committee. That committee is supposed to meet on September 9th.

[MaxQue]

Good. I hope he runs. He is probably the best hope to beat Topp.

[MaxQue]

There will be lots of time to get memberships

It will be a busy fall for us Quebec, I reckon, but I'm not that hopeful.

[MaxQue]

Well, I think it is pretty obvious than the inner circle is backing Topp.

The inner circle is playing fire with Quebec. I hope they are aware of the dangers.

[MaxQue]

Topp is also a Quebecer, so I don't see how that gets spun as anti-Quebec. Certainly Mulcair is much more visible as the key architect of Quebec victory though.

The question isn't if Topp is from Quebec or not. The question is "Will he able to get that through the mind of people?"

I know people who think "We have elected 59 NDP MPs, we ought to have a Québécois leader". It would be easy for nationalists to paint Topp as an Ontarian, since his French isn't perfect.

[MaxQue]

If I remember well, Dewar doesn't speak French, which is quite a problem.

I'm more interested hearing about Peter Julian. I suppose than a woman and/or someone of the Atlantic would run. Harris? Chistolm? Nicky Ashley? Megan Leslie?

There won't be lots of candidates, I suppose. Bilinguism shorten even more the list.

[MaxQue]

Conflicting reports on whether or not Dewar speaks French. Chisholm is unilingual, Ashton too young and inexperienced. Leslie is also a member of the Class of '08. Julian will be the left candidate if Nash doesn't enter. The only people we know for sure are fluently bilingual are Mulcair, Topp and Nash.

I'm pretty sure than Julian speaks French. He ran for provincial NDP in Quebec in the 80's, was the director of the "campaign" in Quebec in 1993 and was the chair of the NDP-Québec section for a few years. It is pretty much given than he speaks French, considering that.