2012 NDP leadership convention

[Holmes]

Chow really should prioritize getting her life back in order after this whole ordeal. She looked horrible this past week, really different from how we're used to seeing her. I wouldn't see her running in a better circumstance either, though. As for her unilingualism, she also speaks Cantonese, and I believe Mandarin? Not that it would really help much outside her riding, and some in Vancouver.

[DL]

I think she looked sad as one might expect but not in any way "horrible" if anything shoe reminded me of Jaquie Kennedy kissing JFK's coffin 1963

[Hatman]

Chow really should prioritize getting her life back in order after this whole ordeal. She looked horrible this past week, really different from how we're used to seeing her. I wouldn't see her running in a better circumstance either, though. As for her unilingualism, she also speaks Cantonese, and I believe Mandarin? Not that it would really help much outside her riding, and some in Vancouver.

What? Olivia is taking it very well, actually.

[adma]

At a moment like this, Olivia would come off worse if she *didn't* look, uh, "horrible" for the occasion.

[Hatman]

She's being praised for her composure.

[RogueBeaver]

Apparently the Topp candidacy was supposed to be a secret (a la PET '68) but got unexpectedly leaked. Either the Star or G&M said that this was the opening salvo of an ABM movement.

[Sibboleth]

I suppose the plan was to have been a little more complex than watercolours?

[RogueBeaver]

Who said it has to be subtle? Though even the best-laid plans can go awry: just ask Gerard Kennedy, Bob Winters or Paul Hellyer.

[Sibboleth]

That was a reference to Brian Topp, rather than Brian Topp.

I should seriously stop doing this.

[adma]

Who said it has to be subtle? Though even the best-laid plans can go awry: just ask Gerard Kennedy, Bob Winters or Paul Hellyer.

Or Michael Ignatieff in 2006.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Julian is trying to sell himself as a Quebecois. I've heard people try to sell Topp as one too.

If someone can successfully do so, they wont even need Ducasse.

[DL]

No one has to "try to sell" Brian Topp as a Quebecers. He IS a Quebecers through and through. He was born and raised just outside of Montreal with a anglophone father a Francophone mother. His wife is from Montreal. He went to university in Quebec he had various jobs in Montreal and he worked on Parliament hill for Phil Edmunston the first ever NDP MP from Quebec 1990-1993. it's true that he has lived in Regina, Ottawa and Toronto for the last 20 years, but given that he spent the first 30 years of his life innQuebec and speaks impeccable French - he has a stronger claim to being a Quebecers than Layton ha.

[Hatman]

Peter Julian is the dark horse right now in my opinion.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

In the mins of many anglos, you cant be Quebecois with a name like Brian or Topp. You name has to be Jean (and you are a man) or Pierre, or François, or Mathieu, or Réjean. And your last name has to be like Trudeau, or Duceppe, or Bouchard, or Dusseault, or Michaud, or Laverdière, or Côté.

For example, Mauril Bélanger, is most certainly from Quebec, and a Quebecois. Look at his last name, it has one of them thar silent R's at the end, and what kinda name is Moe-real anyway? He's from Ottawa you say? Ottawa van-yeay? Thats french! Must be on the udder side 'o that thar river up in Quebecks, see he's a Kwebecker I told ya whut; hee haw!

At least, that's how people think.
Jack Layton for example was born in Montreal, but how many people know that even now, outside Quebec?

English Canadians, especially those from Ontario, like to vote for people who they think can win Quebec. The problem is that the people who Ontarians think can in Quebec, a lot of the time, are not the same people who Quebeckers think can win Quebec.

If Topp and Julian intend to win, they need to convince Ontarian NDP voters that they are Quebecois. Not Quebeckers. Quebecois. Even if they are, it does not matter, all that matters is what the NDP leadership voters think.

[Vasall des Midas]

In the mins of many anglos, you cant be Quebecois with a name like Brian or Topp.

How about "Mulcair"?

[RogueBeaver]

Speaking as a Quebec anglo... FFS. No idea about Julian, but Topp is just as Quebecois as the Johnson brothers, or Pierre O'Neill... need I go on?

[DL]

There have also been prominent Quebec politicians with names like Ryan and Johnson etc...

"Teddy", you seem to take card-carrying NDP members for fools. The people who are party members/activists (i.e. those who will be making the choice) are mostly political junkies who will be very well informed about the backgrounds and qualities of the people in the running.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

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.

[Senator 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.

[DL]

FWIW Mulcair was born in Ontario. Topp was born in Quebec!

[RogueBeaver]

That sort of BS reminds me of the Peqs who make sneering references to "John James" Charest in the Le Devoir comments section. Or Levesque's "Elliott side" racist crap.

[DL]

not to mention Tea Party type racists who talk about Barack HUSSEIN Obama.

[Hatman]

So this campaign is going to turn into who can out French everyone else? Oh dear...

[Foucaulf]

If Quebec is a factor in the sense that non-Quebeckers want a leader who understands Quebec the most, the absurdity of that is evident. But this derail was founded on the belief that Brian Topp has a shot at winning. Now that would be taking people for fools.

I'd rather see four issues taking the spotlight during the election, in order of importance:

• A final answer to the Liberal merger question;
• A fundamental foreign policy for the party;
• Ways to lower Canadian personal debt;
• To what lengths the NDP will appeal to the nationalists.

[Hatman]

I really hope the convention is in Ottawa, like some are suggesting. I really can't afford to fly across the country again. Montreal would be another good choice.

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.