2012 NDP leadership convention

[Filuwaúrdjan]

He's on the Left generally (obviously) but also (and obviously) on the Right of the NDP.

[RogueBeaver]

6 debates will be held all around the country.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/201111/01/01-4463221-six-debats-opposeront-les-candidats-a-la-direction-du-npd.php

[DL]

Someone tell Joel-Denis Bellavance that Peggy Nash is from Toronto not Hamilton - maybe he's confusing her with Andrea Horwath.

[Dr. Cynic]

I would still say Mulcair is on the left, maybe not as left leaning as your typical NDP member, but that doesn't make him right wing anymore than John Tory, Alison Redford and other Red Tories would be left wing.  Its all relative otherwise.  I don't think he is anymore to the right than Roy Romanow or Gary Doer and both were very successful in their respective provinces.

I didn't say he was right wing. I said that this person made it clear that Mulcair is going to be the right's candidate... The NDP right... He also said he was the most "anti-union, pro-business".

Ugh... no. Mulcair was always on the PLQ's left wing. He resigned from Cabinet because he didn't want development on a provincial park- does that sound like a pro-business Liberal to you?

Well, hey, you know, I only really started learning about Canadian politics at about the time I heard the NDP was making a real run at opposition. I'm still learning and I don't even know all the people yet, so at least give me a chance. Besides, it wasn't even my statement. I just quoted someone from another website on it.

[RogueBeaver]

Sorry, I wasn't responding to you but one of the Canucks. My apologies.

On another note, Ashton is getting in.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1079451--niki-ashton-collecting-signatures-for-ndp-leadership-race

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Also a note on my table - it is relative to Jack Layton, not NDP voters, or voters in general, or politics in general. Mulcair, Chisholm, are both to the Left of the "middle"

[Hash]

Ashton's cute but is way too young, so I suppose she's using this a la Manuel Valls to set herself up for latter years. I'm kind of surprised she jumped in.

[RogueBeaver]

I'm surprised as well.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Politicians often think it's a good idea to raise their profile. But we knew that she was very ambitious anyway.

[MaxQue]

I think it is the whole point of the candidacy of one of my MPs, Romeo Saganash.
(My other MP is Thomas Mulcair, which obviously run for winning.)

[DL]

I'm not at all surprised Niki Ashton is running. Its been talked about for over a month and there was clearly a need to have someone from the Prairies in the race. Its true that she's young (29) - but she will be 33 in 2015 and Ed Schreyer became Premier of MB at the age of 32 and Bourassa was in his early 30s when he became Premier of Quebec in 1970.

Niki brings a lot of strengths to the table. She speaks something like six languages fluently (her French is almost flawless) and she is very bright. People should take her seriously.

[Hatman 🍁]

Does anyone know where the debates will be? I hope there's one in Ottawa.

[Holmes]

I hope there's one in Northern Ontario. But they'll probably be in places the NDP wants to capture or hold, as well as places that are close to home for the candidates. Toronto(Nash) or Ottawa(Dewar), Montreal(Mulcair, Saganash?), Halifax(Singh, Chrisholm), Regina or Saskatoon, Winnipeg(Ashton) and Vancouver or Victoria(Cullen) are probably high on the list.

[RogueBeaver]

Saganash sort of repudiates Sherbrooke.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/leadership-hopeful-questions-ndp-policy-on-quebec-secession/article2224608/

[RogueBeaver]

Ashton will be in as of noon Eastern. Field is now set.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/201111/07/01-4465221-niki-ashton-briguerait-la-direction-du-npd.php

[Hatman 🍁]

what about Pat Martin?

[RogueBeaver]

what about Pat Martin?

I presume Topp's stance on the m... issue will be enough.

[mileslunn]

She seems a bit young, but my thinking is she is hoping the NDP wins the next election and she gets a cabinet post as a candidate and she raises her profile there and then once the leader steps down which if the party is successful, might not be until she is over 40, then she can make a serious run.  Still I agree she seems awfully young and if the party loses a whole wack of seats expect the next leader to go and lets remember with the NDP at its record height, its tough to say if this is their bridge to power much like the NDP in Nova Scotia or if they follow the route of the Quebec ADQ or Manitoba Liberals under Sharon Carstairs who saw their parties return back to their traditional levels of support.  Too early to really say and a lot off course will depend on how the Liberals and Conservative perform too. 

[RogueBeaver]

She seems a bit young, but my thinking is she is hoping the NDP wins the next election and she gets a cabinet post as a candidate and she raises her profile there and then once the leader steps down which if the party is successful, might not be until she is over 40, then she can make a serious run.  Still I agree she seems awfully young and if the party loses a whole wack of seats expect the next leader to go and lets remember with the NDP at its record height, its tough to say if this is their bridge to power much like the NDP in Nova Scotia or if they follow the route of the Quebec ADQ or Manitoba Liberals under Sharon Carstairs who saw their parties return back to their traditional levels of support.  Too early to really say and a lot off course will depend on how the Liberals and Conservative perform too. 

Probably just running to raise her profile, like everyone not named Mulcair/Topp/Nash.

[mileslunn]

You don't think Dewar has any chance?  I agree it is a long shot, but who thought Dion would the Liberal leadership race back in 2006.  Sometimes everybody's second choice wins.  Same thing in Alberta when Alison Redford won as well.

[Hatman 🍁]

A 3rd place candidate like Dewar will have a great shot at winning, with anti-Topp and anti-Mulcair voters going somewhere.

[mileslunn]

A 3rd place candidate like Dewar will have a great shot at winning, with anti-Topp and anti-Mulcair voters going somewhere.

  Thats how Dion won the Liberal leadership race and Alison Redford won in Alberta PC leadership race.  Off course if either Mulcair or Topp finishes over 40% on the first ballot and the second place is under 25% then I suspect, the first person finisher will take it.  Lets remember while most of the NDP seats maybe in Quebec; over half of its membership is in BC, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba while Quebec has only 3% of the party's membership.  That could off course change by the convention.  One disadvantage being from Quebec has is if one is a provincial NDP member, they are automatically a federal member and considering Quebec is the only province without a provincial NDP, this creates a bit of a disadvantage.  With the Tories and Liberals by contrast, memberships are seperate so lack of provincial party is less of a handicap.

[Holmes]

Angus has only really talked about Dewar on Facebook, and Mulcair a bit as well. And there's this.

http://www.timminspress.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3362304

So him endorsing either one of them wouldn't surprise me. And I told him how sad I'd be if he endorses Topp.


Rick Mercer: 7 billion people enter NDP leadership race.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

It's math. If the second placed candidate wins 33.33334% of the vote or more, than  it's mathematically impossible for anyone to overtake him.

[Holmes]

Local news on Dewar's visit to Timmins.
Newspaper article.

Daily Press sux, though.