2012 NDP leadership convention

[LastVoter]

So can is there anyone who is electable?

[minionofmidas]

Apparently Glenn Thibault endorsed Mulcair today, but Mulcair's last tweet is a retweet of mine, advertising my endorsement map 

VICTORY!

[lilTommy]

Nash also gets two more MPS: Laurin Liu (Rivière-des-Mille-Îles) et Élaine Michaud (Portneuf–Jacques-Cartier)

[Hatman 🍁]

Surprised about Liu. Wasn't she working on Mulcair's campaign instead of campaigning in her own riding?

[lilTommy]

Yes she was, but so were most people at one time or another (Borg, Freeman, Dube to mention some) since esp at the beginning the party was really putting most of it resources on making sure Mulcair won... then as he numbers started to improve MPs like Borg actually started to campaign.

[lilTommy]

Two more MPs for Mulcair today
 - the much maligned Ruth Ellen Brosseau (Mulcair really went out of his way to take her under his wing, defend her and try to teach her, so has fellow Trois-Rivieres MP Robert Aubin) also Denis Blanchette has endorse Mulcair

[RogueBeaver]

Hebert: Remember the high stakes.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1128218--hebert-ndp-leadership-campaign-hasn-t-begun-to-jell

[RogueBeaver]

Change of venue.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ndp-leadership-convention-headed-for-record-turnout/article2332719/

[RogueBeaver]

Saganash is dropping out.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/saganash-to-bow-out-of-ndp-leadership-race-announcement-friday--139050889.html

[RogueBeaver]

Dan LeBlanc of the Globe tweets that Saganash is likely to throw in with Topp at the convention.

[MaxQue]

Simplify things for me.

[Hatman 🍁]

[RogueBeaver]

Apparently Mulcair is far ahead.

http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/Liberals%2Breach%2Bpost%2Belection%2Bhigh%2BTories%2Brule%2Bpolls/6130773/story.html

[Holmes]

Good, good.

Also, NDP, I get it. I've gotten three calls in the past two nights past 8 regarding the leadership race, some automated and some personal. And a poll last night. "Press 1 for Nathan Cullen, press 2 for Nikki Ashton..." Gah.

[Hatman 🍁]

Ha. I havent got any calls yet!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I've never given the Labour Party my phone number, so was spared that in 2010. Got loads of emails though.

[Holmes]

I'd prefer e-mails, anything is better than starting a conversation with a stranger near 9 o'clock about beating Harper.

[RogueBeaver]

Does such a huge Mulcair lead seem plausible to the Dippers here?

[Hatman 🍁]

Does such a huge Mulcair lead seem plausible to the Dippers here?

NDP supporters are different than NDP voters.

I'd prefer e-mails, anything is better than starting a conversation with a stranger near 9 o'clock about beating Harper.

Ive been getting plenty of emails. I just ignore them. I'd rather a phone call, I think. I'd feel more important than just someone on a mass email list.

[RogueBeaver]

Mulcair: Forget higher direct taxes, how about C&T? Yeah, that really worked out well for Dion and Iggy, and is working so well for Gillard in Oz.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1129531--ndp-policies-have-to-adjust-with-the-times-mulcair-says

[RogueBeaver]

Ontario's still the best bet. IIRC I remember reading an post-election analysis saying that the NDP has a hard seat ceiling in Ontario, dunno if that's true or not. (and if so, you can thank Rae for it) Still don't understand why Hebert's still so big on merger though.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1129531--ndp-policies-have-to-adjust-with-the-times-mulcair-says

[DL]

I'm really not clear on why Mulcair thinks its so politically toxic for the NDP to suggest that the one half of one percent of Canadians with incomes of over $250k should pay a little more tax...while south of the border there is a consensus among everyone to the left of Mitt Romney that this has to be done.

The US is wayyy more conservative and anti-tax political culture than Canada is - and yet somehow Democrats are winning elections all over the place pledging to reverse the Bush tax cuts on the top 1%. In fact Obama and co. are drooling at the thought of using this as a wedge issue against Romney this fall. I don't see why Mulcair thinks the NDP needs to be scared of its own shadow and take a position that is to the right of anyone in the Democratic party in the US.

[Hatman 🍁]

In Canada, we have a fear that the "successful" will flee to the US if taxed too much. It's less of an issue in the US, since it's supposedly the "greatest country in the world" and people think the rich will be less likely to flee if taxed.

[DL]

I think its absurd to think that if Canada had a slightly higher marginal tax rate on people with incomes over $250k - there would be this sudden mass exodus of to the US. If that were true - the exodus would have already happened long ago.

I'm more concerned that a cap and trade system that was punitive enough to raise BILLIONS of dollars would cause entire industries to move south of the border to places like North Carolina...

Why are there ANY doctors whatsoever in Canada?? According to that argument, since doctors make more in the US 100% of Canadian medical school graduates would pack their bags and move to Miami.

[RogueBeaver]

Mulcair: The simplest explanation would be ideological conviction. Layton never talked about personal income tax hikes either, at least not in '08 or '11. There's room for the NDP if they want to move left on tax policy given that Liberals are committed to the Brisonian framework.