2012 NDP leadership convention

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I haven't said anything in this thread so far, but I will be following this with immense interest, Earl.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

The thing about Mulcair is that he's supposed to be the only one who can keep NDP on top in Quebec, or at least, clearly on top. With Cullen or somebody I'd imagine the NDP would have to focus on some sort of strategy involving the Western provinces?

How are we handicapping this? Who do we think is the likeliest and unlikeliest at this stage?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

So Topp's the most left-wing? I would think that Cullen would be. But it looks like Mulcair will win. Mulcair just doesn't seem good at all. Plus, the NDP can't just be a Quebec party.

It also can't just be a non-Quebec party if it is to have any chance of winning anything.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Really, what did we expect to happen? I've never seen any indication from Brian Topp of competence of any kind throughout this process.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Pie Iesu Christe, these people need to get their house in order.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

If Mulcair distributes authority as some of us are talking about the NDP should hold up okay ideologically. If he tries to make it Third Way it will obviously suffer among its base, which I think he realizes even if his instincts probably would be to moderate at least somewhat to appeal to yet more voters. It should be remembered that so far as I understand it he left or was removed from his position in Quebec's PL provincial government because he thought it was too rightist on something or other. Parks, maybe? He also needs to make sure he doesn't squander the fact that he's inherited a historically anomalous dominance (at the federal level) of his province and that he was elected partially, perhaps even primarily, on the basis of the idea that he could be entrusted with maintaining that.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Will Mulcair try a revenge by denying a place to Topp as candidate for MP or throwing him in a very difficult riding? I think that NDP should promote and develop fresh faces to get a strong campaign. Broadbent was unable to do Quebec gains with a better national conjuncture.

Denying a place to Brian Topp as candidate for MP is doing the God's work, so I can't say I'd blame him, though it would be a dick move if he tried it with any of the others who might end up in that situation.