Ed Broadbent’s recent foray into the NDP’s leadership campaign has certainly attracted plenty of media attention. But it’s worth taking a skeptical look as to why the story has been such a media favourite – and why we should resist the temptation to focus our discussion of the race on
Continue readingTag: brian topp
Accidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
A couple more days’ worth of developments in the NDP’s leadership campaign… – Niki Ashton argued that Canada’s grain supply should be considered a strategic resource in evaluating takeover bids for Viterra, and earned a glowing profile from Carol Goar. – Nathan Cullen unveiled another caucus endorsement from Bruce Hyer
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On shifting alliances
Having pointed out the effect of Peggy Nash’s willingness to consider cross-party cooperation in my rankings post, I’ll double back to one of the other noteworthy developments today – as Thomas Mulcair may have utterly reshaped the expected movement of down-ballot support. Since the start of the campaign, plenty of
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Vancouver NDP leadership debate candidate rankings
The NDP’s final leadership debate wrapped up today in Vancouver in advance of the March 24th leadership convention. It has been a long road since the first debate back in Ottawa, and every candidate has managed to both improve their debating skills as well as set out key policy and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Candidate Rankings – March 11, 2012
Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen what look to be a couple of noteworthy efforts among the NDP’s leadership candidates to reach out to other campaigns’ supporters in order to win over the down-ballot support that will likely decide the outcome of the campaign. So how have those
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
Assorted news and notes from the NDP’s leadership campaign as we approach today’s final debate… – Niki Ashton pointed out how the NDP should be able to tap into the desire for democratic decision-making that once motivated the Reform Party before it was turned into a top-down organization under the
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
A few days worth of news from the NDP’s leadership campaign… – Niki Ashton appealed to NDP members to consider the need to build among younger voters. – Co-campaign manager Jamey Heath took to the opinion pages in defence of Nathan Cullen’s joint nomination proposal. But I seem to recall
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Reading the NDP Tea Leaves
Any good pundit (for is that not what I aspire to become?) must dispense with caution and modesty from time to time and, in godlike fashion, attempt to predict the future. It is a virtually risk-free enterprise. If my prediction turns out wrong, no one will notice or care, because
Continue readingCalgaryGrit: The Dippers Vote
Ballots have arrived to thousands of NDP members, who now have until March 24th to vote for a leader. Originally, the field reminded me a lot of the 2006 Liberal leadership race, with the role of the establishment front runner lacking elected experience played by Brian Topp, the polished veteran
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Candidate Rankings – March 4, 2012
With the voting window open and the second-last debate having just finished, we’re into the home stretch of the NDP’s leadership campaign. I’ve posted on the outcomes I’d like to see – but since that’s a separate question entirely from how I think matters actually will play out, let’s see
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
I haven’t done a roundup post in quite some time (having focused instead on candidate analysis and preliminary endorsement posts over the past week). But in advance of today’s Montreal debate, let’s take a look at some of the noteworthy developments from the week. – Niki Ashton spoke to the
Continue readingThe Equivocator: The NDP Leadership Foreign Policy Awards – 2012
The evening of the Academy Awards a good friend and I were reviewing the foreign policy platforms of three NDP leadership candidates, Tom Mulcair, Brian Topp and Peggy Nash. Here are some awards we created for each of the three candidates’ policies: Most impressive foreign policy recommendation: Peggy Nash –
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 – Preliminary Endorsement
I’ve run through a high-level analysis of the NDP’s leadership candidates this week knowing that paper ballots are being mailed out, that online voting starts today, and that the leadership candidates will soon be racing to lock in as many votes as possible (with little focus on the down-ballot impacts
Continue readingIt’s #ndpldr Voting Time
Starting today members of the NDP (New Democratic Party) will start to receive their voting information in the mail. Members can choose to vote immediately upon receiving their information. Below are the details on how to vote as released from Leadership 2012 How To Vote There are four ways you can vote for the next
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Candidate Analysis – Brian Topp
As promised, let’s take a look at each of the NDP’s leadership candidates through the lens of my three basic considerations – starting in reverse alphabetical order with Brian Topp. 1. What direction will he set for the NDP? Topp has been more clear than any other candidate in the
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Impressions and Analysis from the Winnipeg NDP Leadership Debate
The following is my impressions of the candidates and discussion of various issues raised in the Winnipeg NDP Leadership Debate. Past debate coverage: Ottawa | Toronto | Halifax Brian Topp: I believe that Brian Topp won this debate. I don’t say that lightly; in every other debate thus far I have
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Candidate Rankings – February 26, 2012
Today’s debate didn’t do much to resolve the continued uncertainty surrounding the NDP’s leadership campaign, particularly among the candidates I’ve had ranked between 2nd and 5th for the bulk of the race. But let’s see if the last week has changed any of the rankings… 1. Thomas Mulcair (1) Mulcair
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
Assorted news from the past few days in the NDP leadership race. – While Niki Ashton had already introduced her justice plan, she re-emphasized her commitment to decriminalizing marijuana and treating addictions as illnesses rather than prosecutable offences in the wake of support for the principle from provincial Attorneys General
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
A quick survey of what’s happened in the NDP leadership campaign over the past couple of days… – Niki Ashton has rightly criticized other candidates’ operatives who seem to be working to push her out of the race. But the behind-the-scenes maneuvering may only backfire it if gives Ashton and
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: “Dion syndrome” is revisionist history masking self-interest
Leadership races are always places for amusing and nonsensical spin, and the current NDP race is no exception with some participants warning against a supposedly deadly, but entirely fictional, new malady: Dion syndrome. Named for former Liberal leader Stephane Dion, it’s meant to describe the horror of a candidate that
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