Not surprisingly, Thomas Mulcair won the NDP leadership last month, replacing Saint Jack Layton as the man social democrats hope can rally left-of-centre voters to defeat Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. Here’s hoping he’s successful, but as I argued in an earlier post, it seems unlikely that he will be, because
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Accidental Deliberations: Guest Post: The Progressive Consensus
Last week, I pointed out Greg Lyle’s polling showing that the NDP’s brand of social democracy enjoys plenty of popular support as a primary value system for a party seeking to form government. But reader Dan Tan looked at the numbers in a bit more detail and with an eye
Continue readingTrashy's World: Things that make you go hmmmm….
It has been confirmed that there was a deliberate hack attack at NDP convention which resulted in on-line voting problems. Question for someone who is far more technically adept than I: is this something that could be done by anyone with the right skills and knowledge? Or would it require
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Stephen Maher and Glen McGregor report that the Council of Canadians is leading the charge in challenging election results which may have been influenced by Robocon. And perhaps the most noteworthy point as to how the move may shine a spotlight on
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On early definition
It’s entirely predictable that far too many in the media are starting their coverage of Thomas Mulcair’s election as NDP leader with the Cons’ instant spin – in some cases even while showing plenty of optimism about Mulcair. (On that front, due credit to the Winnipeg Free Press for criticizing
Continue readingMulcair is the right pick for NDP, Canada
#cdnpoli #ndp #tm4pm #thomasmulcair #lpc #gpc A lot of hand wringing is going on at several levels within the NDP about picking a former Quebec Liberal cabinet minister to lead the NDP. Some of the traditionalists warn that this is the drift of the party to the right that they
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Weekend With the NDP
Friday: Mornings are sub-optimal for me. Mornings that begin at 5:30 are even less functional. Nevertheless, I found myself waking up at a time I think is more sensibly reserved for going to bed. After dressing, re-packing (after developing a sudden mania to fit everything I would need into only
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to start your week… – Remember the Cons’ talking point that we should assume all of the Robocon calls which purported to come from Lib candidates could safely be said to have come from that source? Because Glen McGregor and Stephen Maher just shot a massive hole in
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Dobbins on Mulcair – Serious Doubts
Tom Mulcair makes Murray Dobbins uncomfortable. In the latest Tyee, Dobbins succinctly lays out the problem: Two things shocked me about this race and its final two days. The first is that so many NDPers, part of a tightly-knit, hyper-loyal political culture steeped in progressive values could so casually elect
Continue readingFar and Wide: Challenges For Mulcair
Yesterday, I mused about Mulcair presenting a challenge to the Liberals. This assertion doesn’t equate to some belief that a Mulcair led NDP will sweep the nation and form government, only a relatively strong obstacle for the Liberals themselves, as we try to reassert ourselves on the political landscape, particularly
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: Post-#ndpldr, with Mulcair change will be more personality than politics
Leadership contests tend to create the appearance of stark differences where none really exist – it’s in the interests of both candidates looking to differentiate themselves and media looking for a meaningful race to cover. In reality, these differences are usually exaggerated, and governing tends to be a moderating influence
Continue readingtheKrellant.ca: Cat Reporter Infiltrates the NDP!
Risking all 9 of his lives, Cat Reporter infiltrated the NDP Leadership Convention to bring you the Cat Truth about their plans to overthrow the government–and paint 24 Sussex Orange!
Continue readingBlunt Objects: Mulcair Shows Liberals the Way to Do It
There is one reason I like Thomas Mulcair. It isn’t his politics, which while closer to me than any other possible NDP leader save for maybe Martin Singh, I still have major disagreements with. For instance, his insistence that Quebec gets a free opt-out of everything. Try following that to
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: #ndpldr pics, video and a few thoughts
It was a very long Saturday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre — about 12 hours for me, longer for others — for the NDP to arrive at what, for many, was an inevitable result: the election of Thomas Mulcair as their new leader. With Mulcair set to take his
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Bearded, Women, Leaders
It’s been 70 years since a major party leader had a beard, over 110 years since an opposition leader had one. A century ago facial hair used to be quite common, in Parliament and out. The NDPs selection of the bearded Thomas Mulcair as Leader makes one wonder, if beards
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Afternoon Links
Assorted content to end your weekend. – pogge rounds up last week’s news on the Robocon front – while the outside attack on the NDP’s leadership vote suggests that the block-the-vote crowd isn’t limiting its work to general elections. – Meanwhile, Dave connects some dots between the Harper Cons, the
Continue readingImpolitical: Change under Mulcair
Just wanted to note this nugget in a CBC report on NDP changes now that Mulcair is leader: B.C. MP Peter Julian will be caucus chair and Anne McGrath will remain chief of staff during the transition before leaving in June. But Brad Lavigne, who was the party’s national director
Continue readingJimBobby Sez: Ol’ JB Sings Again: They Picked Tom Mulcair
Whooee! Well, friends an’ foes, I spent some time watchin’ the big NDP leadership meetin’ yesterday an’ I got inspired to record up another catterwaulin’ youtube video. I reckon some Dippers’ll be kinda peeved on accounta they ain’t especially known fer their sense o’ humour an’ I’m takin’ a jab
Continue readingJimBobby Sez: Ol’ JB Sings Again: They Picked Tom Mulcair
Whooee! Well, friends an’ foes, I spent some time watchin’ the big NDP leadership meetin’ yesterday an’ I got inspired to record up another catterwaulin’ youtube video. I reckon some Dippers’ll be kinda peeved on accounta they ain’t especially known fer their sense o’ humour an’ I’m takin’ a jab
Continue readingJimBobby Sez: Ol’ JB Sings Again: They Picked Tom Mulcair
Whooee! Well, friends an’ foes, I spent some time watchin’ the big NDP leadership meetin’ yesterday an’ I got inspired to record up another catterwaulin’ youtube video. I reckon some Dippers’ll be kinda peeved on accounta they ain’t especially known fe…
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