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 readingTag: Peggy Nash
Impolitical: Tough analysis of Peggy Nash
By the Jurist: But it won’t be so easy to make up for any questions about unsure political footing once a new leader faces a Con government eager to spread banana peels everywhere then run attack ads about a lack of balance. Which is why Nash has gone from being
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 – Peggy Nash
From the start of the NDP’s leadership campaign, I’ve been just one of many commentators anticipating a final ballot of Thomas Mulcair vs. Peggy Nash. But while Mulcair still looks like a safe bet, Nash is looking less so – and the factors at play in that assessment match my
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 readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Candidate Rankings – February 19, 2012
We’ll get plenty more information about where the leadership campaign stands once we see how membership sales have turned out. But there’s been enough news in the past week to make one change to the rankings for now. 1. Thomas Mulcair (1) When I started these rankings, I clarified that
Continue readingUh, Peggy Nash, Just Because Charest likes User Fees for our Health Care System, Don’t mean Quebecers Support Them
Well, Peggy Nash, whatever respect I may have had for you is gone now. And many thought that if she won the leadership, she would steer the NDP further to the left! Ha! You see, boys ‘n’ girls, in some kind of misguided attempt to win over Quebec support, Ms
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: NDP Leadership Candidate Policy Comparisons: Israel/Palestine
The Israel/Palestine issue is the foreign policy issue to which politians are most expect to have a cogent answer to. It is a necessary right of passage and, for many, a litmus test for political support. Unlike many other countries and regions to which my research has not indicated extensive
Continue readingIn the NDP Quest For Votes, Nothing Is Sacred, Not Even The Canada Health Act
I am well past the age where disillusionment comes easily, so it did not really surprise me to read of Peggy Nash’s willingness to abandon the principles of the Canada Health Act in her quest for Quebec support. Just another reason to regard ‘political integrity’ as a contemporary oxymoron. Recommend
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
Apparently there have been a few developments in the NDP’s leadership race – and indeed enough that I’ll likely need to apply a bit more a filter on what I catalogue in my roundup posts. (In particular, I’ll generally stop pointing out survey or event-based coverage which doesn’t add much
Continue readingA Different Point of View....: NDP leadership candidates ducking biggest issue of our time
Heading into the final weeks of the NDP leadership race, the candidates still have not debated the most important challenge facing society — the destructive force of modern-day capitalism. How can a political party that calls itself “social democratic”, or even “progressive”, have a leadership campaign go on for several
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Too close to call
Apparently it only took yesterday’s flurry of polls to create the easy narratives the media has been craving in the NDP leadership campaign. But there’s plenty of reason for caution about the messages that have been drawn from the polling. To start off with, “Thomas Mulcair on top” isn’t exactly
Continue readingBlunt Objects: Dueling NDP Polls Show New Realities
So apparently NDP leadership candidates Paul Dewar, Thomas Mulcair, and Brian Topp have semi-released (Dewar maybe fully) internal campaign polls on the leadership race which are showing conflicting results. For a good analysis of the Dewar poll, read this Pundit’s Guide article. But here are these numbers as they’ve been
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Candidate Rankings – February 12, 2012
It’s undoubtedly been an eventful seven days in the NDP’s leadership campaign – and one of the most important weeks of the race is just around the corner as the membership deadline approaches. But does any of the activity change this week’s rankings? 1. Thomas Mulcair (1) Certainly not at
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
News and notes from the last few days as the deadline to sign up looms just a week away in advance of a convention that’s set to far exceed the turnout the NDP expected. – Niki Ashton responded to questions about whether she’d stay in the race with a strong
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Roundup
A few leadership notes covering the gap between Sunday’s informal debate and tonight’s version in Saskatoon… – Niki Ashton unveiled her justice platform, proposing a “judicare” program to ensure greater access to the legal system as well as soft drug decriminalization. – Nathan Cullen took questions from Aaron Wherry, featuring
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Leadership 2012 Candidate Rankings – February 5, 2012
Since it’s been a little while, I’ll offer another of my periodic caveats that these rankings are intended to reflect my perception as to how likely a particular candidate is to win the NDP’s leadership rather than my own preferences. So has anything changed on that front since last week?
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