In his column today, Rick Salutin offers a withering assessment of the NDP that I fear is all too accurate. In a phrase, what most ails the party is what might be termed ideological abandonment: You start noticing what they’re not, and haven’t been for a while. At their start,
Continue readingTag: The NDP
Politics and its Discontents: Is Left-Wing Populism The Answer?
While I personally don’t see anything on the horizon to resurrect the fortunes of the federal NDP, Avi Lewis thinks he has a winning strategy: embrace populism, something he thinks could galvanize Jagmeet Singh’s leadership. The key, he says, is to keep things simple: “Why go for something that you
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Tyranny Of Conformity
Yesterday, KirbyCairo wrote another of his thought-provoking posts, this one on the current plight of the federal NDP and its search for renewal. That prospect is dim, Kirby says, unless the party can break free from what he calls the top-down party st…
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Rex Murphy Praises Thomas Mulcair’s Stand on Bill C-51
Regular readers of this blog will know that I have no particular use for Rex Murphy. Yet last night I found myself in total agreement with him as he offered an eloquent rebuke of Harper’s Bill C-51 by praising NDP leader Thomas Mulcair’s opposition to it. You can watch his
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: More On Our Opposition Leaders
Two posts I recently wrote were highly critical of both Justin Trudeau and Thomas Mulcair for their apparent embrace, for political purposes, of Bill C-51, the bill that will serve only to further erode our civil liberties in the chimerical hope of containing terrorists threats to Canada. I expressed my
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Illusion Of Choice
I know that I am but one of millions who long for the day the Harper regime is electorally deposed. That day cannot come soon enough. Yet, along with countless others, I am also aware that merely electing a Liberal or NDP government may only mean a change in style,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Thomas Mulcair Speaks
Noted recently is the widespread criticism that both Justin Trudeau and Thomas Mulcair have earned by either their silence or their very timid comments about the slaughter in Gaza. While most Canadians have probably come to expect the reflexive uncritical endorsement of all things Israeli by the Harper regime, many
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Needed Voice
For those interested in a broader public policy discussion than has been permitted by our political ‘leaders’ thus far, the NDP nomination of journalist Linda McQuaig yesterday in Toronto Centre, Bob Rae’s old riding, is an auspicious beginning. No stranger to progressives, McQuaig has exposed the iniquities of gross income
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Scrutinizing the NDP
I am well past the age where I expect very much from our politicians, especially given the current level of disengagement among the Canadian electorate; because of that disengagement, the notion of electoral accountability has become merely a quaint and rather remote ideal. While I hate to admit it, for
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Pondering Pandeering Political Parties
I am long past the age where I expect very much from politicians of any stripe. While it is easy to target (and I frequently do!) the Harper-led Conservative Party as the party of the corporate agenda, it is also sadly true that both the Liberal Party and the NDP
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Egomania, Not Trudeaumania
Checking my Twitter feed this morning, I came upon a link to a story appearing in Sun News, an organization for which I usually refuse to spare the time of day, given its rather robust roster of strident, often hysterical voices desperately seeking to emulate the tone of Fox News.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Thomas Mulcair: Wastrel or Canny Investor?
Given the widespread support that the the NDP Leader of the The Official Opposition is enjoying these days, it is hardly surprising to see a public campaign to erode that support getting underway. The latest, of course, is the non-story of Thomas Mulcair remortgaging his house 11 times; as the
Continue readingIs It Just Me, or Does Anyone Else Find the Timing of the Latest Harpercon Ads a Tad Curious?
Yep, boys ‘n’ girls, the Harpercons have come out with a new shiny thing–an attack ad against the Liberal interim leader, Bob Rae. I guess it’s never too early to get a jump start on that election campaign now, is it? I mean, they better get chopping now!! Only 3
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 readingThe Anti-Choicer Loses Liberal Nomination For Toronto-Danforth And The Riding is the NDP’s To Lose
Well, I’m sure many Liberals can rest easy, for now–the fetus fetishist, Trifon Haitas, lost the nomination to advertising exec, Grant Gordon last night. There was concern that the Liberals being in such bad shape, that it was ripe for a take-over from single issue interest groups, like a fetus
Continue readingBarely Five Minutes After He Was Announced Leader of The Bloc Quebecois, Daniel Paille is Out of The Starting Gate
It’s official, Daniel Paille has won the Bloc Quebecois leadership with a little over 61% on the second ballot (they used a preferential voting system). Ahuntsic MP, Maria Mourani came in second and Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapedia’s rookie MP, Jean-Francois Fortin came in third and was knocked off the second round. I
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Rick Salutin Skewers the Mythology of the NDP and CBC’s Leftishness
My favorite columnist, Rick Salutin, has a brief video on The Star website in which he asserts that the NDP and the CBC are no more leftist than Rex Murphy, Kevin O’Leary, or Don Cherry. You can watch it here. Recommend this Post
Continue readingTrying To Understand Politics In Quebec These Days–Part 1–Is Sovereignty Really Dead? The Potential Resurrection of Gilles Duceppe
I had heard nothing from the federalist media, particularly from those from the right who say nothing but sovereignty is dead in la belle province. The evidence they have? Well, some polls, which I do take with a grain of salt–the usual suspects–Leger Marketing. Sadly, that is all most Quebecers
Continue readingHow can opposition battle Harper’s War Against Information when there’s no battle plan?
HillTimes: There are an estimated 1,500 communications staffers working in ministers’ offices and departments, including 87 in the PMO and PCO. (And don’t forget Sun Media, Postmedia, editorial board at Globe & Mail and 90 percent of the media.) Soon after Mr. Harper won power, the Prime Minister’s staff started
Continue readingHarpercons Cut Debate, Behave Like Dictators And The Biggest Story These Media Hacks Can Come up With is Pat Martin Tweeting the F-Bomb?
Oooh! Shiver me timbers! Pat Martin used the word “Fuck”. Wow! Not like he the first politician to use it publicly. Remember Senator Nancy Ruth’s shut the fuck up moment? And another, more forgettable moment from John the pitbull Baird? Yes, we do let them slide, don’ t we? But not
Continue reading