You’ve got to hand it to Bev Meslo — she’s got the fire.
Here’s my favourite part of the agenda for today’s NDP convention:
1:20 - Saying No to war in Iraq1:55 - Musical Interlude
If I was a member of the NDP, I would vote for Pierre Ducasse; he’s got a good stage presence, a sharp mind, he’s bicultural, and his ideas seem rational without compromising.
Of course my opinion doesn’t count in this; if I ever had hope of joining the Official Left in Canada, I dashed my hopes by daring to be critical of a Party Icon. Oh well. Politcally agnostic irony dealing is much more fun.
Update: What’s with the crazy “unions can buy votes with donations” scheme. This is democracy? Here’s what the official rules say:
The affiliate vote represents the organizational partnership of the NDP and its affiliated members, which are currently primarily labour unions. The affiliate vote will be weighted to represent 25% of the total vote.
The affiliate vote will be conducted on the basis of a delegated vote. Eligibility to participate will be determined on the basis of paid-up affiliated membership 45 days before the date of the vote and contributions to the Federal Party averaged over the previous four calendar years.
Eligibility to vote by affiliate local will be based on one delegate for the first 1,000 members or less and one delegate for each additional 1,000 members or major fraction thereof. Notification of eligibility will be sent directly to each affiliated local 45 days prior to the day of the vote.
Eligibility to vote by contributory organization will be based on one ballot for each $1,000 average annual contribution over the previous four (4) calendar years. The CLC which is a major contributory organization will limit its eligibility to its Executive Officers and Political Action Staff who are delegates to the Convention. Notification of eligibility will be sent to each contributory organization no later than 45 days prior to the day of the vote.
What’s wrong with union members simply being NDP members, and voting like everyone else?
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Comments
Bev Meslo in person comes off
Bev Meslo in person comes off as a slightly less insane version of Deborah Kelly-Hawkes.
Comartin would be my choice for a party leader who would never get elected to the PMs office, but without a doubt Blakie, if he was able to lead the party to victory, would make — by far IMHO — the best prime minister out of the bunch that are running.
Just a little too smooth is Jack Leighton… I don’t know why that puts me off… I think he should ditch the moustache and the tightly wrapped confidence that would work very well *as* leader, but might just be too suspicious for him to win — even if he’s the front runner. I guess what I’m saying is that *if he doesn’t win, it will be because he wants to so badly*.
That needs a bit more
That needs a bit more ‘splainin’… I’ve seen Bev Meslo in person and wanted to shrink through the crack in the floor out of vicarious embarassment for a person incapable of feeling that emotion.
Comartin would be the best NDP leader (IMHO) if the party never forms a government because he’s as smart-and-a-half as the rest of the field put together. I really believe that a few towering intellects would be helpful in the Canadian parliament even if 95% of Canadians will think they’re just wierd — though, as an intellect, Comartin comes off almost as folksy as a certain blog-editor.
Pierre Ducasse absolutely
Pierre Ducasse absolutely nailed his speech at the convention - I didn’t know much about him (and still don’t) - but he is a fantastic public speaker.
I am impressed that SG
I am impressed that SG watched the convention speech not for any reason in personality but the demographic - does anyone outside of a union or over 45 who still wear the cords they bought in 1978 care anymore about the NDP at the national level? Then I remember Steve has what he calls analog wireless TV, and its 25 below outside with the wind so, Chez Garrity, its either the NDP convention or whatever ATV shows instead of Atlantic Grand Pre Wrasslin’.
Discussion about quilts at an
Discussion about quilts at an NDP Convention described by Don Newmann…more then I can take. Thank god for Superbowl Sunday!
Jack Layton wins in the first
Jack Layton wins in the first ballot.
“politically agnostic irony
“politically agnostic irony dealing” members are welcome to join particularly as the NDP party has always welcomed
debate within its membership about its directions and ideals - it is about ideas. This leadership race has included debates across the country and in EVERY province (including PEI) among all the leadership candidates where members of the public were welcomed and able to ask public policy questions - I have not seen that happen with the other federal parties. There are various views on a variety of issues which have led to debates on ideas and issues — and the leadership race has accomodated candidates who were able to enter the race on a shoestring budget and debate the future of the party across the country - Bev Meslo and Pierre Ducasse were able to do this and we are all richer for it.
I think there is a place for others as well including those who are “critical” of a party icon - although I think the last party icon was probably Stanley Knowles
or Tommy Douglas!
The voting procedure as described is the result of the
original CCF Alliance which included labour as well as individuals and is spelled out with limits as indicated in the policy — I do think that policy works better for most
Canadians than the leadership race for the Prime Ministership where Paul Martin Jr. has collected tens of millions of dollars of corporate money (which also garmers tax breaks to the contributors through the tax system) with little or no accountability. Perhaps with Chretien’s proposed change to electoral financing rules there will be changes in this area but there is resistance to this change within his party.
So would you like to join the efforts to have Ducasse
play a larger role not only within the party but also the
larger Canadian political landscape? Hope can top agnosticism and can add to the debate!
What I’m surprised about is
What I’m surprised about is that I can’t find the candidate speeches on the net anywhere — I mean the full feed. Did you happen to record any Pete? I’d love to see Ducasse’s a couple of times… missed it first time ‘round.
Here’s a transcript of
Here’s a transcript of Ducasse’s speach: http://www.pierreducasse.ca/sp…
Transcript schmanscript!
Transcript schmanscript! That’s like reading about Corn Flakes instead of eating them.
Oh, but thanks for the link..
Oh, but thanks for the link.. it’s useful from a historical point of view but does little to reveal the ‘other half’ of his intellect — that being the part so many lack; the ability to communicate a thought.
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