ok
so this is the way i see it
the lib is already center right, so all those red tories will move over to the libs.
which leaves the ca/pc w. the same problems it has always had (there are only a certain amount of far right aholes in canada)
and the ndp will position themselves as a center left, which will allow them to have a role they usually do not have.
so we know have this glom of parties in the middle, and no real far left (we do have a gelded far right)
so discuss
― anthony easton (anthony), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 09:26 (twenty-two years ago)
The way responsibilities are separated between the federal government and the provincial and territorial governments kinda kills any chance the NDP has at having much more power federally. One way of thinking about it is that the feds dole out the money and the provinces spend it, and we're mostly too chickenshit to allow a party that would love to have wealth distributed more evenly running things, though several provinces (mine included) kinda like the way the NDP tries to spend the money on things like healthcare and education (two provincial responsibilities). This is an obvious oversimplification but give me a break - I'm really sleepy! Sorry if I wrecked your thread, Ant.
― Bryan (Bryan), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)
I think we're looking forward to about 10 to 15 years of Liberal majority governments. We may see an NDP opposition government in there somewhere.
― Bryan (Bryan), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)
The far left isn't geographically concentrated enough to win much. But yeah, the NDP "will be a force to be reckoned with come the election".
― sym (shmuel), Tuesday, 13 January 2004 09:51 (twenty-two years ago)
eight years pass...
Went to a leadership event in Montreal today.
The worst news is that the candidate I like best, in terms of instincts and heart, simply cannot compete in French. (His name is Paul Dewar.)
The bad news is that the candidate whose ideas I like best, in editorials, essays and even on stage, has a sort of unpleasant anti-charisma. (His name is Brian Topp.)
The good news is that Nathan Cullen is a much stronger candidate than I realized. He is funny, smart, with good instincts and boatloads of charm. He was the only non-bilingual candidate for whom clumsy French didn't seem like an obstacle.
The ambivalent news is that man, Thomas Mulcair is impressive when speaking in French to his hometown crowd. He knows the Quebec issues better than any other candidate and sometimes felt like the only adult in the room. (This was because the "debate" was 95% en français, putting everyone else at a disadvantage.) But I still think he's probably a smug asshole, and I'm still not sure I like his -politics-. Even setting aside the Israel/Palestine thing, he came down as a hardliner in terms of Quebec self-governance (and provincial power). (This will play well to the Péquistes, but I am not sure how I feel about it.)
― sean gramophone, Monday, 16 January 2012 04:27 (fourteen years ago)