NDP not ready for official opposition role, academic says

[Locutus]

OTTAWA -* The nine candidates in the race to replace Jack Layton as leader of the federal NDP face an uphill climb as they try to build a national alternative to the Conservative government.

"The NDP as it is right now is really not up to prime time," said Quebec-based academic and author William Johnson. "They don't have, so far, the policies of a government-in-waiting."

Johnson says the NDP managed to displace the Bloc in the House of Commons in the May 2 election by presenting itself as a nationalist alternative with a chance of forming government.

However, he hasn't heard any leadership candidate try to roll back the NDP's Quebec-centredness.
"Several of (the NDP's) positions are simply Bloc (Quebecois) positions that cannot be accepted cross-country," said Johnson.

The NDP has demanded Quebec get at least 24% of Commons seats regardless of its population.




more


Sun News : NDP not ready for official opposition role, academic says

 

[WLDB]

Indeed, one of the major screw ups in the party. Too afraid of losing Quebec.

 

[mentalfloss]

I thought they were already the official opposition?

I could be wrong though... Maybe the Sun should check for sour grapes. I'm sure Clement has a few to spare.

 

[Mowich]

Rick Mercer did a hilarious segment on how many people are now running for the leadership of the NDP - it really is too funny. Candidates themselves can't even name all those with their hats in the ring.

 

[Colpy]

The NDP are idiots.

NDP ad backfires with use of wrong gun - The Globe and Mail

 

[Nuggler]

"academic"..................."sun news" Just substitiute Iggy and Fox North. bout a good fit.

that says it all.

Like it or not, they have been named the "official opposition"

Still, instead of going for effect of a pic of a nasty gun, they should have done some research.............such as maybe Harpo should do with regards to the "increase in crime", or the "need" for expensive jets, get tough on crime, new prisons..........etc. All that stuff that has worked so very well in the US of d'oh.

NDP doesn't have a patent on idiocy.

 

[Colpy]

"academic"..................."sun news" Just substitiute Iggy and Fox North. bout a good fit.

that says it all.

Like it or not, they have been named the "official opposition"

Still, instead of going for effect of a pic of a nasty gun, they should have done some research.............such as maybe Harpo should do with regards to the "increase in crime", or the "need" for expensive jets, get tough on crime, new prisons..........etc. All that stuff that has worked so very well in the US of d'oh.

NDP doesn't have a patent on idiocy.

They certainly do not....just look at mandatory sentencing and tougher marijuana laws.....but the dear old National Dimwit Party rarely gets anything right......

 

[WLDB]

They're going too far. Even for me.

 

[Nuggler]

They certainly do not....just look at mandatory sentencing and tougher marijuana laws.....but the dear old National Dimwit Party rarely gets anything right......

Yah, that pot rule's gonna make for a lot of unhappy tokers.

Just as long as they leave my beer legal.

And stay away from my still.

 

[taxslave]

Yah, that pot rule's gonna make for a lot of unhappy tokers.

Just as long as they leave my beer legal.

And stay away from my still.

I wouldn't worry too much about the still. The city bureaucrats wouldn't know a still if they got drunk on designer wines and tripped over it.

 

[Colpy]

Got to love it! lol

 

[JLM]

OTTAWA -* The nine candidates in the race to replace Jack Layton as leader of the federal NDP face an uphill climb as they try to build a national alternative to the Conservative government.

"The NDP as it is right now is really not up to prime time," said Quebec-based academic and author William Johnson. "They don't have, so far, the policies of a government-in-waiting."

Johnson says the NDP managed to displace the Bloc in the House of Commons in the May 2 election by presenting itself as a nationalist alternative with a chance of forming government.

However, he hasn't heard any leadership candidate try to roll back the NDP's Quebec-centredness.
"Several of (the NDP's) positions are simply Bloc (Quebecois) positions that cannot be accepted cross-country," said Johnson.

The NDP has demanded Quebec get at least 24% of Commons seats regardless of its population.




more


Sun News : NDP not ready for official opposition role, academic says

Yeah, N.D.P.s standings in the last election is a bit of an analogy, they'll settle back to about 30-35 seats.

 

[damngrumpy]

First of all they said the NDP would never get off the ground, and they did.
Second they said the NDP would never last on the political stage, they did
They said the NDP would never be an effective force in Canada, they are.
They said the NDP would never become the Official Opposition, they are.
Now they are saying they are not ready, not yet they have to pick a leader,
ready or not they are official opposition.
I think the New Democrats might even lose some ground in the next election
but they will be a force and a couple or three elections they may well be the
government, as all opposition parties are governments in waiting. There is a
culture out there that has a belief agenda, they play down the achievements
of any group they don't like. Two decades ago they were saying the Tories
would not become the dominant party in Canadian politics and they are.
The Liberals would never be reduced to a rump, they are.
I think love them or hate them, the New Democrats will do a good job once
they master a better system for picking a leader. They are no longer just
another party and they haven't figured that out yet. Its like the Tories, they
have behaved like an opposition party until this year, and the Liberals were
still pretending they were relevant to Canadians, they are not.
Canadian politics is a different animal, right now they are trying to keep Quebec
happy and they will soon find out Quebec doesn't want to be happy. However,
remember Quebec is the grave yard of political parties. The Liberals are a
testament to that, the Tories before and after Brian Mulroney, and now the NDP
is facing some of the sting of Quebec politics. Winning that Province can of
course sometimes be like the kiss of death,.I sometimes support the NDP and
sometimes I have problems with where they are going. I do believe within a year
they will be very effective as an opposition. And yes with the Harper they have
time to adjust, he is going to be there for awhile.