888...NDP At A Crossroads

Your Toronto Star has a piece from Angelo Persichilli that summarizes the dilemma that Jack Layton and the Dippers are in. One can synthesize the problem to this concise paragraph:

There is a split in the party. There are some who are tired of being in opposition and want to be in government. Others would prefer to remain in opposition and keep preaching what is right for Canadians without being bothered by the annoying question of what is possible. Going in either direction presents some problems for the NDP leader. However, the worst decision is not to make one at all and risk losing both options.

We have seen this movie before with Ed Broadbent and I am willing to wager that Mr. Layton will dilly and dally and squander whatever political capital the NDP and their 36 seats have.

WFDS

674...Former Failed Leader Gives Advice To NDP

Ed Broadbent, who was a spectacular failure as a leader of the New Democratic Party, is now an elder statesman, eminent grise and all that of Canada's perennial fourth place national party. Mr. Broadbent gave a speech last night at the Dipper convention in Halifax that Michael Valpy of the Globe and Mail breathlessly reports was blah blah blah and blah.

Seriously, same old, same old.

Mr. Ed "...proclaimed the arrival of “a social democratic moment” in Canadian politics." in his speech.

Well, la di f'ing da. Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, from you, Mr. Ed, repeatedly in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and 2000's.

Tax the rich, social equality and on and on and on.

Again proving that he and they don't get it the New Democratic Party, which very well could be the Democratic Party when you read this, will still get destroyed in the next election, picking up its usual handful of seats here and there and ultimately contributing next to nothing to Parliament.

Not even bronze medalists they are tired. So tired.

WFDS

363...My Friend Steps Down

Personal friend of mine Penny Collenette has decided to not re seek the nomination for Ottawa Centre federally. This is being reported in the Ottawa Citizen online as we speak but I was aware of this, thanks to my sources [no I am not turning into Bourque!!!; that is how he spells his name, now, no?] around 2 pm this afternoon.

Mrs. Collenette was a brilliant candidate and would have continued to be such. Although displacing the heir to Ed Broadbent, Paul Dewar, the New Democrat representing Ottawa Centre on The Hill, if anyone was working hard enough to pull it off it was Penny.

She ain't dead though and said that she told the next Prime Minister of Canada, Mikey I. that "...he's not losing a candidate, he is gaining a fundraiser."

The only sad part of this story is that her husband, David Collenette, remains a Toronto Maple Leaf fan.

WFDS