[url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/02/17/pol-ndp-leadership-wrap... Brian Topp to ask Quebec MP to step aside if he wins[/url]
If Brian Topp wins the NDP leadership, one of the NDP's 58 Quebec MPs would be asked to resign so Topp could run in a byelection and get into the House of Commons "very quickly," the leadership candidate said. In an interview Thursday with Evan Solomon, host of Power & Politics, Topp said asking someone to step down to create a vacancy is a "delicate matter" but that he would do it. "I'm not going to name names and point at ridings, but I'm hoping to create an opportunity to get into the House as quickly as possible, yes," the Quebec native said. "Obviously in these circumstances you need to ask a colleague to give you a chance to run in a seat and that's what I'll do if I'm elected leader," Topp said.
I am posting this separate from the [url=http://rabble.ca/babble/canadian-politics/npdalmations]ongoing NDP leadership threads[/url] because rather than discussing the merits of this particular strategy, or the merits of the various leadership contenders in general, I was hoping to tap the knowledge of babblers to just figure out practically how Topp could do this. Where could he run? Topp doesn't want to name names now, and probably couldn't even if he wanted to. But we can speculate. My best guess is Hull-Aylmer, because of Nycole Turmel's age (she would be over 70 by the time of the next federal election) and the fact that she may prefer to exit on top as NDP leader rather than returning to a lesser shadow cabinet role after the end of the leadership race. Also there is no real Bloc threat in that riding (nor do the Conservatives have much strength there) so Topp would just have to get past the Liberals. Thoughts?