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NDP leadership race #121
Sat, 2012-03-10 21:06
#1
NDP leadership race #121
Sat, 2012-03-10 21:09
#2
Hilarious! Where does the msp dig up these jewels anyway? Seriously this almost sounds like more Liberal dirty tricks.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/is-ndp-challenger-mulcairs-attac...
Sat, 2012-03-10 21:47
#3
Pure smear campaign. Thier is no proof of that and plenty of motive for a Singh Topp fued without involving Mulcair. Besides if Mulcair wanted to team up with Singh Mulcair would be for more subtle in the attack against Topp, prehaps on Topps record in the Romanow gov.
Sat, 2012-03-10 22:24
#4
Geez, so Mulcair doesn't get "his hands dirty" - I guess we will know at convention but if everybody votes by mail-in ballot it will be too late.
Sat, 2012-03-10 22:27
#5
Indeed, Singh's attacks were so fierce that the party's chief electoral officer has issued a memo to all campaign teams warning that any candidate who uses unparliamentary language at future party-sponsored events will be cut off, a financial penalty imposed and a public apology required.
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together and conclude that Mr. Singh's continuing over-the-top and malicious attacks on Brian are part of a co-ordinated strategy, " says Topp campaign spokesman Jim Rutkowski.
"But you would have to ask Mr. Mulcair if he, or his campaign, is involved in any way."
The Singh camp did not respond to repeated requests for comment over several days.
However, Mulcair's campaign director denies Singh is acting on the Montreal MP's behalf.
So Singh camp isn't talking. Really hoping nothing happens tomorrow.
Sat, 2012-03-10 22:34
#6
After reading the article it reminds me of the 2008 federal election when E. May played the attack dog role for Dion against Layton. It so turned me off against the Greens (May) and the Liberals for being so dirty and underhanded - exactly the type of tactics and politics I don't want to see come into the NDP.
Sat, 2012-03-10 22:40
#7
jan... is there proof? No.
I don't doubt Singh may support Tom during the convention. But to say Singh is being Tom's attack dog is like saying Ashton is being Topp's attack dog. Pure speculation.
Ever think Singh just doesn't care for Topp especially after Topp was so dismissive of Singh during their first exchange?
Sat, 2012-03-10 22:42
#8
Singh is very much working for Mulcair, all the camps know that. Plus, they've all been trading questions and letting each other know the question that will be asked before the debate regardless (with some exceptions). Singh is also holding "polling places" where his supporters are suppose to come in and vote so that they can tell them to put Mulcair 2nd on the ballot. Such bullshit. Singh's finances are also suspect.
If Mulcair's smart, which he generally is, he will get Singh to ease up on Topp tomorrow and go after Nash or Cullen. But we'll see. Singh does dislike Topp personally, so it might just be more useless Topp bashing. Singh is by no means a complete puppet, but he is working for Mulcair.
Sat, 2012-03-10 22:42
#9
Mulcair stresses need to elect more women to parliamentLeadership candidate demonstrates the support of a strong team in every region of Canada
March 10, 2012
MONTREAL - Today, NDP Deputy Leader Thomas Mulcair announced his firm commitment to increase the number of female MPs in the NDP caucus and, at the same time, released his full campaign team of co-chairs.
Mulcair said: “According o the World Economic Forum, Canada ranks 36th in the participation and empowerment of women in politics. We land behind countries like Burundi, Latvia and Guyana.”
“In 2006 and 2011, our party set new records for electing women to parliament, but there’s still work to be done. Only about 25% of MPs today are women and even in our own party it’s only about 40%. As leader I will work tirelessly to make that number reach and surpass 50%” he added.
“In order to achieve that goal, we have to stop believing that running 50% female candidates is enough. We have to elect women MPs–that’s the goal. That means recruiting female candidates in ridings we can win and making the participation of women a central part of our candidate search process.”
Paula Simon, former co-chair of the federal women’s council said: “Beyond Tom’s obvious qualities as a leader, I am very pleased with his straight-forward commitment to equality in Canada. Be it his plan to nominate women to at least 50% of all federal boards and agencies or his commitment to increase the number of women in the NDP’s federal caucus, I am convinced that Thomas Mulcair will help us take the next step on women’s equality.”
On Friday, Thomas Mulcair also released final details of his full campaign team, from coast to coast to coast. Mirroring the federal NDP executive’s regional structure, the members are:
National co-chairs:
Renée Taylor, co-chair of the Ontario New Democratic Youth
Lorne Nystrom, former MP from Saskatchewan and former leadership candidateAtlantic co-chairs:
Paula Simon, former co-chair of the federal NDP’s Women’s Council &Vice-president of the NS NDP
Dominic Cardy, Leader of the New Brunswick NDPQuebec co-chairs:
Marie-Claude Morin, MP for St-Hyacinthe–Bagot
François Lapointe, MP for Montmagny—L’Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-LoupOntario co-chairs:
Theresa Kavanagh, veteran coordinator in the parliamentary Whip’s office
The Hon. Stephen Foster, retired Judge at the Ontario Court of Justice (Criminal division)Prairie co-chairs:
Rachelle Devine, former federal candidate in Kildonan—St-Paul
Wil Olive, Vice president of the Saskatchewan NDPBC co-chairs:
Heather Harrison, Treasurer of the BC NDP
Michael Byers, former federal NDP candidate in Vancouver-CentreNorthern co-chair:
Mark Heyck, Deputy Mayor of YellowknifeA complete list of provincial co-chairs and endorsers are also available on Mr. Mulcair’s website.
Great to see a member of the youth wing as one of Tom's national co-chairs!
Sat, 2012-03-10 22:47
#10
Singh is very much working for Mulcair, all the camps know that. Plus, they've all been trading questions and letting each other know the question that will be asked before the debate regardless (with some exceptions). Singh is also holding "polling places" where his supporters are suppose to come in and vote so that they can tell them to put Mulcair 2nd on the ballot. Such bullshit. Singh's finances are also suspect.
If Mulcair's smart, which he generally is, he will get Singh to ease up on Topp tomorrow and go after Nash or Cullen. But we'll see. Singh does dislike Topp personally, so it might just be more useless Topp bashing. Singh is by no means a complete puppet, but he is working for Mulcair.
Who is Ashton working for? She had pointed questions for Tom and Dewar... actually the exact same question twice to Tom so let's hope if she does it again tomorrow, she'll at least have a new question...
Maybe she's working for Peggy?
See how foolish this is when it's applied elsewhere?
Sat, 2012-03-10 22:54
#11
Quick comment here - does anyone else find it strange that the CEO weighs in on something that happened six days ago, rather than when it just happened. If there was indeed a problem, why not address it immediately after the debate?
If there was a problem with Martin Singh's behaviour, why is it only being raised now, after a Topp-planted story in the media with no credible named sources.
Sat, 2012-03-10 23:04
#12
Singh's attack on Topp was so bitter and personal that it was obvious he did not have to be encouraged by anyone. Topp has run a bit of a nasty campaign himself. Topp was originally one of my first choices. He has slipped down a few notches in my estimation. Still I thought Singh's attack was out of line.
Sat, 2012-03-10 23:21
#13
Who is Ashton working for? She had pointed questions for Tom and Dewar... actually the exact same question twice to Tom so let's hope if she does it again tomorrow, she'll at least have a new question... Maybe she's working for Peggy? See how foolish this is when it's applied elsewhere?
Except Ashton is working for herself and her own place in the party. This point does nothing to contradict my assertions. It is indeed foolish when applied to other circumstances that don't exist.
Sat, 2012-03-10 23:58
#14
Who is Ashton working for? She had pointed questions for Tom and Dewar... actually the exact same question twice to Tom so let's hope if she does it again tomorrow, she'll at least have a new question... Maybe she's working for Peggy? See how foolish this is when it's applied elsewhere?Except Ashton is working for herself and her own place in the party. This point does nothing to contradict my assertions. It is indeed foolish when applied to other circumstances that don't exist.
And Singh isn't running for himself and his own place in the party?
Does everything to contradict your total speculation.
Sun, 2012-03-11 00:08
#15
And Singh isn't running for himself and his own place in the party? Does everything to contradict your total speculation.Who is Ashton working for? She had pointed questions for Tom and Dewar... actually the exact same question twice to Tom so let's hope if she does it again tomorrow, she'll at least have a new question... Maybe she's working for Peggy? See how foolish this is when it's applied elsewhere?Except Ashton is working for herself and her own place in the party. This point does nothing to contradict my assertions. It is indeed foolish when applied to other circumstances that don't exist.
Of course Singh is running for his place in th party.
Sun, 2012-03-11 00:11
#16
I was lucky enough today to get another call from someone in the Mulcair campaign.They asked me the usual questions they do, "will you be supporting Tom", "Are you leaning towards him?", and I gave my usual replies, "I'm undecided", and "He's one of my top choices". Then they asked me if their was anything I wanted to know that might sway me into supporting him, which gave me the chance to ask him what role party members would play in the party if Mulcair were to become leader. They said that it was a good question, but they didn't have the answer. So they offered to have someone call me back at a later time who had the information. We'll see what happens, but overall I was pretty pleased with the call. That's one thing I do like about the Mulcair Campaign, they always have a real person call, and they've always been civil and nice.
Other than that, I've gotten one call from the Cullen Campaign, which was an actual person, who was also very nice and civil. And I've gotten plenty of robocalls from the Dewar Campaign, the most recent of which was just yesterday I think.
Anyway, has anyone else heard about the Tele-Townhall Nathan Cullen will be holding on Monday night? I got an e-mail about it today and decided to sign up for it.
Sun, 2012-03-11 00:22
#17
And Singh isn't running for himself and his own place in the party? Does everything to contradict your total speculation.
No speculation, those assertions are fact. You are a mulcair supporter creating smoke to detract from those facts. You may or may not be involved enough in Mulcair's campaign to know what's going on. Either way I don't care.
There are different ways to run for oneself. Singh has tied himself to his assumed future leader, Mulcair, with eyes on a seat in Nova Scotia. Ashton has recently tried to take up some space questioning the front runner, as opposed to her earlier dumb plays in the leadership asking questions to a nobody like Singh.
Sun, 2012-03-11 00:25
#18
Still I thought Singh's attack was out of line.
+1
Sun, 2012-03-11 00:27
#19
Don't you know on babble all slander is true until proven false? You guys have no evidence that these conspiracies aren't happening. The rumors were repeated in a random editorial with no evidence and two guys on a web forum say that everyone knows the rumors are true, so unless you have some evidence against it...
Sun, 2012-03-11 00:39
#20
Ashton has recently tried to take up some space questioning the front runner, as opposed to her earlier dumb plays in the leadership asking questions to a nobody like Singh.
This is needless. Singh = a nobody, Ashton = dumb [when she asks Singh a question]
What kind of attitude does this project towards other NDPers participated in this leadership debate? The words dismissive and perhaps rude come to my mind.
On these counts, maybe we could roll back the tape to when Topp dismissed Singh's comments about Topp's capital gains tax plan hurting charities, by saying Singh could not have read Topp's plan. That is saying that Singh, a guy who has built a Canada-wide business, has three university degrees, writes and researches his own novel policy papers, and serves prominently with various charities and his religious community is some kind of "nobody" who is too "dumb" to understand (or read about) taxes.
Sun, 2012-03-11 00:47
#21
Not that it matters, but this part of the Singh slur article is wrong:
At the Winnipeg debate two weeks ago, Singh repeatedly went after former party president Topp over his proposal to eliminate the tax exemption on most capital gains. Singh maintained the proposal would be devastating for charities, including a sexual health organization with which he's involved."I am terrified of the impact your plan would have on our work protecting a woman's right to choose," he said.
Topp replied that his proposal could be tweaked to protect charities but Singh wasn't satisfied, at one point urging Nash to join in his condemnation of Topp. She declined.
Topp didn't reply that it "could" be tweaked. He replied that there charitable donations "would" be exempted under his plan, which is not what is written in the document. What was written in the document is that 100% of capital gains are taxed with exemptions for small business and farms. The lack of mention of any exemption for charitable donations is what Singh was innappropriately calling Topp a "liar" over.
Sun, 2012-03-11 00:55
#22
topp's campaign has collapsed to the point that if singh had decided that mulcair was his ticket, he wouldn't be going after topp, he'd be doing everything he could to take out nash. don't take it from me, ask a topp campaigner. what's far more likely in all this is that singh was annoyed at topp's embarrassing him with the whole "if you'd actually read my plan" line, singh wanted to punish topp for that personal affront, singh wants to make his relevance to the ndp shown by a good show of strength among his core constituents - the only real competition for which comes from topp via his organizers' connections in the south asian community - and singh doesn't want to go out first at convention. it's not rocket science, and these "this guy is in the employ of mulcair"-type lines actually suggest that these other camps (probably just topp's, actually) are trying to restore morale in a campaign that pretty much hasn't any excitement left. i won't say i like this sort of campaigning, but it's pretty shrewd and obvious, so it's hard to hold it against them.
Sun, 2012-03-11 01:00
#23
Pathetic!!!
Seeing as u don't have any proof whatsoever of this absurd smearing of NDP candidates, u need to retract this nonsense and apologise.
Singh is very much working for Mulcair, all the camps know that. Plus, they've all been trading questions and letting each other know the question that will be asked before the debate regardless (with some exceptions). Singh is also holding "polling places" where his supporters are suppose to come in and vote so that they can tell them to put Mulcair 2nd on the ballot. Such bullshit. Singh's finances are also suspect.
If Mulcair's smart, which he generally is, he will get Singh to ease up on Topp tomorrow and go after Nash or Cullen. But we'll see. Singh does dislike Topp personally, so it might just be more useless Topp bashing. Singh is by no means a complete puppet, but he is working for Mulcair.
Sun, 2012-03-11 01:01
#24
If I were Singh I would boycott the next debate. He's been publicly slurred by Topp's campaign. What's more, the federal party has taken Topp's side and rushed to publicly reprimand (and threaten) Singh for the liar comment while Topp's more baseless slur will almost certainly be allowed to stand. This is hardly the Topp campaign's first slur against a fellow candidate.
This next debate is unlikely to help Singh's chances that much (he has already been to all the other debates) but boycotting it could cause enough of a controversy to generate real blowback on the Topp campaign and the party, when the media start to probe the question of whether or not double standards have been applied in the party's decision to issue a reprimand. Singh might even enjoy a sympathy wave if NDPers feel he is being targetted unfairly. Singh certainly has no obvious connections to the party establishment, big money, nor was he ever touted as some unassailable frontrunner ("Topp is the perfect candidate" -Romanow). The optics point to David vs. Goliath, whatever the truth may be.
Topp & co should re-read Jack's letter that Topp helped him write and consider whether negative campaigning is still the best route. I don't recall a line in that letter about how it is "better to be feared than loved."
Sun, 2012-03-11 03:52
#25
I can say definitively if Singh was in the bag for Tom it would be waaaaaaaaaay more helpful for him to instruct his 6,000+ supporters to support Mulcair on 2nd ballot than it would be to launch a tone deaf attack on a 5th place candidate in a debate.
Sun, 2012-03-11 04:03
#26
Singh is very much working for Mulcair, all the camps know that. Plus, they've all been trading questions and letting each other know the question that will be asked before the debate regardless (with some exceptions). Singh is also holding "polling places" where his supporters are suppose to come in and vote so that they can tell them to put Mulcair 2nd on the ballot. Such bullshit. Singh's finances are also suspect. If Mulcair's smart, which he generally is, he will get Singh to ease up on Topp tomorrow and go after Nash or Cullen. But we'll see. Singh does dislike Topp personally, so it might just be more useless Topp bashing. Singh is by no means a complete puppet, but he is working for Mulcair. Singh has tied himself to his assumed future leader, Mulcair, with eyes on a seat in Nova Scotia.
At 3:00PM ET Sunday we'll find out. But I had read that Singh plans to run in Brampton. Makes sense. With growth in Halifax, I foresee a reconfigured seat called Pictou--Musquodoboit Valley--Sackville where the NDP might have a chance (will Peter MacKay run there?), but Brampton looks more appropriate.
topp's campaign has collapsed to the point that if singh had decided that mulcair was his ticket, he wouldn't be going after topp, he'd be doing everything he could to take out nash.
Or perhaps Topp's campaign hasn't collapsed? I think well over 30% of voters are still undecided.
Sun, 2012-03-11 04:19
#27
topp's campaign has collapsed to the point that if singh had decided that mulcair was his ticket, he wouldn't be going after topp, he'd be doing everything he could to take out nash.
Or perhaps Topp's campaign hasn't collapsed? I think well over 30% of voters are still undecided.
Possibly, but its hard to say where those 30% might go. I don't think Topp is getting as much traction as some figured he might a few months ago, although I think it is overstating it to say his campaign has collapsed.
Sun, 2012-03-11 08:42
#28
I don't doubt if Singh does move to Mulcair at some point, Rakhmetov will claim total vindication.
And he's covered if it doesn't happen:
It's not clear how Singh is going to play this out, but it appears he might announce he's throwing his support to Mulcair after seeing how he does on the first ballot, but will have had his organizers turning out Mulcair 2nd choice votes as soon as the voting began. I don't think it's going to work though....
There was a plan, it just didnt work.
Heads, I win. Tails, you lose.
Sun, 2012-03-11 09:01
#29
I'm lost, what is this slur the Topp campaign launched on Singh. You mentioned that Howard.
And if I havent heard of it, how is the CEO supposed to admonish the Topp campaign for it? You think the CEO is supposed to get involved in stories that circulate around?
As to why is the CEO only [obliquely] admonishing Singh 6 days after the comments. Simple: CEO's are picked because they are cautious people who dont shoot from the hip. And what of it if he was influenced by possible direct Topp campaign complaints to him. PART of whether you think actions/behaviour require a comment is how it is taken by other camps.
Rhakmetov is by no means the only one who goes bouncing off on conspiracy theories based on things heard.
Sun, 2012-03-11 09:40
#30
*
Sun, 2012-03-11 10:23
#31
One last reminder to all Toronto New Democrats:
You are invited to watch the last debate with the Toronto Mulcair Team
at TOBY'S , 411 College St (just east of Bathurst)
Today at 3:00 pm.
Sun, 2012-03-11 10:46
#32
Don't you know on babble all slander is true until proven false? You guys have no evidence that these conspiracies aren't happening. The rumors were repeated in a random editorial with no evidence and two guys on a web forum say that everyone knows the rumors are true, so unless you have some evidence against it...
Lmfao. +1.
I think its time to put the conspicy theories to bed, its time to move past the Thomas Mulcair as doctor evil trope.
Sun, 2012-03-11 11:11
#33
I'm lost, what is this slur the Topp campaign launched on Singh. You mentioned that Howard.
And if I havent heard of it, how is the CEO supposed to admonish the Topp campaign for it? You think the CEO is supposed to get involved in stories that circulate around?
As to why is the CEO only [obliquely] admonishing Singh 6 days after the comments. Simple: CEO's are picked because they are cautious people who dont shoot from the hip. And what of it if he was influenced by possible direct Topp campaign complaints to him. PART of whether you think actions/behaviour require a comment is how it is taken by other camps.
Rhakmetov is by no means the only one who goes bouncing off on conspiracy theories based on things heard.
Re-read the article. Singh is called Mulcair's attack dog and Jim Rutkowski, Brian Topp's campaign manager is the one that is pushing the lines, on the public record. Jim Rutkowski even says that it is the Mulcair campaign that should explain itself, not Singh. So not only is Singh slurred in a lengthy and quote riddled article as an "attack dog," Jim Rutkowski promotes the "he's a nobody" line forget about him and persecute Mulcair. Again...with what evidence? With what respect for your fellow candidates? Brian Topp campaign = "worst team players" hands down.
Sun, 2012-03-11 11:24
#34
Martin Singh may wish to ask Thomas Mulcair a question at today's debate. Will Mr. Singh ask a hard or soft question? I will guess that he will try not to ask any questions to Peggy Nash or Brian Topp as they will likely have a prepared response against him.
Sun, 2012-03-11 11:51
#35
Boom Boom
Interview with Thomas Mulcair on CTV's Question Period in a few minutes!
ETA: oops - I'm watching Newfoundland TV, so times will be different.
Sun, 2012-03-11 11:53
#36
Martin Singh may wish to ask Thomas Mulcair a question at today's debate. Will Mr. Singh ask a hard or soft question? I will guess that he will try not to ask any questions to Peggy Nash or Brian Topp as they will likely have a prepared response against him.
If Martin Singh asks Thomas Mulcair a hard question, it is proof that he is Mulcair's attack dog and now, once exposed, must cover his tracks. All together now: conspiracy! conspiracy! conspiracy! Martin Singh = a robot mind controlled by Thomas Mulcair. Weeeeee! 
Sun, 2012-03-11 12:00
#37
Interview with Thomas Mulcair on CTV's Question Period in a few minutes!
ETA: oops - I'm watching Newfoundland TV, so times will be different.
It looks like it is one of those relay interviews, where Mulcair has already been taped for answers, and Craig Oliver just has to watch them then write his own questions.
Sun, 2012-03-11 13:00
#38
Boom Boom
The host of QP (Bob Fife?) said Craig Oliver interviewed Mulcair a day ahead so as to not interfere with Mulcair's debate preparation. Mulcair denied any deals whatsoever with the other candidates, and said the hype going around about something happening between him and Martin Singh is pure fabrication. He also eviscerated Nathan Cullen's co-operation plan, saying he is committed to fielding a full team of good, progressive NDP candidates across the country.
Sun, 2012-03-11 13:14
#39
Just came across this:
http://www.globalnews.ca/video/ndp+leadership+candidate+brian+topp+with+...
For the Topp supporters out there, please start watching at around the 7 min. mark.
***
I really hate to promote Tom Clark, (who I always found to be an American wannabe and a sometimes pale imitation of Bill O'reilly) but Topp's answer would have been disasterous in an election campaign. I've already voted him no.2, but the gap b/w him and Mulcair just seems to grow wider day by day.
Sun, 2012-03-11 13:17
#40
He also eviscerated Nathan Cullen's co-operation plan, saying he is committed to fielding a full team of good, progressive NDP candidates across the country.
308? Good luck, Tom.
Sun, 2012-03-11 13:18
#41
Prove it!
These comments and several others by this BD poster are absolute unmitigated bullshit.
Don't fall into this really dumb trap by someone who is not even involved with the NDP.
And Singh isn't running for himself and his own place in the party? Does everything to contradict your total speculation.No speculation, those assertions are fact. You are a mulcair supporter creating smoke to detract from those facts. You may or may not be involved enough in Mulcair's campaign to know what's going on. Either way I don't care.
There are different ways to run for oneself. Singh has tied himself to his assumed future leader, Mulcair, with eyes on a seat in Nova Scotia. Ashton has recently tried to take up some space questioning the front runner, as opposed to her earlier dumb plays in the leadership asking questions to a nobody like Singh.
Sun, 2012-03-11 13:31
#42
seems that mulcair's concerned about cullen. he should use his "liberals are untrustworthy" line, i like that one.
Sun, 2012-03-11 13:39
#43
Moving on from the BS...
Does anyone want to link me to a site where I can catch a livestream of the debate this afternoon?
Sun, 2012-03-11 13:45
#44
Sun, 2012-03-11 13:53
#45
Just came across this:
http://www.globalnews.ca/video/ndp+leadership+candidate+brian+topp+with+...
Thanks. Great interview.
Topp's answer would have been disasterous in an election campaign.
Which one? The number of people who earn more than $250,000? It says here that it's 213,000 Canadians. That's 0.6% of the population; like, "1%."
http://worthwhile.typepad.com/worthwhile_canadian_initi/2011/11/public-policy-and-jobpublicity-opportunities-for-economics-students.html#more
Is that a scary number? Not to me.
Sun, 2012-03-11 14:03
#46
i just received a fundraising call for the danforth by-election, promised them $100 once i receive my leadership voting package. he game me another number:
866-525-5555 ex8001 - haven't tried it out yet, but just fyi
Sun, 2012-03-11 14:04
#47
Topp's answer would have been disasterous in an election campaign.
Which one? The number of people who earn more than $250,000? It says here that it's 213,000 Canadians. That's 0.6% of the population; like, "1%."
http://worthwhile.typepad.com/worthwhile_canadian_initi/2011/11/public-policy-and-jobpublicity-opportunities-for-economics-students.html#moreIs that a scary number? Not to me.
I think Doofy meant the fact that Topp couldn't provide the # on air to one of his central policies, something he's been asked about a lot and should have expected it to come up in this interview. He should have been better prepared to answer.
Sun, 2012-03-11 14:16
#48
LIVE 3pm ET / 12pm PT Rebroadcast at 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Live from Vancouver, British Columbia, the NDP all-candidates debate titled 'Opportunities for young and new Canadians'.
Sun, 2012-03-11 14:20
#49
CBC is carrying the debate live.
Sun, 2012-03-11 14:22
#50
Thanks G
http://accidentaldeliberations.blogspot.com/2012/03/leadership-2012-roun...
PS: What, if anything, do you think the Occupy movement contributed to Canadian politics?
NC: It opened up a question for many people: how did we end up with such a rigged system? The movement has tapped a sentiment and asked the questions that are important to people, but it remains to be seen what we all are going to do about it.
- In the same Planet S interview series featuring Cullen, Mulcair offered this on the effect of the Occupy movement:
PS: What, if anything, do you think the Occupy movement contributed to Canadian politics?
TM: It was a wake-up call that the root causes of the crash of ’08 have not been addressed, and there are a lot of people in our society who are being left behind. The people who brought that crash are still in charge and they’re still making the same decisions. I can tell you that a lot of the analysis that is being done by leaders of the Occupy movement has a foundation in fact, and it’s the first time since the environmental movement in the ‘60s that the public has taken such direct action.
But it does seem to have run out of steam. More long term, the answer is going to have to be political.
Sun, 2012-03-11 14:42
#51
For those of you who have not seen Mulcair's interview with Craig Oliver on CTV's Question Period I highly recommend it. Tom comes acroos highly sophisticated, and charasmatic, with his fingers on the pulse of what matters most to Canadians. He is very media savvy and has had quite an amazin's leadership campaign coming from a base of few NDP party members in Quebec to the strong force it is now, and also taking on the party establishment.
Quite impressive!
PS And let's clear up some of the nonsense that is floating around here: Tom has never been in any negotiations with any of the other candidates concerning 2nd ballot support, and as Tom has just said on QP these rumours do quite at disservice to Martin Singh who is one of our 7 NDP learadership candidates and who is making a major contribution towards growing the NDP, so that hopefully we can form the Canadian government sometime soon.