Evening Star

Dion and Ignatieff are both academics who were uncomfortable, uncharismatic, and awkward as politicians and who both seemed a bit ambivalent and unsure on policy. Mulcair is the opposite of all of those things. He has the political speaking skills and intellectual combativeness of a Trudeau or young Mulroney. That said, considering that people voted for Harper and McGuinty, maybe awkward and uncharismatic is the way to the heart of the Canadian public these days! Anyway, the posts here are swaying me about Topp a little. I've enjoyed his writing in the Globe. If American Democrats can talk about raising upper-income tax rates, there's not really a reason why a left-leaning Canadian politician should not, considering our high-end marginal rates are lower. He could point to his background in SK as proof of his fiscal responsibility. I could vote for a party led by either him or Mulcair.

Are they any different from standard federal NDP policy?

I did catch the whole English 'debate'. (I streamed it the day after from the CBC site. You may be still able to find it there.) I'm feeling even more sure that Mulcair is my pick. I really enjoyed Cullen, actually. He had some good ideas and was generally just entertaining. He's not going to lead the party, obviously. I thought Ashton did quite well but I'll freely admit that hormones may be clouding my judgment. I agree with you about Chisholm and Nash. I don't know what you see in Singh, honestly. As far as I could tell, he mostly seemed to talk about his own business. Definitely didn't strike me as a serious candidate for leader of the Official Opposition. I actually thought it was a little obnoxious when Topp started pestering Dewar about how he would pay for his green energy plans. The question that had been asked was about the environment and it was fair for Dewar to want to stick to that topic. There were other times to discuss taxes. Still, it was maybe the only real moment of actual debate.

But don't you think it's a little weak to refuse to compromise and then to decide after the fact that the other guy may have been right after all? I mean, it is the sort of weak moment that could happen to any of us but still...

But this thread was not about Peter McKay's use of aircraft...

That's relieving!

I'm not sure what you see as the 'middle' but there has been a definite and dramatic shift in NDP policy for years now, and definitely over the course of Layton's leadership. It seems unquestionable if you compare their 2011 election platform with their 1993 platform, let alone if you go back to e.g. when they openly called for Canada to leave NATO. The Tories haven't 'flushed' the hardcore libertarians and fundamentalists from their party; they've just controlled how much influence they have over the party. I see no reason why the NDP can't do the same. I don't even think the Socialist Caucus has had much influence in forever.

What made it half-assed? Being a professor is a lot of work! (That said, I do agree that it's pretty obnoxious to say this in a tough time, especially when your Dad's a millionaire. I'd want to read a bit more about what the context was, though: whether the protesters were being obnoxious in the first place, etc)

The Chretien/Martin Liberals pretty much did what you described though.

Why is this unthinkable? Mulcair and even Dewar are quite moderate.

Wait, what was the context for this quote? I haven't heard this before either. xpost with AW

A Democrat or Republican, I'm guessing.

It actually sounded further left than the NDP to me. I also find it intriguing though!

Link?

I think this may be the most I've ever agreed with you, Bill! Well, this and fixing Cancon.

I'd be really happy for him to work on Mulcair's campaign! OK, seriously, I'm mostly going by surface-level impressions at this stage. I'll wait for the first debate.

I really like Mulcair and Dewar!

If Nash became leader, that would probably turn me into a Liberal voter. Drives me insane when she just repeats talking points and dodges straightforward questions.

I think it's really too early to say anything. Even a month before the last election, I knew of exactly one person who thought the NDP would become Official Opposition. Even on Babble, no one else really took that proposition seriously.

Well, if the point is just that it's possible for the CPC to win another majority, I can totally buy that. Didn't mean to defend olp1fan's assertions.

People who still have personal ties to their former homes?

It's not that simple though. You could just as easily say the Bloc broke off from the PCs. And many PCs moved to the Liberals.

I can't make any sure statements but I do think that many Muslim voters who might prioritize foreign policy or economics over social policy would be more likely to vote on the left.

84, actually.

Never tried that one but I did give 18 to Life and In/Security a shot. Sorry stuff, I tell you.