Meet Nycole Turmel

[Shwa]

Meet Nycole Turmel, the winning candidate for Hull-Aylmer or, as the people of Aylmer like to say, Aylmer-Hull.

Turmel topples 100-year Liberal dynasty in Hull-Aylmer

Now why bother with a somewhat obscure opposition NDP candidate from a pretty, but mostly insignificant riding on the National Capital Region?

It isn't about what Nycole is doing, it's about what she used to do. And she used to be National President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the largest public sector union in Canada, well, at least in the federal government.

And why is that noteworthy?

Anyone remember Frank Magazine, you know, all that insider stuff getting out to the street in Ottawa?

I am predicting that Nycole will become an important member of the Official Opposition, well, at least if Jack Layton is awake he will realize how important Nycole can truly be.

Because I can guarantee you - from all that networking she did as PSAC Prez, that she has easy access to the internal workings of any Federal Department from the front lines. Not the good stuff, the dirty stuff, the scandalous stuff, the whistleblower stuff that never quite gets off the ground with the CPC.

That should bring some interesting discussions to Parliament.

[ironstone]

Meet Nycole Turmel, the winning candidate for Hull-Aylmer or, as the people of Aylmer like to say, Aylmer-Hull.

Turmel topples 100-year Liberal dynasty in Hull-Aylmer

Now why bother with a somewhat obscure opposition NDP candidate from a pretty, but mostly insignificant riding on the National Capital Region?

It isn't about what Nycole is doing, it's about what she used to do. And she used to be National President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the largest public sector union in Canada, well, at least in the federal government.

And why is that noteworthy?

Anyone remember Frank Magazine, you know, all that insider stuff getting out to the street in Ottawa?

I am predicting that Nycole will become an important member of the Official Opposition, well, at least if Jack Layton is awake he will realize how important Nycole can truly be.

Because I can guarantee you - from all that networking she did as PSAC Prez, that she has easy access to the internal workings of any Federal Department from the front lines. Not the good stuff, the dirty stuff, the scandalous stuff, the whistleblower stuff that never quite gets off the ground with the CPC.

That should bring some interesting discussions to Parliament.

So did Nycole have any role in exposing Adscam?Did she help with that one?Could she tell us which public servants were running the paper shredders?

[Evening Star]

I'm a little more optimistic than some people about the NDP's QC caucus. There are some strong union people there and I always wished that the NDP could somehow build connections with QC's labour movement and arts and academic communities. This always seemed to me to be the route to top-tier national success for the party.

[Tilter]

So did Nycole have any role in exposing Adscam?Did she help with that one?Could she tell us which public servants were running the paper shredders?

A woman married three times walked into a bridal shop one day and told the sales clerk that she was looking for a wedding gown for her fourth wedding. "Of course, madam," replied the sales clerk, "exactly what type and color dress are you looking for?

The bride to be said; "A long frilly white dress with a veil."

The sales clerk hesitated a bit, then said, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but gowns of that nature are considered more appropriate for brides who are being married the first time - for those who are a bit more innocent, if you know what I mean. Perhaps ivory or sky blue would be nice?"

"Well," replied the customer, a little peeved at the clerk's directness, "I can assure you that a white gown would be quite appropriate. Believe it or not, despite all my marriages, I remain as innocent as a first-time bride. You see, my first husband was so excited about our wedding; he died as we were checking into our hotel.

My second husband and I got into such a terrible fight in the limo on our way to our honeymoon that we had that wedding annulled immediately and never spoke to each other again."

What about your third husband?" asked the sales clerk.

That one was an NDP candidate," said the woman, "and every night for four years, he just sat on the edge of the bed and told me how good it was going to be, but nothing ever happened :lol:

It was likely this guy

http://www.mapleleafweb.com/forums//index.php?showtopic=18769&st=900

Edited May 4, 2011 by Tilter

[TimG]

I'm a little more optimistic than some people about the NDP's QC caucus. There are some strong union people there and I always wished that the NDP could somehow build connections with QC's labour movement

The NDP links to the union movement are one of the reasons why it will never be a true alternative government. The last thing this country needs is a party that is beholden to public sector unions.

[punked]

The NDP links to the union movement are one of the reasons why it will never be a true alternative government. The last thing this country needs is a party that is beholden to public sector unions.

That is your opinion however they screamed UNION in NS during the 2008 election and people yawned.

[Evening Star]

Yeah, labour (even Labour) parties have successfully formed governments in many countries.

(I will admit to being a little concerned about how McGill undergrads will juggle their coursework with being in Ottawa for important votes...)

Edited May 4, 2011 by Evening Star

[punked]

Yeah, labour (even Labour) parties have successfully formed governments in many countries.

(I will admit to being a little concerned about how McGill undergrads will juggle their coursework with being in Ottawa for important votes...)

They will postpone their undergrad for 4 years I think maybe doing a course or two online during the time. There is no way they can do both I don't think.

[TimG]

Yeah, labour (even Labour) parties have successfully formed governments in many countries.

And they run the country into the ground when they get power. Look at the UK. Edited May 4, 2011 by TimG

[cybercoma]

They will postpone their undergrad for 4 years I think maybe doing a course or two online during the time. There is no way they can do both I don't think.

They're political science students, to my understanding. You would think being elected as an MP would earn them some sort of credit.

[Molly]

Yeah, labour (even Labour) parties have successfully formed governments in many countries.

(I will admit to being a little concerned about how McGill undergrads will juggle their coursework with being in Ottawa for important votes...)

That's not a tough commute...

[Shwa]

So did Nycole have any role in exposing Adscam?Did she help with that one?Could she tell us which public servants were running the paper shredders?

Indeed she might have, how many PSAC members were charged? She might have had knowledge of the HRDC Boondoggle as well. A valuable asset to have in one's party, especially the opposition looking to sniff out scandal.

[Retired Taxe Payer]

And they run the country into the ground when they get power. Look at the UK.

Are you implying that the global economy has little to do with the present situation in countries like England, Greece, Portugal and many other countries around the world?

[August1991]

Are you implying that the global economy has little to do with the present situation in countries like England, Greece, Portugal and many other countries around the world?

The global economy affects all countries - but it seems that certain countries are more affected than others.

Specifically, countries with governments that promise their citizens various social transfer payments and government-paid services but then lack the tax base to pay for these costs seem to manage badly.

[August1991]

They're political science students, to my understanding. You would think being elected as an MP would earn them some sort of credit.

Alot of them are McGill University students.

It appears as if many Quebec voters have inadvertently allowed McGill to take over the federal NDP.

[Shady]

Looks like the NDP fielded some high quality candidates.

[cybercoma]

To be fair, McGill sees itself as though it were on par with Harvard. I find it funny that the optics would be different if a student from Princeton, Harvard, Yale or MIT won a seat in Congress than a student from McGill winning a seat in the House of Commons. We're not talking about someone from the University of Windsor living by the mantra "Cs for degrees". We're talking about the best of the best here. I look forward to the youthful exuberance and a fresh set of eyes to problems facing Canada.

[Evening Star]

To be fair, McGill sees itself as though it were on par with Harvard. I find it funny that the optics would be different if a student from Princeton, Harvard, Yale or MIT won a seat in Congress than a student from McGill winning a seat in the House of Commons. We're not talking about someone from the University of Windsor living by the mantra "Cs for degrees". We're talking about the best of the best here. I look forward to the youthful exuberance and a fresh set of eyes to problems facing Canada.

The school is consistently ranked very highly internationally, if maybe not quite on par with Harvard: Only #35 in the 2010-11 Times Higher Education Rankings http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2010-2011/top-200.html

but top 20 in 2008 and 2009:

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/hybrid.asp?typeCode=438

I do generally agree with you, especially considering how dismal the youth turnout is (and how poorly the old men in the Liberal Party have performed...)

Edited May 4, 2011 by Evening Star

[cybercoma]

It is not only McGill that sees itself that way, actually. The school is consistently ranked very highly internationally.

Thanks. I wasn't entirely sure, so I didn't want to go there.

[Scotty]

Because I can guarantee you - from all that networking she did as PSAC Prez, that she has easy access to the internal workings of any Federal Department from the front lines. Not the good stuff, the dirty stuff, the scandalous stuff, the whistleblower stuff that never quite gets off the ground with the CPC.

Shwa, you don't understand how unions work, especially the big ones. The president of the PSAC works in an office in a tower full of PSAC employees. She meets with real public servants about as often as Jean Chretien met with real voters. Remember how he once claimed he'd drop by a bar or something to get the mood of 'his constituents', but it turned out he never showed up except at election time? The fact is that 95% of public servants couldn't name you any union people. If they know anyone its probably the local shop steward, and then only because he works amongst them. The president of a large public service local spends no time working as a public servant. Instead he basically focuses on union work, very little of which concerns individual members. He reports to a regional rep, who I guarantee you no one outside the union activist ranks could possibly know. The regional reps then report to a component, with its own leadership, and that component then reports up the line to the top of PSAC. Thus Turmel spent her days amongst senior union people, most of whom hadn't worked as public servants in many years. When she did meet public servants it would be senior directors, deputy ministers and the like, and not as good friends and drinking buddies likely to share secret stories. And if Turmel had any dirt on the Tory government she would have provided it to the NDP years ago.

By the way, there's been a lot of talk about Brosseau's poor French skills. I don't know how bad they are, but Turmel is barely understandable in English, despite spending years working in Ottawa.

[Shwa]

Shwa, you don't understand how unions work, especially the big ones.

No, I suppose I don't. I mean, I only met with Daryl Bean a few times and it was always low-level strategy and such. Never met Nykole though, and didn't much care for her from afar.

And Buzz (Hargrove), I mean, he hardly knew what folks were actually experiencing on the lines at General Motors. Hadn't a clue right? Nothing to learn from him...

And don't get me started on Sid Ryan... gawd, he never shuts up. And I mean never...

And of course, what the hell was my Dad doing organzing that thingy in the post office in the 60's?

The president of the PSAC works in an office in a tower full of PSAC employees. She meets with real public servants about as often as Jean Chretien met with real voters. Remember how he once claimed he'd drop by a bar or something to get the mood of 'his constituents', but it turned out he never showed up except at election time? The fact is that 95% of public servants couldn't name you any union people. If they know anyone its probably the local shop steward, and then only because he works amongst them. The president of a large public service local spends no time working as a public servant. Instead he basically focuses on union work, very little of which concerns individual members. He reports to a regional rep, who I guarantee you no one outside the union activist ranks could possibly know. The regional reps then report to a component, with its own leadership, and that component then reports up the line to the top of PSAC. Thus Turmel spent her days amongst senior union people, most of whom hadn't worked as public servants in many years. When she did meet public servants it would be senior directors, deputy ministers and the like, and not as good friends and drinking buddies likely to share secret stories.

But the point is Scotty, that she could be a very valuable resource because she has the links. Whether she personally comforted the front line employee during an emotional first level grievance session is immaterial. Her network is what could count as useful. You understand that right? The 'network' part?

If I was an NDP strategist, I would be cultivating that aspect nice and careful like. Fire up that old network Nykole and you get the choice of window offices...

And if Turmel had any dirt on the Tory government she would have provided it to the NDP years ago.

Whose to say she hasn't already?

By the way, there's been a lot of talk about Brosseau's poor French skills. I don't know how bad they are, but Turmel is barely understandable in English, despite spending years working in Ottawa.

Meh, Parliament is bilingual. She can get her point across in French and then someone could translate for her. Heck I spent 20 years in Ottawa-Hull and all I learned was the essential French - the swear words and how to order the right beer in a crowded and noisy British Hotel (actually had to learn a special sign language for that!)