06.18.2010 08:29 AM

Bits and pieces on political realignment

  • The Canadian Press: “The current and former Liberal leaders have been at odds of late over whether their party should find some way to join forces with the NDP, be it through an electoral non-compete pact, a coalition or outright merger. Chretien has publicly suggested the party should pursue some sort of co-operation with the NDP in order to defeat Stephen Harper’s Tories in the next election. And he’s admitted he’s had casual discussions on the matter with former NDP leader Ed Broadbent, although he’s stressed he has no mandate to negotiate anything.”
  • Amherst Citizen: “Some Canadians are still wondering how Harper, whose partisan approach and controlling behaviour have kept him at a distance from most, managed to become our prime minister. The answer is simple. He swallowed his pride and merged the Canadian Alliance with the Progressive Conservative Party, to create the ruling Conservative Party of today…”
  • Rick Salutin, Globe: “This has often been a subject of speculation. It has now moved into serious discussions. However, an anonymous Liberal organizer told the Toronto Star it won’t happen, because “They’re socialists, we’re not.” Would that it were so, as they say in the Talmud. It would be nice to have someone at least make the case.”

UPDATE: Related, and worth reading.

2 Comments

  1. Herman Thind says:

    That’s fine… Except that many “Progressive” Conservatives haven’t gone to, or stayed in, the CPC fold. There are chinks in the armour that can be exploited. We see Harper’s MPs spill their guts daily.

    Cooperation is a much better idea than merger. Merger should only happen if there is another party that has strength on the left. Otherwise WE become the left and swing helplessly between Dem and Rep like they do in the States. Not a good thing for a party that has governed Canada for most of our history. At that point the right simply appeal to voter greed, claiming the ground of the “party of fiscal common sense”. Everyone likes to eat, drive nice cars, and have cool toys (the run-away consumerist society), so they’ll vote for the party that says it will guarantee that. All the money the right would throw at it would also be an issue. Their meme would be successful – as is evident in the USA.

    You need a stronger voice on the left – in order to intensify the center. The NDP has to be the NDP. Like they were in the 70s. They have lost their voice. They don’t have the union support they did. Oh, there are unions alright, and they support the NDP, but ever look at the working members? A larger and larger chunk of them are voting Conservative – particularly amongst males. Why? Because if you’re a hard-working, lunch-pail, double-double kind of guy, that is what you’re supposed to do. The weakness of the NDP is a bigger issue here. They are not vocally elocuting their ideals, and it’s costing the center. Merging with them will not make things better – it will only drag Canada further right.

    Wish the media would catch on to this… The NDP is the problem here. Not the LPC.

  2. Wascally Wabbit says:

    Rick Salutin misses a fundamental fact!
    In the dust storm raised when a lot of Liberals raised their heads from the sand – prompted by your speculation on mergers Warren – many of these so-called Liberals were arguing that the NDP simply bash corporations.
    I’ve seen a lot of corporation bashing in the last few days – and not a Dipper amongst them. Democrats and Republicans generally beating up on one of the largest corporations world wide. Even when one ranking Republican actually apologized to BP for a supposed White House “Shakedown” – his party peers all took one step back to distance themselves from his stance.
    I always thought one of the principles of liberalism was fairness and balance – which is why Canada has evolved to the its current respected status, and Canadians were generally happy with the balance between government, business and workers before Stephen Harper started to change all that!
    Trouble is – with statements like that from socalled Liberals – it has become increasingly hard for me – and I suspect many Canadian voters – to perceive the difference between present day Liberals and the Conservatives that they criticize. No wonder the voters – and increasingly – party members – are fleeing to the fences – wondering which side to step down on!

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