Author: admin

Can the NDP become the Government of Canada? Did you ever doubt that the party Preston Manning created could one rule the nation?

I mention both in the same breath because I see many parallels in the success of the NDP, their motives, diligence and commitment to political hard work that I've seen in what Manning's Reformers evolved into, today's governing Conservative Party.

And like those Reform-Conservatives, I think this new New Democratic Party may have to go through a process that could take two or three elections to convince enough Canadians that it is not dominated by a bunch of blind ideologues and that, like the Conservatives of the last five years, could find big-time electoral success when/if they can convince enough Canadians that they are not beholden to some ideological basis. Getting rid of the reserved union vote was a good first step. Curious to see if the party faithful wants to elect a leader that will take them further to the centre. I'm not sure about that part.

With that pre-amble, here's the full-text of the press release from the first guy in the race to succeed Jack Layton and take the NDP to the promised land, party president Brian Topp:

BRIAN TOPP LAUNCHES LEADERSHIP BID,PLEDGES TO COMPLETE LAYTON'S WORK,”TO GET THE JOB DONE”

OTTAWA — Flanked by former NDP Leader Ed Broadbent and by Gatineau MP Francoise Boivin, Brian Topp today launched his campaign to lead the New Democratic Party of Canada.

Topp (pic on this page by Sun's Andre Forget) pledged to carry on Jack Layton's work by providing Canadians with a progressive national alternative to the Harper government.

“I know that New Democrats can deliver a successful NDP government in both official languages and in every part of the country,” said Topp. “A fiscally responsible and economically literate government that offers Canadians hope for a better future.”

“That's the work Jack left us to complete, and that's the job I pledge to get done.”

Former NDP Leader Ed Broadbent said that Topp has what it takes to take on Stephen Harper and to win the next election.

“I have known Brian for many years. He has that special mix of character and intelligence that is so important in a leader,” said Broadbent “He's a listener and a team player and he knows how to get things done. He will make a great leader of our party.”

Topp said his top priority will be to fight the growing inequality in Canada, adding

that, “In today's economy we can't afford to waste the talent of a single Canadian.”

“Too many young people can't afford an education. Too many families are living from pay check to pay check. Too many seniors can't afford to retire in dignity. And too many children- one in seven -live in poverty.”

“The time has come to stop this slide. To work towards a more equal and prosperous country for all Canadians. It's the right thing to do. And it's the smart thing to do.”

Born in Longueuil and raised in Montreal, Topp joined the New Democrats under Ed Broadbent. He chaired the NDP's first successful campaign in Quebec and worked in Parliament, before moving to Saskatchewan to join the government of Premier Roy Romanow.

Topp has worked for the credit union system, as a leader in the Labour movement, and at the heart of all four of Jack Layton's national campaigns.

Gatineau MP Francoise Boivin said that Topp has the national experience necessary to lead the NDP.

“Brian is not only fluent in both official languages, he is at home In Quebec and throughout the country. He understands Canada and he understands Quebec. That's key to building our party and winning the next election.”

Topp closed by saying, “Together we can honour jack and his legacy. Together we can build a party and a government that would make him proud. And together, we'll get the job done.”

Colleague Daniel Proussalidis reported earlier this week on a motion that NDP Deputy Leader (and possible leadership candidate) Libby Davies had brought forward for the House of Commons to debate. That motion called on the government to eliminate the 10-year-residency requirement for access to federal Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan payments.

The day after Proussalidis' story appeared, NDP MP Wayne Marston — his party's pensions critic — announced that the motion had been withdrawn. The line from Marston was that it was one of dozens of motions Davies had put before the House and that this particular motion was put there “in error”.

Well, if that's true, it's an error Davies — now the deputy leader of party that is the “government-in-waiting” — has made over and over and over and over again for more than 10 years:

• M-141 — June 6, 2011 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should eliminate the 10-year residency requirement, based on an applicant’s country of origin, for Canadian citizens to qualify for Old Age Security benefits.
• M-233 — March 3, 2010 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should eliminate the 10-year residency requirement, based on an applicant’s country of origin, for Canadian citizens to qualify for Old Age Security benefits.
• M-233 — January 26, 2009 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should eliminate the 10-year residency requirement, based on an applicant’s country of origin, for Canadian citizens to qualify for Old Age Security benefits.
• M-233 — November 20, 2008 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should eliminate the 10-year residency requirement, based on an applicant’s country of origin, for Canadian citizens to qualify for Old Age Security benefits.
• M-96 — October 16, 2007 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should eliminate the 10-year residency requirement, based on an applicant’s country of origin, for Canadian citizens to qualify for Old Age Security benefits.
• -seconded Ms. Savoie, Mr. Martin, Ms. Bell
• M-96 — April 4, 2006 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of the House, the government should eliminate the 10-year residency requirement, based on an applicant’s country of origin, for Canadian citizens to qualify for Old Age Security benefits.
• M-100 — October 5, 2004 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of this House, the government should ensure that eligibility for the Old Age Security is based on a fair and just application by removing the ten-year waiting period required for some seniors who are sponsored immigrants.
• M-168 — February 2, 2004 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — That, in the opinion of this House, the government should ensure that eligibility for the Old Age Security is based on a fair and just application, by removing the ten-year waiting period required for some seniors who are sponsored immigrants.
• M-168 — October 4, 2002 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — On or after Friday, October 18, 2002 — That, in the opinion of this House, the government should ensure that eligibility for the Old Age Security is based on a fair and just application, by removing the ten-year waiting period required for some seniors who are sponsored immigrants.
• M-77 — January 30, 2001 — Ms. Davies (Vancouver East) — On or after Tuesday, February 13, 2001 — That, in the opinion of this House, the government should ensure that eligibility for the Old Age Security is based on a fair and just application, by removing the ten-year waiting period required for some seniors who are sponsored immigrants.

There is speculation from unnamed sources in the Hill Times today that the NDP brain trust will set up rules for the upcoming leadership contest that would hurt prospective candidate Thomas Mulcair, whose political base lies in Quebec.

This assumption, if you think about it for a second, defies all logic and assumes that all the political smarts that New Democrats have shown in the past decade also died with Jack Layton.

For if someone is trying to game the rules to shut out Mulcair, they are, in essence, saying to the province that just gave them 59 MPs — thanks, but the rest of Canada will choose the next NDP leader. Your help is not required.

And of course, that won't happen.

In fact, for New Democrats, the only silver lining that I can see to the very dark cloud that is Layton's death, is that it could hasten the work that Layton and others had already started to “consolidate” their historic gains in Quebec.

And to do that, a strong Quebec candidate — like Mulcair — or perhaps another, like, say, Alexandre Boulerice or Guy Caron (see below), is vital.

As every political organizer knows, there is nothing like a leadership race to build interest in a party and find new card-carrying members. And this is precisely what the party was starting to do in Quebec — sign up new card-carrying members.

I cannot under any circumstances envision the NDP's ruling council foregoing such an opportunity by, say, limiting voters in a January leadership contest to those who were members four months prior to the vote (something the NDP has done before). In fact, I quite expect the ruling council to go out of its way to encourage Quebecers to get involved in this leadership race.

And, if they don't run themselves for the leadership, I expect Boulerice and Caron will be invaluable to prospective leadership candidates both of whom have strong ties to organized labour in Quebec which would be, if you ask me, an easy source of new NDP members.