Can’t agree! Muclair and Singh moved so far to center they destroyed the party. Not just my words, the party removed all reference to socialism from the party constitution.
It was a strategy that made a half-assed amount of sense during the years where the Liberals were struggling. Canadians (particularly Ontario) seems to like their politics roughly center. So if you want to supplant the Liberals as the main party representing the Left, you can’t be too far left. Same thing happens to the Conservatives. Every time they drift too far right to appease the Alberta crowd, they start losing the Ontario suburbs.
Plus, “socialism” is still a bad word for most of the older population. You can get rid of the word, change none of the policies, and that will be enough to keep the “socialism bad” crowd happy.
I can’t disagree with your overview of why it happened, except with policy it’s not just removing scary words. And really the shift started under Layton, I should be accurate. Tbf he did almost win with that strategy. Fuck cancer.
He did, and he’s stepping down as party leader. Personally, I think it’s a good thing. His leadership has been far too soft and cuddly. The NDP need a leader who will channel the anger a lot of Canadians are feeling at watching their quality of life get sold off to oligarchs.
I really like Singh. He is a GOOD man. A GOOD leader. I want to be at a party with him in the room. But I agree, he wasn’t the factor in his fate. The centre left sacrificed the NDP for the libs because of the US. Strategic voting worked. If they hadn’t this would have been a conservative win. It’s acceptable because the alternative is disastrous.
Singh’s cuddlyness was probably trying to follow Le Bon Jacque’s lead. Fluffy warm and cuddly via Layton got the NDP some big successes and bigger hopes until tragedy struck.
I’m more worried about the next election. A minority in a time of great struggle won’t go full term. I give this around 3 years. The libs can’t win the next, no one goes 5 terms in a row.
Lets assume the Cons take the next, and the NDP get a bounceback from extreme liberal fatigue. Does the NDP need Hope or Anger? I’m not sure, but we saw a lot of rural areas be two way con/ndp. These areas would probably respond to channeled anger. Flip a few blue to Orange.
I don’t think hope and anger are a binary choice. As the saying goes, you have to hate something to change it.
I want an NDP that brings hope to people who are angry, by sharing in their anger and pain, and offering a way forward. Those things can build on each other.
Makes me feel a lot bettter about losing high quality men such as Jagmeet Singh and Jonathan Pedneault!
Can’t agree! Muclair and Singh moved so far to center they destroyed the party. Not just my words, the party removed all reference to socialism from the party constitution.
It was a strategy that made a half-assed amount of sense during the years where the Liberals were struggling. Canadians (particularly Ontario) seems to like their politics roughly center. So if you want to supplant the Liberals as the main party representing the Left, you can’t be too far left. Same thing happens to the Conservatives. Every time they drift too far right to appease the Alberta crowd, they start losing the Ontario suburbs.
Plus, “socialism” is still a bad word for most of the older population. You can get rid of the word, change none of the policies, and that will be enough to keep the “socialism bad” crowd happy.
This is how the Overton window shifts right. Socialists need to be louder and more visible than ever.
I can’t disagree with your overview of why it happened, except with policy it’s not just removing scary words. And really the shift started under Layton, I should be accurate. Tbf he did almost win with that strategy. Fuck cancer.
Oh no, did Jagmeet lose his seat too? I’m a liberal but Jagmeet is a good guy, didn’t deserve that.
He did, and he’s stepping down as party leader. Personally, I think it’s a good thing. His leadership has been far too soft and cuddly. The NDP need a leader who will channel the anger a lot of Canadians are feeling at watching their quality of life get sold off to oligarchs.
I’m just spit-balling here, but is it totally off the table to dig up Jack Layton and elect him in some kind of “Weekend at Bernie’s” type shenanigan?
I’m hoping someone can convince Charlie Angus to unretire and make a run for leader.
We have a better option. Wab Kinew!
Also Nenshi.
Heck yeah!
Charlie Angus for PM!
I really like Singh. He is a GOOD man. A GOOD leader. I want to be at a party with him in the room. But I agree, he wasn’t the factor in his fate. The centre left sacrificed the NDP for the libs because of the US. Strategic voting worked. If they hadn’t this would have been a conservative win. It’s acceptable because the alternative is disastrous.
Singh’s cuddlyness was probably trying to follow Le Bon Jacque’s lead. Fluffy warm and cuddly via Layton got the NDP some big successes and bigger hopes until tragedy struck.
I’m more worried about the next election. A minority in a time of great struggle won’t go full term. I give this around 3 years. The libs can’t win the next, no one goes 5 terms in a row.
Lets assume the Cons take the next, and the NDP get a bounceback from extreme liberal fatigue. Does the NDP need Hope or Anger? I’m not sure, but we saw a lot of rural areas be two way con/ndp. These areas would probably respond to channeled anger. Flip a few blue to Orange.
I don’t think hope and anger are a binary choice. As the saying goes, you have to hate something to change it.
I want an NDP that brings hope to people who are angry, by sharing in their anger and pain, and offering a way forward. Those things can build on each other.
It’s kinda funny that I think if the eras of Muclair and Singh were swapped around they’d be doing much better.
Best for him to step down. Let’s not confuse my subjective fondness for the guy with his objective failure as NDP leader.
I have zero issue with Jagmeet leadership but he failed to reverse the decline in the power and number of seats NPD had