Sask NDP Announces Leadership Convention

This looks interesting:

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As was the case in the 2001 leadership race, the Saskatchewan NDP will once again use a one-member, one-vote balloting system with all party members in good standing eligible to take part. Party members will have the options of voting at the convention or by phone or over the internet in real-time the day of the convention. Mail in ballots will be available upon request.

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Update: And Link is in

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Supporters are beginning to declare for Dwain Lingenfelter in the NDP leadership race, but other potential contenders say they're feeling no pressure to immediately jump in the race.

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Updater: And the posts begin

Over on the Wheatsheaf

For the record this makes the list:

Deb Higgin
Cam Broten
Len Taylor
Yens Peterson
** Dwain Lingenfelter **
Andrew Thompson
Frank Quennell
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski
Pat Atkinson

Leadership Fights Begin

The first post taking on one side or the other (that I have found) has been posted. I hope that the party can keep this race positive and clean.

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It appears that the NDP leadership is quickly turning into a one-person race. While this isn't entirely true, Mandryk wants you to believe that Lingenfelter is the only choice to beat Brad Wall, and that his only obstacle is an unforgiving membership.

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I don't agree that it is a one person race. There is just one person declared.

If the rumours are true and this vote will happen in June, then there is a long way to go yet.

Sask NDP Leadership List keeps growing

So to add to my post from Friday, we now have this:

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Thursday evening Lorne Calvert announced that he plans to give up his role as leader of the provincial New Democrats, opening up the gates for a leadership race. Several names like former Deputy Premier Dwaine Lingenfelter, Frank Quennel [sic] and Pat Atkinson have been mentioned. None of them have committed to taking a run at the position. It would appear applications are being accepted. And, there's a caucus veteran that could be considered. Yes, the next leader could come from Moose Jaw, in fact from the same constituency where Lorne Calvert got his start. Moose Jaw Wakamow NDP MLA Deb Higgins might give it a shot.

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So the List looks like this so far (according to the media:)

Deb Higgin
Cam Broten
Len Taylor
Yens Peterson
Dwain Lingenfelter
Andrew Thompson
Frank Quennell
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski
Pat Atkinson

This is the first news source (that I have found) to add Atkinson to the list.

And the race is on...

So Calvert has finally announced that he is stepping down and so the speculation begins:

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While some recent candidates and current caucus members including Deb Higgins (Moose Jaw Wakamow), Cam Broten (Saskatoon Massey Place), Len Taylor (The Battlefords) and Yens Pedersen (unsuccessful candidate in Regina South) are said to be among those who may vie for Calvert's job, the attention is likely to shift to former NDP premier Dwain Lingenfelter who retired from Saskatchewan politics in 2000 to pursue a job as vice-president with the Calgary-based oil company Nexen Inc.

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The paper lists these people on Thursday, and then on Friday:

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One contender well-positioned to make the case for youth, 30-year-old Saskatoon Massey Place MLA Cam Broten, took himself out of the race Friday.

But former finance minister Andrew Thomson, 41, who did not run for re-election in 2007, said he's actively considering a run.

[snip]

He also dismissed the critique of Saskatoon Meewasin MLA Frank Quennell, himself mulling a run, who noted Thursday that Lingenfelter likely has "higher unfavourables than most potential candidates."

[snip]

Meanwhile, Nettie Wiebe, who ran for the leadership in 2001 when Calvert was victorious, said she had not ruled out another run but it needs time for consideration after her narrow loss in Tuesday's federal election in Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar.

[snip]

But Regina lawyer Dion Tchorzewski, son of the late NDP icon Ed Tchorzewski, said Thursday he's heard the pitch of those seeking generational change and is considering a run.

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So the List looks like this so far (according to the media:)

Deb Higgins
Cam Broten
Len Taylor
Yens Peterson
Dwain Lingenfelter
Andrew Thompson
Frank Quennell
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski

If even half of those people ran (and I would be surprised if there wasn't someone who ends up running that the media overlooked) that would be a great race. Women, Men, Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Battlefords, Rural, Left, Right, Young, Mature, it's all there.

There is obviously some interesting times ahead.

I don't want to hear any whining about Vote Splitting

This blog has been quiet for the last couple of days as I was too busy working on the election campaign here in Saskatchewan.

Stephen Moore, the NDP candidate against Ralph Goodale put up a hell of a fight and exceeded expectations by a fair margin. The problem is that New Democrats in Wascana vote for Goodale.

But, is that a problem?

From a raw partisan perspective, yes. From the larger picture of stopping Harper and the Conservatives? Not so much I guess.

But what annoys the hell out of me is the continual Liberal whining about vote-splitting.

Typical headline:

Liberals blame vote-splitting

Liberals in Regina (other than Goodale) put out piece after piece saying that the only way to stop Harper in Saskatchewan was to vote Liberal, even thought everyone (including the Liberals who produced and distributed those flyers) knew that the NDP would place second in almost every seat in Saskatchewan (and in one case, second by a less than 300 votes).

For the Liberals, "strategic voting" means "voting for the Liberals."

And yet they then have the nerve to turn around and whine and complain that all the votes cast for the NDP were votes cast for Harper?

Bullshit.

Everyone who cast a vote in this election (for those few that did) voted for the party and the representative that they wanted. In Wascana, more people wanted Ralph Goodale and so they voted for him. He earned those votes for whatever reason, (they liked him, they wanted to stop Harper)

And the Liberal and Green candidates in Saskatoon Rosetown Biggar earned their votes to, and the NDP candidate did not earn enough (barely) to win the seat.

Is that the Liberals and Greens fault? No. It is the CONSERVATIVE VOTERS that gave that seat to the conservatives - not the Green and Liberal voters.

But I guarantee you this, the Liberals are licking their wounds now and talking about working with the NDP and all that but when push comes to shove, they will blame us for this loss, just like they still blame us for the loss of the Martin government.

Because Liberals believe that they have a divine right to govern.

They DESERVE votes because they just do. And if a citizen has the nerve to vote for a different party on the "left" (particularly when they feal the Liberals aren't doing a good job or representing the left) then the evil NDP have clearly tricked that voter into voting against the Liberals, because lord knows they are SUPPOSED to vote for the Liberals.

Quote from this morning:

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"I think under any scenario where we lose seats, Dion must go," said a party strategist who has worked with Mr. Dion and his two predecessors.

Another long-time Liberal said last night: "it will be tough for him to have the ... authority to lead. We are the natural governing party."

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Enough.

In places where vote-splitting elected a Conservative member, then the fault lies with the conservative voters, not the voters on the other side. The NDP should continue to convince voters that they are the best alternative to Stephen Harper and when they fall short (like in Rosetown Bigger) they should pick themselves up and try again.

That's what a party that has a vision and principles does.

We don't sit around and whine that we deserved a seat and it is the other parties fault we didn't get it.