SNDP Leadership List is now at 4

From the paper:

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The NDP leadership is gaining speed, going four on the floor as of Thursday.

Saskatoon family doctor and community activist Ryan Meili has a morning event scheduled at a local restaurant where he will announce his candidacy to succeed Lorne Calvert.

He will join former deputy premier Dwain Lingenfelter, Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Deb Higgins and former party president Yens Pedersen in seeking the leadership.

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So the list is now as follows:

** Dr. Ryan Meili **
** Deb Higgins **
** Yens Pedersen **
** Dwain Lingenfelter **

?? Len Taylor

Cam Broten
Andrew Thomson
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski
Frank Quennell
Pat Atkinson

Hopefully Taylor announces soon so we can start the comparison engines.

The Field is Shaping up for the SNDP Leadership

A couple of notes from the paper today:

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Deb Higgins is throwing her hat into the ring for the leadership of the NDP, making her the first candidate in the race who currently holds a legislature seat.

...

Saskatoon Meewasin MLA Frank Quennell will be her campaign manager.

...

Higgins will also be backed by Saskatoon MLAs Pat Atkinson and Cam Broten and Regina's Warren McCall from the Opposition caucus

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So we can make a few more updates to the list (to be fair, the Jurist pointed this out in my comment section yesterday, so hat tip to him)


So the list is thus:

** Deb Higgins **
** Yens Pedersen **
** Dwain Lingenfelter **

?? Len Taylor
?? Dr. Ryan Meili

Cam Broten
Andrew Thomson
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski
Frank Quennell
Pat Atkinson

I am not sure what to do with this (also from the same story)

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Saskatoon family doctor and community activist Ryan Meili hasn't made it official, but he also has his sights set on the leadership.

"My intention, barring any major catastrophes or complications, is to be in this race," said Meili.

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Until now I have waited for official announcements, but this is a pretty strong indication that Meili is running.

Really the only one we are waiting on is Len Taylor. My guess is that he will have to announce one way or the other pretty soon.

Another SaskNDP Leadership Contender Announces

things are starting to heat up!

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Deb Higgins is throwing her hat into the ring in the NDP leadership race.

The Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA and former cabinet minister will officially announce her intentions Saturday evening in Moose Jaw.

Higgins is the first member of the Opposition caucus to get in the race and the first female candidate.

---

So the list is thus:

** Deb Higgins **
** Yens Pedersen **
** Dwain Lingenfelter **

?? Len Taylor
?? Frank Quennell
?? Pat Atkinson
?? Dr. Ryan Meili

Cam Broten
Andrew Thomson
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski

It is official, there is a Race for SNDP Leader!

Although I was getting ready to post yet another "Hey look who's not running" post based on the recent announcement by Nettie Wiebe:

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Nettie Wiebe, a professor at St. Andrew's College at the University of Saskatchewan and former head of the National Farmers Union, said Tuesday she would not run to succeed Lorne Calvert. Since her leadership campaign

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But then someone else went and got in the race:

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A second person has entered the NDP leadership contest, Regina lawyer and former party President Yens Pederson.

He made the announcement at the University, perhaps as a nod to the youth element, as he's up against former deputy Premier Dwain Lingenfelter.

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So now there are two and that updates the list as follows:

** Yens Pedersen **
** Dwain Lingenfelter **

?? Deb Higgins
?? Len Taylor
?? Frank Quennell
?? Pat Atkinson
?? Dr. Ryan Meili

Cam Broten
Andrew Thomson
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski

Bet you anything that the first comment is one of Link's trolls bashing Pedersen.

One More Out, One More Closer

More news on the NDP Leadership Front:

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Former finance minister Andrew Thomson, who chose not to run in the 2007
provincial election to pursue a business career, said in an interview he has
decided not to throw his hat in the ring.

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But:

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But a source close to Regina lawyer Yens Pedersen, who recently stepped down temporarily as party president to contemplate a run, said Pedersen is expected to formally enter the race next week

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So the updated list:

Deb Higgins
Cam Broten
Len Taylor
Yens Pedersen
** Dwain Lingenfelter
Andrew Thomson
Frank Quennell
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski
Pat Atkinson
Dr. Ryan Meili

Sask NDP Leadership News Roundup

The Jurist has a good recap

and he points to another rabble post

The media, big and small weigh in

and yet, still not much action.

So the list remains, as usual:

Deb Higgins
Cam Broten
Len Taylor
Yens Pedersen
** Dwain Lingenfelter **
Andrew Thomson
Frank Quennell
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski
Pat Atkinson
Dr. Ryan Meili

I Guess Backwards is a TYPE of Movement

So another story in the newspaper about the leadership race only to tell us that someone else isn't running:

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Regina lawyer Dion Tchorzewski, son of the late NDP stalwart Ed Tchorzewski, had been mulling a run but said Tuesday he's decided not to be a leadership candidate.

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However, on the good side:

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Meanwhile, Dr. Ryan Meili of Saskatoon, one of the founders of the Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health (SWITCH) program, confirmed he is considering running for the leadership of the party

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And finally:

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Other MLAs who have said they are considering a run are Frank Quennell, Len Taylor and Deb Higgins. None returned phone calls this week. Former finance minister Andrew Thomson did not return a message. Regina lawyer Yens Pedersen, who has temporarily stepped down as NDP president as he contemplates a run, said he has not yet made a decision.

---

So this updates our list as follows:

Deb Higgins
Cam Broten
Len Taylor
Yens Pedersen
** Dwain Lingenfelter **
Andrew Thomson
Frank Quennell
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski
Pat Atkinson
Dr. Ryan Meili

And the Jurist thinks something is afoot with Higgins.

Policy, NOT Bickering.

I have made no secret over the fact that I am bit of a policy wonk.

I joined the NDP because I agreed with (or thought I agreed with) the policies of the party. Here in Saskatchewan that means balanced budgets, strong crowns, public medicare and investments in social development (for example public housing, schools and universities, and a decent social safety net).

I think the above would be considered fairly non-controversial at an NDP gathering.

But there is one issue in Saskatchewan that is growing to be more important that most other issues, and it is one that our party has a split on.

I am talking about the environment.

There are a lot of facets to this split, there is the pro/anti nuke groups, there is the pro/anti oilsands groups and there are the overall "we have to be moderate and can't do anything that the SP and the media will use to say we are anti-business" group and there is the "this is the global crisis of our generation and the defining issue of our times" group.

Obviously I am in the second one.

But I am more that willing to have the discussion, and the debate. I want to discuss ideas and beliefs and at the end of the day vote on it and let the best side win.

That is why I joined a political party to begin with.

But what worries me is that the so-called leadership race that is taking place in the Saskatchewan NDP these days cannot be called anything of the sort. Look, again, it is no secret that I want a race. I want lots of people in the race. And that is not due to any anti-linginfelter sentiment. I am genuinely not opposed to Link as leader.

What I am opposed to is the stupid, stupid people he has working "for" him.

When it comes to the discussion, the Link supporters are his biggest problem.

I have linked to a couple of discussion groups in the past over at rabble and I will link to another one now. You don't have to spent too much time reading it to see that there is a vocal supporter of Linginfelter that is going out of his way to make an ass of himself.

If this was an isolated incident then that's fine, you have to expect some craziness from supporters during a leadership race, that is to be expected.

The problem is that this is not isolated. It is happening all over babble and other forums. It is happening on facebook, where fake identities are being created for the sole purpose of creating groups to oppose other potential leadership candidates. And then these fake identities go around on the attack. And there is blog posters galore. Heck, one of them has been on here in the past making all sorts of over-the-top attacks. And then there was a letter to the editor in the Regina newspaper from a Link supporter that was personal and way, way over the top.

It is fine to support Link, it is quite another to launch vicious personal attacks all over the place.

Now again, don't get me wrong, I have decided that for better or for worse, even if I don't think I agree with all of his policies, Link is at least willing to let his name stand. That says something about the man. I might have my issues with him as leader, but they are about policy, not about him as a person. From everything I know about him he is a decent man, who obviously cares enough about the party to offer to lead it when we might be looking at 3, 7, or heaven forbid, 11 years without being the government.

Again, that says something about the man.

But the thing that bothers me is the people around him. I don't mean his small brain-trust (although I have some concerns about them) and even the "young professionals" group that he is trying to build. That's fine.

The people working for him online, and in the paper, are complete dicks though.

So this is my problem. Either he doesn't get that this is making him look bad, which would show poor judgement and someone who does not "get" the internet. Or else this is his team's plan.

Either way I have a problem with that.

As I said at the top of this post, I want this campaign to be about ideas. I want to have the nuclear debate, and I want to have the oilsands debate and I want to have the environment debate. And I want to support or oppose a leader based on those ideas. And if my preferred candidate does not win, then I want to pick myself up and work for the man or woman that does win.

And maybe I have to wait for someone else to get in the race for this to happen.

But in the meantime, if Dwain and his people read this blog (and I have no idea if they do or not - I kind of doubt it), please, for the love of god, call off the attack dogs.

Try putting out some policy so we can talk about that.

This is a Bit Much

So I wrote a post back in November about the Sask NDP leaership race called "when will this race heat up?"

I guess winter is a bad time to ask these sorts of questions.

Nothing has happened yet.

No one else has announced.

I thought the end of session would be the prompt for the sitting MLAs to get involved but I guess not. However, there is no excuse for those who are not in caucus that could be announcing (Pederson, Thomson, Wiebe, Tchorzewski) and yet still nothing.

So the list still looks like this:

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

And I am starting to wonder if that is ever going to change. Has the entire party just decided that Lingenfelter is the one? Even if you support Link you have to want a race. A race is good for the party and it gives all of us a chance to discuss the issues of the day and decide where we stand on them.

On the bright side it seems that Link is starting to build-up some of the grassroots activities that we need.

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We’re building a network of volunteers who will take on the job of monitoring local newspapers and radio and television stations, so they can weigh in on political issues by phoning the call-in shows and writing letters to the editor.

---

I am very interested to see if this works. So far the only letter to the editor has been a pretty stupid one from Brian Sklar. I doubt this was the idea. In fact, that letter probably made the Link camp look stupid as well and I doubt they are pleased by it.

I am glad to see that using e-mail to get facts and figures out to party members is being done. There is the commonwire that is generated at our provincial office, which is pretty good but only comes out every so often.

I would dearly LOVE to be comparing and contrasting the leadership candidates' approach to this sort of stuff, their use of the web and new media in general, but there is only one guy in the race so guess I will cover him until things starts to happen.

For the record, this is what they call the "first announcer advantage" If you are the only game in town, you attract 100% of the attention.

When will the Sask NDP Leadership Race Heat Up?

This is first sign of movement in months.

Yens Pedersen, the party president who has temporarily stepped down as he contemplates his own leadership run, said recently he's still weighing his own options and seeing who else gets in the race

I will be fairly disappointed if there is not at least 3 or 4 people in the race.

The list of possibilities is still large.

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

Babble on SaskNDP Leadership Race

So I have spent most of the morning on babble looking around and I have really only found these two threads.

Calvert Leaving

Sask NDP Leadership Race

I find it hard to belive these are the only two threads on the topics, so if people smarter than me know of any others can you link to them in the comments? Thanks :-)

Sask NDP in the Leiglsature

James Woods has an interesting little article goin every Friday in the Leader Post these days. It seems to just be a bit of scuttlebutt from around the legislature. I found this very interesting.

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NDP Leader Lorne Calvert has fired the most questions from the Opposition benches. He was followed by corrections critic Kevin Yates, who apparently remains in good enough graces despite his acknowledged behind-the-scenes stumping for Dwain Lingenfelter as NDP Leader when Calvert was still premier.

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Is this an attempt by the caucus to keep a lid on things? I don't get to see the house every day (I try to watch QP via internet streaming at work) but I haven't really seen Deb Higgins or Frank Quennell ask any questions yet. Maybe if they declared for leader they would et more questions :-)

At the end of the day, Calvert is probably one of the better questioners for the NDP so it is probably a good thing that he is asking the most.

Oh well, no matter what I assume the NDP convention will be better than the Liberals':

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What if you didn't hold a convention, and nobody knew?

The provincial Liberal Party has had a low profile since failing to elect any MLAs to the legislature in last fall's election, a repeat of what happened in 2003.

The party has found a new leader, Ryan Bater, but Liberal faithful won't be gathering to celebrate that fact this weekend.

The party's annual convention was originally scheduled to take place in Regina today.

But when reporters called to find out the convention schedule, they were informed it had actually been cancelled more than a month ago, due to the fact it would come so closely after the hubbub of the federal election.

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Yep, you wouldn't want to have a convention 6 weeks after a federal election. That would be crazy :-)

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.

---

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.