Apolitical Staples

The plan is to resurrect the Think Twice Coalition. Buzz is just itching to get out there with Liz once again telling NDP voters to save the nation by voting “strategically” (except in ridings where the NDP has a shot, there they should vote Liberal).

It can be both.

My guess is that the Greens have a number of candidates running under the Liberal flag (or forming informal alliances with the Liberals) in competitive ridings hoping to form a Green caucus in Parliament.

It would not surprise me to see a number of Dippers also forming informal alliances with the Greens and/or the Liberals to win their ridings.

Poor Jack Layton. Who is he going to make better-balanced-budget deals with now?

Buzz is just itching to get out there with Liz once again telling NDP voters to save the nation by voting “strategically”

I sort of doubt this, what with Buzz’s “green madness” comments. I almost feel for the guy. Abandoning the NDP, finding the Liberals aren’t his cup of tea. At the rate he’s going, he’s going to try and tackle a fleeing Stephen Harper in order to deliver a man-hug, at which point, he might have to be dragged off by security.

Should be fun to watch.

I’m with you on that one James.

I suspect there are already grumblings within the party second-guessing their choice of May as leader.

You analysis is right on, Greg S. She is not acting like a leader of a party that wants to become a serious player in politics.

Look at Mario Dumont. He had three kicks at the can before finally making a serious breakthrough. He did it the old-fashioned way. He got more MPs elected to Parliament each time.

As for Layton, he’ll make his deal on the Clean Air Act with Harper. Don’t worry about him. In fact, I believe Dion rushed this Green alliance in part to anticipate such a move from the Tories and the NDP.

As for Buzz, since the Tory-NDP deal will be less stringent that what May and Dion have in mind, it might give him something to endorse. We’ll see.

I think this battle on the environment has been brewing for months, and have been following it on my blog.

It should be no surprise that Dion and May made a deal. And it also should be no surprise that Harper and Layton will also make a deal. But everyone acts surprised anyways. Go figure.

The difference between the two deals is that Dion’s is ham-fisted and reactionary. Harper’s is targeted and strategic.

Nevertheless, James is right. Should be fun.

I wonder whether the Green Party federal council asked May to clarify or even renounce her status as a member of the Think Twice Coalition when she announced her intention to run for party leader in 2006, or whether federal council takes seriously their role in ensuring the wellbeing and longevity of the Party that so many have worked so hard to build.

From the GPC Bylaws, 1.1.4 A person cannot be a member of The Party if the person belongs to an organization whose actions are detrimental to The Party, as determined by Federal Council.

If strategic voting isn’t detrimental to the party, then what is? Were they asleep at the wheel? Or do they actually believe that this isn’t hurting the party?

May’s latest manoeuvre is simply a continuation of her plan to boost the Liberals by eroding Green impact in elections, and it’s shameful.

Dennis,

I don’t see where you’re seeing a “Harper/Layton deal.” There’s the Clean Air Act (now the Clean Air and Climate Change Act), but ALL the parties had their fingers in that one. And last I heard, the Tories weren’t that crazy about the final product.

I’d love to see a “deal” there, but if it does come to fruition, it’ll be a “deal” made between all of the parties in Parliament, and it’s up to Harper and company to decide whether they want it.

Perhaps Buzz is having some second thoughts about the Liberals (although he still loves Dalton McGuinty). I will give you the benefit of the doubt about that, James. Elizabeth May, on the other hand, seems to have no doubts about the wisdom of electing Liberals at the cost of her own party.

Buzz is having some second thoughts about the Liberals

Perhaps the Liberals are having second thoughts about Buzz - it’s not as though he’s picked a ever backed a winner.

Polling shows Canadians want to be “green” but not radically so. Moderate changes yes, but at minimal cost. “No fringe freakshows please, we like it down the middle” says the vast majority of Canadians.

What does Dion do? The radical fringe freakshow.

“Train Wreck” may be too charitable an analogy. Many walk away unharmed in a train wreck. Dion’s taking Air Liberal into a deep nosedive headed right for some nice wide open green pasture.

That anon. post about the Liberals having seconds thoughts on Buzz was me - sorry I didn’t notice that I was running anonymously.

Anyway, I linked to this post.

IP, it’s politically expiedient for the CPC to not like the new clean air act. That allows them to play the ‘minority’ angle for their supporters.

Who forced it to committee rather then just killing it in the House won’t be lost in the shuffle either.

The NDP are going to use the CPC’s reluctance to say, “See, they don’t like it! We need more NDP to force gov’t to work for Cdn’s … blah, blah, blah.”

THe NDP are also going to highlight the fact that the Lib’s were against going to committee with the CAA, that they actively tried to sabatoge it and that the Lib’s/GPC both called it a waste of time. The NDP will also highlight that after all was said and done, the Lib’s/GPC reluctantly endorsed it.

Layton owns that act now, cake cutting photo-ops as proof.

NDP campaign ad: Iggy - “We didn’t get it done.” Layton - “We did.”

Cheers,
lance

Idealistic Pragmatist, go to my blog. I have video evidence even.

Layton clearly states that he’s open to having some of it passed. John Baird openly berates the Liberals and the Bloc, but not the NDP when it comes to getting something done.

I’ve been saying for months it’ll happen. Still do.

Lance, what’s happened so far isn’t enough for Layton. No law has passed. Until that happens, the rest is process that doesn’t lead to anything.

Layton needs more, and I think he and Harper will provide it.

It’ll stuff the environment issue down Dion and May’s throats.

I agree completely Dennis … as you well know. :)

CAA will make it to the Senate before the election, what happens there though is anyone’s guess. The Liberal’s dare not stall it too much, but at the same time it’s a poison pill for them.

However, if you’re waiting for explicit proof of a CPC/NDP alliance, you’re going to wait a long time. It would be suicide for Layton and harmful to Harper. Politico’s might understand Machievellian ‘enemy of my enemy’ stuff, but Joe/Jane Sixpack/Latte won’t.

Cheers,
lance

I don’t think there will ever be an explicit alliance. Dion and May have shown that such entities are bizarre. But I do think that the NDP and the Conservatives will find common ground on the Clean Air Act — before any election. That’s all they need. Even Jack suggests such on video you can see on my blog.

As long as they have a bill, and can campaign on that bill in the next election, it’s all that matters. It’s an achievement, versus nothing from a decade of Dion’s Liberals.

The answer to Greg’s principal question in his post is in the constitution of the Green Party:

“Article 4 Purpose

It is the purpose of The Party to advance The Party’s platform, policy, values and basis of unity, and to contribute to the welfare of Canada, Canadians and the community of life in Canada by: 4.1 fielding and electing candidates in federal elections 4.2 debating and forming legislation in the Canadian Parliament and by participating in the Government of Canada 4.3 developing policy and platforms consistent with its values and basis of unity 4.4 advancing The Party’s platform, policy, values and basis of unity outside of electoral periods 4.5 forming and maintaining Party organizations at the federal, provincial and electoral district levels 4.6 working in solidarity with green parties globally.”

The WartHog’s hissy fit over Harper and the CPC doesn’t seem to fit with those purposes, and should be grounds for immediate dismissal as leader by the membership. Pure and simple, the Green Party has been hijacked to satisfy a personal vendetta.