I have to admit that I like Jack Layton personally. And Olivia Chow, fellow NDP MP and his life partner has done some wonderful and important work on behalf of the anti-war movement in general and the War Resisters Support Campaign in particular.But the NDP's parliamentary jockeying and nonsense about "making Parliament work" makes me nervous. Particularly when I read this:
"Rick Boychuk, Mr. Layton's communication's director, said his boss was to meet with Stephen Harper to talk about the NDP's “legislative agenda” with the goal of making Parliament work."
I'm holding my breath in preparation that he'll agree some hare-brained deal with the Tory scum that lets them stay in power through the fall, while extracting some pitiful crumbs in return.
7 comments :
Oh, yes. Please. Because when the NDP do it, it doesn't feel quite as much like bending over.
"Thank you sir, may I have another?"
Ha ha. Indeed.
Since Layton didn't "bend over", it looks like Iggy stands alone -- again.
I think Iggy 'bends' alone again is more accurate. :)
Anyway, fair enough. Layton came out of the meeting saying he saw no basis to work with Harper, etc. But there is a basis for being skeptical here. Layton has mused about working with the Tories in the past - just this past April he said it was time to put aside "electioneering". Two elections ago I seem to recall - and I'm willing to be corrected on this - Layton musing on the possibility of working with a Tory minority government, perhaps even a coalition.
And, of course, the willingness to jump in the sack with the Liberals - who are Tories in all but name. Hell, Ignatieff is well to the right of Obama on most things. Rae is a born-again neo-liberal. Manley (watch for his return) is a pro-war scumbag. And it was the Liberals under Chretien-Martin who destroyed EI (then UI) to begin with.
There is no basis to work with any of these weasels. What the NDP needs to learn is how to move beyond the straightjacket of parliamentary maneuvering to build support. Not to say it's easy but clearly it's a better struggle than the politicking that has gained the NDP nothing. Nothing but heartache that is.
You don't need a crystal ball to figure what Jack was going to say after the meeting. If you look at the New Democrats leading issues and the Tory leading issues, there's no common ground. This was Jack doing some PR work, trying to show voters that he's not about power and that he is willing to set aside differences in the interest of Canadians. Yeah, he had expressed a willingness in the past to work with Harper after the '06 election and that went nowhere just as fast. I think the coalition is really what he should be pressing; Iggy ought to know that the Liberals will not win the next election and if by the slim chance they do it will be just as slim a minority. Better to have the New Democrats and the Bloc (who have much more in common politically) influence the Liberal agenda and keep Iggy and The Stooges in line.
James - I agree (in retrospect). It was clear how this ritual dance would end.
But this coalition thing is a dead end for the NDP. When they did in Ontario with Peterson's Liberals it only built support for the Liberals who won a majority the following election. (Of course, this wasn't as much of a disaster as when the NDP actually won - but that's another story).
In any case, I think it builds illusions that the Liberals are somehow better or different than the Tories and the record, I think, speaks very clearly otherwise.
I think Iggy 'bends' alone again is more accurate. :)
Anyway, fair enough. Layton came out of the meeting saying he saw no basis to work with Harper, etc. But there is a basis for being skeptical here. Layton has mused about working with the Tories in the past - just this past April he said it was time to put aside "electioneering". Two elections ago I seem to recall - and I'm willing to be corrected on this - Layton musing on the possibility of working with a Tory minority government, perhaps even a coalition.
And, of course, the willingness to jump in the sack with the Liberals - who are Tories in all but name. Hell, Ignatieff is well to the right of Obama on most things. Rae is a born-again neo-liberal. Manley (watch for his return) is a pro-war scumbag. And it was the Liberals under Chretien-Martin who destroyed EI (then UI) to begin with.
There is no basis to work with any of these weasels. What the NDP needs to learn is how to move beyond the straightjacket of parliamentary maneuvering to build support. Not to say it's easy but clearly it's a better struggle than the politicking that has gained the NDP nothing. Nothing but heartache that is.
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