Who will replace Mulcair? (NDP leadership)

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

With his apparently squishy position on Quebec secession, and now a stout opposition to face covering legislation, I find myself wondering whether Mr. Singh's suburban Toronto views on matters Quebec might not put a crimp in his plan to "run for Prime Minister"?

Has he said something new on Quebec secession? Did I miss that?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Has he said something new on Quebec secession? Did I miss that?

The other week. I can't find a reference, but there was a view that he was a tad too enthusiastic.

Edit: I may have been thinking of this National Post piece: http://nationalpost.com/opinion/laur...bec-separation

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

The other week. I can't find a reference, but there was a view that he was a tad too enthusiastic.

Edit: I may have been thinking of this National Post piece: http://nationalpost.com/opinion/laur...bec-separation

Well, if that's the case then in terms of Quebec he's going against public opinion here on face coverings, but with public opinion on the question of secession.

In the suburban GTA it's likely the opposite that is true.

In much of rural Canada outside Quebec he's likely on the wrong side of public opinion on both issues.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Well, if that's the case then in terms of Quebec he's going against public opinion here on face coverings, but with public opinion on the question of secession.

In the suburban GTA it's likely the opposite that is true.

In much of rural Canada outside Quebec he's likely on the wrong side of public opinion on both issues.

I'm thinking "rookie error" in both cases by being unnecessarily "out front" re secession and too fast out of the gates on face covering, although he's consistent on party policy wrt the face covering thing. Time will tell.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I'm thinking "rookie error" in both cases by being unnecessarily "out front" re secession and too fast out of the gates on face covering, although he's consistent on party policy wrt the face covering thing. Time will tell.

He's also consistent with party policy on secession and 50%+1 (if he goes there) which the NDP supported in its "Sherbrooke declaration" a few years ago. That was under Layton I am pretty sure.

[rrskylar]

This is rich, so clueless Singh and the bastion of stupidity called the NDP party starts his campaign off in the wrong riding unbeknownst to him, you can’t make this stuff up!

[cornholio]

I suspect the NDP will get decimated in the next election. I am projecting top 5 worst results in their history for the next election. (pretty hard to beat 9 seats in 93 though)

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by cornholio

I suspect the NDP will get decimated in the next election. I am projecting top 5 worst results in their history for the next election. (pretty hard to beat 9 seats in 93 though)

But at least they will be able to be politically correct about it, so they can at least hold their heads high, with their principles intact.

[esquire]

Whether it's deserved or not, the "Singh is a hapless boob" narrative is really starting to form now in the national press corps. Once it picks up steam it's hard to derail... just ask Stockwell Day. I'm sure he's really feeling the heat to deliver some results now.

[Doady]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

But at least they will be able to be politically correct about it, so they can at least hold their heads high, with their principles intact.

Funny how going against the public opinion and not attacking the minority just to win an election is being "politically correct".

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by cornholio

I suspect the NDP will get decimated in the next election. I am projecting top 5 worst results in their history for the next election. (pretty hard to beat 9 seats in 93 though)

I agree. What ever number they get, it will be just a shadow of what they got under Layton and it is totally self-inflicted.

They will get decimated in nearly all areas of the country and lose all their hard fought gains in Quebec overnight. Even their traditional strongholds of Ontario and BC are withering away as the Liberals have moved further left and the notion of getting the labour vote because the union head tells you to are fading very fast.

Now in a desperate bid to appeal to ethnic voters they elect a Sikh. Being a Sikh is NOT appealing to most immigrants. The vast majority of our immigrants are from China, Philippines, and Hindus from India most of whom would never vote for a Sikh. For non-immigrants it's not so much he is a Sikh but rather that he openly displays his religious beliefs. The NDP's complete hypocrisy is glaring. If a Conservative were to carry around a bible, say a few "Hail Marys", or kiss a rosary the NDP would go ballistic.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by esquire

Whether it's deserved or not, the "Singh is a hapless boob" narrative is really starting to form now in the national press corps. Once it picks up steam it's hard to derail... just ask Stockwell Day. I'm sure he's really feeling the heat to deliver some results now.

The start was with Singh being too cowardly to denounce any Canadian Sikhs who glorify Talwinder Singh Parmar the mastermind of the 1985 Air India bombing, as a martyr.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I agree. What ever number they get, it will be just a shadow of what they got under Layton and it is totally self-inflicted.

They will get decimated in nearly all areas of the country and lose all their hard fought gains in Quebec overnight. Even their traditional strongholds of Ontario and BC are withering away as the Liberals have moved further left and the notion of getting the labour vote because the union head tells you to are fading very fast.

I would say their gains in Quebec were actually the complete opposite of "hard-fought"; they were much more like winning the lottery by being at the right place at the right time.

Mulcair was well known and well liked, by far the best candidate to try to continue to build something somewhat lasting in Layton's footsteps in Quebec, but then he made the fatal mistake of taking a clear pro-niqab stance during a campaign. Getting rid of him and replacing him with some other dude no one here has ever heard of (the pasta strainer doesn't help either) was pretty much the final nail in the coffin for the NDP in this province.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by cornholio

I suspect the NDP will get decimated in the next election. I am projecting top 5 worst results in their history for the next election. (pretty hard to beat 9 seats in 93 though)

I wouldn't go that far yet for a prediction. Many thought of Justin Trudeau as being like what many are saying about Singh now.

I do agree that the odds are against the NDP for the next election with the way things are now. But there are a number of popular NDP MPs who could win even with a leader who isn't so popular. My MP is Charlie Angus and he will win in 2019. Okay, he came a distant second place to Singh in the leadership race and is known across the country. There are others who can win on their name alone but it will be interesting to see if those people run again.

[Acajack]

I think I agree with Loco that it's too early to judge for Singh (and also for Scheer).

Of course, the NDP choosing Singh is a bit of gambit. But Trudeau was also a gambit for the Liberals and could have flopped just as other "flavour of the month / shiny object" leader choices have in the past.

Admittedly, Singh is a bigger gamble than someone who bears the name Trudeau.

[1overcosc]

I could see the NDP holding on in Berthier-Maskinonge (due to the personal popularity of Brosseau) and in the northern riding due to the indigenous population, but unless something changes the other 14 NDP seats in Quebec are probably toast.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I think I agree with Loco that it's too early to judge for Singh (and also for Scheer).

Of course, the NDP choosing Singh is a bit of gambit. But Trudeau was also a gambit for the Liberals and could have flopped just as other "flavour of the month / shiny object" leader choices have in the past.

Admittedly, Singh is a bigger gamble than someone who bears the name Trudeau.

The problem with Singh is most Canadians can never relate to him. Promoting religion, religious attire, not condemning Sikh terrorists. These will turn 95% of the population off if not consciously then subconsciously. That's the plain truth. I don't know what the NDP were thinking or where they were polling to think he was a good idea as a leader.

Had he gotten rid of the turban, didn't push his religion and acted secular and normal like say Ujjal Dosanjh (former premier of BC) he would be relatable and have as good a chance as anyone.

Right now he looks like a dud which is bad news for the Conservatives because when the NDP flop Trudeau wins no matter how bad of a prime minister he is.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by cornholio

Right now he looks like a dud which is bad news for the Conservatives because when the NDP flop Trudeau wins no matter how bad of a prime minister he is.

Indeed - this will probably be the main reason why we will end up with another Trudeau majority. If the NDP implodes (as it seems), I could see JT getting over 200 seats.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I agree. What ever number they get, it will be just a shadow of what they got under Layton and it is totally self-inflicted.

They will get decimated in nearly all areas of the country and lose all their hard fought gains in Quebec overnight. Even their traditional strongholds of Ontario and BC are withering away as the Liberals have moved further left and the notion of getting the labour vote because the union head tells you to are fading very fast.

Now in a desperate bid to appeal to ethnic voters they elect a Sikh. Being a Sikh is NOT appealing to most immigrants. The vast majority of our immigrants are from China, Philippines, and Hindus from India most of whom would never vote for a Sikh. For non-immigrants it's not so much he is a Sikh but rather that he openly displays his religious beliefs. The NDP's complete hypocrisy is glaring. If a Conservative were to carry around a bible, say a few "Hail Marys", or kiss a rosary the NDP would go ballistic.

The idea that Canadians of various immigrant origins would be drawn to the NDP because they chose Singh as a leader has to be one of the most amateurish things I've seen from a major political party in recent history.

And yeah, I really do think that there are lots of people in the NDP who thought things would work out that way.

That people of Chinese and Jamaican origin would actually say "hey, they picked a Sikh guy with a turban and a long beard! that means they'll be nice to us too!"

Not to mention the fact that relations between Sikhs and other groups inhabiting the "subcontinent" haven't always been harmonious, and all of these groups have a decent-sized representation in the Canadian population.

[mistercorporate]

They should change the name of this thread to "Who will replace Singh?"