 |
| Time for a change? |
Here in Saskatchewan despite the fact that the Saskatchewan Party is basically a one man show leading a group so bush league that most of them would not be capable doing the job as a village alderman, the NDP trail badly in the polls and will be lucky to hold on the the seats they have in the next election.
When Lorne Calvert left politics it was time for the New Democrats to rebuild. Renewal should have been the catch phrase on everyone's lips. When a leadership race was held there were choices which would have given us just that but the tired old party decided instead to pick a leader from the past. We picked Dwain Lingenfelter.
I came to Saskatchewan not long before Lingenfelter left politics to work as an executive in the energy industry in Calgary so I don't know him well but from what I gather, he was touted to be Roy Romanow's successor but instead, he decided to seek his fame and fortune in Alberta. An odd decision for a New Democrat but a good fit for Dwain.
He wasn't my choice but he did win the race and I respect the process so I figured, what the hell Link, show us how it is done.
He hasn't. His leadership is such a liability that a new NDP candidate in the next election told me, "We'll never will another election here in Saskatchewan until we get rid of that bloody Lingenfelter" (I actually cleaned up the language quite a bit)
So, the NDP in Saskatchewan have a couple of choices. Dwain could resign today and the party could begin to rebuild now, bringing in new blood or, we could get trounced in the next election and then he could get forced out in a leadership review.
Don't get me wrong, there are some very good bright, young faces on the New Democrat side of the legislature and I am encouraged by some of the young, smart candidates running in the next election but unless some of the old guard move over, we are hooped.
The new face of the party are MLAs like Trent Wotherspoon, Warren McCall, Cam Broten, Danielle Chartier and Darcy Furber. Candidates like Yens Pederson, Jaime Garcia and Heather McIntyre. Guys like Ryan Meili.
My view is the best decision would be to start right now. Have Link step down, put in the Deputy Leader Kevin Yates in as a place holder, elect a new leader, take your lumps in the next election and get on with the rebuilding process.
Any bets on what we actually do?
Up front, I'm a Sask Party member, but I will give you an honest opinion.
ReplyDeleteWhen Link was running I advised all the NDP's I knew not to vote for him, I said he would destroy the NDP. I said that knowing that every NDP who heard me would think I was scared of Link and therefore vote for him. Hey, that's politics.
But the question is where to go next? I don't know which direction you can take. Both parties crowd the center on all issues, so there isn't anything new or exciting to motivate voters to elect a new government. And waiting and hoping for the Sask Party to fail does not endear a party to the voters.
There is also the reality that provinces tend to vote in distinct patterns for generations; Ontario had a uninterrupted Conservative government for over 45 years; Alberta's current government is it's 3rd to have been in power 30 years or more; BC rarely has a government in power for more than 2 terms; Saskatchewan has had 2 natural governing parties, the Liberals and the NDP, the Liberals were in power for 46 years over a span of 71 years(the Liberals still hold the record for the longest consecutive government), the CCF/NDP have been in power 47 years over a span of 63 years.
Anyway, I'm not posting this to start a fight, just commenting in good faith.
BTW, Ryan Meili is your best bet.
Put in a new leader and have the Saskatchewan party run negative ads against that leader and you will be in the same position. If the NDP were doing so poorly I imagine it would be reflected within the party except its not. Leaders dinners are bigger events than in recent memory. The SYND agm was the biggest in likely over ten years.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment considering that most of the people I talk to are telling me Link should go now. They are all NDP members or at the very least supporters and it seems in contrast to your observations.
ReplyDeleteTen bucks says give it a year and the discontent will be so loud that even the SYND will be able to hear it.