Candidate Nomination Restrictions: Democracy or smart politics?
In today’s Globe and Mail, Gloria Galloway discusses the impact of a federal Conservative initiative to limit two-time (or more) defeated candidates. She goes on to discuss the pros and cons of such a move. The benefits would be preventing weak candidates from losing time and time again while the down side would be limiting the democratic process. The move seems like another shift away from the populist approach that Preston Manning was so fond of during the Reform years. PM Harper is not of the same cut of cloth.
There are several reasons why candidates lose:
- they are running in yellow dog ridings where they don’t have a snowball’s chance of winning (like a tory in Transcona)
- poor candidate in comparison with who they are running against
- casualty in the death of a dynasty (“time for a change” phenomenon)
One thing I can’t get my head is while some may criticize the federal tories latest move to filter talent, the process in general is still more democratic than the Liberal or NDP. The Liberals are notorious for stacking nomination meetings and preventing nomination challenges on incumbents (which they have recently re-instituted) or prevent challenge to centrally chosen candidates.
On the provincial front, the NDP have successfully used nomination challenges to get rid of people they don’t like such as Clif Evans. The guy who was instrumental in revealing the “vote splitting scandal” got knifed by Tom Nevakshonoff in a nomination challenge. There’s gratitude for you! I think Cerelli suffered a similar fate.
Cutting the throat of an incumbent can have a negative impact. The federal NDP threw away a federal seat in Churchill after knifing one of their own (Bev Desarlais) for voting against same sex marriage. They were enforcing the official line of the party instead of freedom of expression of the voice of the majority of the constituents. How’s that for democracy! Freedom of speech, just watch what you say. Of course the person who took her place was a complete lightweight (some would argue half wit) daughter of Steve Ashton. That one was a real head scratcher.
From what I understand, the provincial tories are opening up nominations of all candidates. I think this was a good move for Hugh. Supporters of Ron Schuler backed this concept and the party is united behind it. As with both parties, there is some driftwood in PC caucus that have stayed on well past their expiry dates. Culling the herd might be a good way to inject some new blood with fire in their bellies and a desire to win. On the other hand, the NDP are old and tired at a much higher level.
There are several reasons why candidates lose:
- they are running in yellow dog ridings where they don’t have a snowball’s chance of winning (like a tory in Transcona)
- poor candidate in comparison with who they are running against
- casualty in the death of a dynasty (“time for a change” phenomenon)
One thing I can’t get my head is while some may criticize the federal tories latest move to filter talent, the process in general is still more democratic than the Liberal or NDP. The Liberals are notorious for stacking nomination meetings and preventing nomination challenges on incumbents (which they have recently re-instituted) or prevent challenge to centrally chosen candidates.
On the provincial front, the NDP have successfully used nomination challenges to get rid of people they don’t like such as Clif Evans. The guy who was instrumental in revealing the “vote splitting scandal” got knifed by Tom Nevakshonoff in a nomination challenge. There’s gratitude for you! I think Cerelli suffered a similar fate.
Cutting the throat of an incumbent can have a negative impact. The federal NDP threw away a federal seat in Churchill after knifing one of their own (Bev Desarlais) for voting against same sex marriage. They were enforcing the official line of the party instead of freedom of expression of the voice of the majority of the constituents. How’s that for democracy! Freedom of speech, just watch what you say. Of course the person who took her place was a complete lightweight (some would argue half wit) daughter of Steve Ashton. That one was a real head scratcher.
From what I understand, the provincial tories are opening up nominations of all candidates. I think this was a good move for Hugh. Supporters of Ron Schuler backed this concept and the party is united behind it. As with both parties, there is some driftwood in PC caucus that have stayed on well past their expiry dates. Culling the herd might be a good way to inject some new blood with fire in their bellies and a desire to win. On the other hand, the NDP are old and tired at a much higher level.
posted by Andy Fletcher | 4:56 PM
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