Green / Liberal shenanigans
Odd behaviour by the Canadian Liberals - Dion has concocted a non-aggression pact with the Greens in connection with the seats of the leaders of the two parties. More here and here.
In common with these parts, the bunny huggers poll miserably, lack MPs and presumably lose their deposits or the local equivalent on a regular basis. That Dion will not be challenged by the Greens in his Quebec seat should make no difference to his chances - it is reckoned to be their safest seat and he won 60% of the vote last time, and the Greens 0.4%. Similarly, the Nova Scotia seat the Greens are pursuing is not exactly prime territory - they polled 1.59% last time. The additional mustard in the mix is that the Nova Scotia seat is held by the Conservative Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter Mackay.
All things considered, it would seem unlikely that the Green party's leader will be striding into the Commons come next time's election results, but Dion has effectively allied himself with a far left party in order to appeal to the environmentally minded. Hostage to fortune is putting it mildly, and having once established that he is prepared to make a deal with a minor party, it does imply that similar deals could be forthcoming.
In broader terms, I think it shows contempt for the electorate and democracy in general not to stand in a seat that a party deems itself unlikely to win. That Labour continues to treat members in Ulster as second class citizens is a perennial disgrace, and for all that the Tory party will always fail dismally in any number of seats is the price it pays for being the sole national party.
Meanwhile, I discovered this week that my uncle is running for the Yellow Peril in May. Can I ever live this down?
In common with these parts, the bunny huggers poll miserably, lack MPs and presumably lose their deposits or the local equivalent on a regular basis. That Dion will not be challenged by the Greens in his Quebec seat should make no difference to his chances - it is reckoned to be their safest seat and he won 60% of the vote last time, and the Greens 0.4%. Similarly, the Nova Scotia seat the Greens are pursuing is not exactly prime territory - they polled 1.59% last time. The additional mustard in the mix is that the Nova Scotia seat is held by the Conservative Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter Mackay.
All things considered, it would seem unlikely that the Green party's leader will be striding into the Commons come next time's election results, but Dion has effectively allied himself with a far left party in order to appeal to the environmentally minded. Hostage to fortune is putting it mildly, and having once established that he is prepared to make a deal with a minor party, it does imply that similar deals could be forthcoming.
In broader terms, I think it shows contempt for the electorate and democracy in general not to stand in a seat that a party deems itself unlikely to win. That Labour continues to treat members in Ulster as second class citizens is a perennial disgrace, and for all that the Tory party will always fail dismally in any number of seats is the price it pays for being the sole national party.
Meanwhile, I discovered this week that my uncle is running for the Yellow Peril in May. Can I ever live this down?
This entry was posted
on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at 9:10 am.
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Brazen it out, mr C, a man who wears yellow socks must surely be proof against such embarrassments
You may have a point there...
why do people vote libdem?
im genuinely curious
I've been following this one. The two groups are grasping at straws. Harper's the man.
Hitch - One of those great mysteries of our time, isn't it?
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