Having recently watched the first interview I've seen with new NDP leader Nycole Turmel (on the Rosemary Barton Show), my first impression was how much she reminded me of Stephane Dion. That is if Stephane were female and answered most questions with some reference to big labour. I'm not trying to insult leaders who speak broken English, I'm just not sure it is the recipe for success outside of Quebec.
What are your early impressions of the new NDP leader?
She was likely chosen because she is unlikely to compete for the full-time job if Jack Layton is unable to return, allowing the deputies to vie for leadership. But if we come back in the fall and the female Stephane Dion has her hands on the steering wheel, that's not good for the NDP. Sure 60% of their seats are now in Quebec and they could permanently replace the Bloc, but Nycole Turmel will not translate positively nationally. She's a useful MP, but she's not going to increase NDP support outside of Quebec.
The assessment is "true" and it will be the demise of the NDP in Quebec.
ReplyDeleteThere is no chance of the NDP party carrying any weight outside of La Belle province.
You can encapsulate this runaway train-wreck beginning to take on speed from which there is no return.
Mr. Layton didn't grant anybody any favours and especially "his own"party.
How to explain this weird choice by Jack ? He is trying to make the Dippers into the new Libs, thus he is adopting their tradition of alternating leaders from Quebec and ROC. Also, the Dippers have some kind of unwritten rule about alternating men and women in top positions.
ReplyDeleteTurmel is too much of a union (and probably social too) activist.She will continuously remind voters that Dipper policy choices are too compromised by their too close relationship with (especially public sector) unions.
I think I made the same comparison when she was first mentioned. Her accent says, Dion, and a lot of us will think Dion every time she goofs up.
ReplyDeleteSorry Jack, she will not sell in western Canada, and might even fail in BC. Her first official job-Pride parade. Not a good choice. Those union federal workers might be happy, but there will a lot less of then in 4 yrs.
We might not like her, but don't smile to soon.
ReplyDeleteShe is experienced at the shell game and in the Machiavellian world and that gives her an edge in Quebec.
We would have been better off with Libby because Canadian's would have had a clear view of the real NDP. Now we will get a lot of smoke and mirrors with experienced slieght of hand thrown in.
Be careful with this lady...she bites.
Is she considered bilingual ?
ReplyDeleteI counted about 15 grammatical errors in a 3 minute English interview on The National last evening.
Anon - for a francophone, that's bilingual. Should an anglophone show the same lack of grammar in French, there would be serious comment on how not bilingue that person was. But then grammar is taken more seriously in the French curriculum than the English one.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to chime in as likly the only NDP member who posts on this blog. I was at the NDP convention and stood next to Nycole while waiting to speak to a motion on a floor. I had no idea who she was at the point. We spoke at some length until she informed me, I don't recall what I said to garner this response, that she was one of the new NDP MP's voted in in Quebec. I apologized for my ignorance.
ReplyDeleteI found her English, while not superb, definatly much better then some of the other francophones at the convention. She was very nice, spoke highly of BC and Vancouver and was very excited to see so many young people at the convention.
Is she an ideal leader? Perhaps not, but we have yet to see her preform in that capacity. A leader is tested by a crisis. We've seen Stephen Harper excel during crisises, and Ignatieff burn out. Likewise, we've seen Layton also excel during crisises. How will Nycole fair? We must wait and see.
Thank you
Ryan L. Painter
Frances: for a Francophone, her 15 grammatical errors would qualify her for a dept. Head in Ottawa..if the same comparisons could be made to an Anglophone..there wouldn't be any..he/she would not have a top job ( or any job of significance) in Ottawa.
ReplyDeleteI have seen Francophones lie on applications and say that English is their mother tongue, and take their proficiency tests in French!
What a scam!
Kursk