An Open Letter to Jack Layton

If Layton, MP and carpetbagger over here in Danforth, ever bothered to canvass my neighbourhood he’d hear something similar. Layton had more to fear than Harper from May’s presence, particular in BC I’d say.

Unfortunately May doesn’t help her cause by sending “ZOMG PONIES!!!” emails in the cause of a Liberal candidate, Brent Fullard, in Guelph, to the chagrin of her party’s nominee Doug Anderson. The “WTF SEXISM!!!” outburst (when two of the TV executives who made the call were women, (not to mention being a woman didn’t preclude Alexa McDonough from being in the debates) didn’t show her in the best light either.

This letter is the epitome of tl;dr.

“I am writing to tell you that you have lost my vote.”

Puleeeeeze!

As if Jack Layton ever had your vote!! (Typical bloody unprincipled Liberal … shedding crocodile tears for Elizabeth May…. after spending months propping up Harper’s government - vote after vote after vote … AND supporting a war that frankly … you should be ashamed to even mention!!!

Nope. I haven’t voted Liberal since 1997. In 1999 (Ontario) I voted NDP. In 2000 (federal), I voted Conservative, in 2003 (Ontario), I voted Green. In 2004 (federal), I voted NDP. I voted NDP again in 2006, and Green in 2007 (Ontario). And I’ve no desire to vote Liberal now. I’ll likely vote Green.

Thanks for reminding us of the initial BQ participation in the debates, not one of its members at that point having been elected as such. That’s an excellent counter to the weaselly “elected MP” nonsense being used by the establishment parties and the corporate media to deny May her rightful place at the table.

If she’s really a Liberal in disguise, what better place than a leaders’ debate to draw her out on it? Yet, incredibly, her politics are being used as an excuse to screen her out of a political debate!

I shall still vote NDP. The party is bigger than Jack Layton, a person for whom, until now, I’ve had a great deal of respect. It offers real possibilities, beyond anything that the Greens have on offer. But I am with you in my absolute disgust for this undemocratic—heck, anti-democratic—move by Layton. I’m still shaken by it. Whom is he trying to impress?

My letter to Jack was shorter and sharper in some ways than yours. Bravo for your measured comments.

I didn’t think of it myself, but the point about proportional representation is a great one. What would Harper/Layton do if there were 7 or 10 parties in the House? They’re both the same. Political self interest beats consistency and principle every time. We’re not supposed to remember what they used to believe in.

Yes, I too had forgotten about the BQ example. That’s pretty much the last excuse gone.

James … as a matter of course, I do not read your blog. As has been very clearly pointed out to me … I may have confused you with another (Liberal) blogger. If that is the case … then I stand corrected in my interpretation of your views.

No problem.

Actually, this is funny. I met Liblogger James Bowie online once, and he mentioned that people always mistake him for me online. At the time, I couldn’t offer him an example of people mistaking me for him, but now I can!

Again, my sincere regrets! I assure you that I will NOT confuse the two of you again!

P.S. (It must be election time in Canada … there is a LOT of high emotions at the moment … I certainly admit mine!!)

Whooee! Seems like leftdog’s ridin’ the boogeysphere callin’ everybuddy who don’t go along with his sham leader’s anti-democratic stance a”Liberal.” He called StageLeft a Liberal, too. Now, that’s truly off base.

Here’s what NDP strategist Gerald Caplan said about the issue.

“I’m dismayed at the decision to keep Ms. May out of the debate. It’s contrary to democracy, common sense and civil decency. I’m hugely disappointed that the NDP is party to this exclusion. I’m shocked that the Conservatives and NDP apparently have threatened not to participate if she had been included. I’m incredulous that Mr. Layton would use the Liberal-Green deal in a single seat to argue that they’re virtually the same party. I can hardly believe Mr. Harper’s brazenness in saying, without an iota of proof, that Ms. May intends to endorse Mr. Dion.

Now we are left with the spectacle of four men babbling to each other, while another man moderates. Nice work, boys.

Make no mistake: Ms. May is being excluded for no reason of principle. This is all about exploiting an opportunity against a potentially dangerous opponent. Another word for this is opportunism. This is a decision that may well come back to haunt both the Conservatives and the NDP. And they’ll have no one to blame but themselves.”

Is Caplan a Liberal, too, leftdog?

Layton’s actions are every bit as reprehensible and indefensible as Caplan and a good number of NDP bloggers have said they are. Only an anti-democratic hyper-partisan would claim otherwise. Calling Greens “Liberals” is an insult to Greens and an insult to our democracy. Greens are running against Liberals in 305 ridings and we are largely being credited with the increasingly poor Liberal showing in the polls.

Good letter, James. I, too, have voted NDP in the past. I wouldn’t have voted NDP this time, even if they had a principled leader. I did write to Layton, though. I wasn’t nearly as civil as you.

JB

Great post, and let’s hope that somewhere along the way this comes together as it should.

Thanks for reminding us of the initial BQ participation in the debates, not one of its members at that point having been elected as such. That’s an excellent counter to the weaselly “elected MP” nonsense being used by the establishment parties and the corporate media to deny May her rightful place at the table.

Um, Duceppe was elected in a by-election in 1990.

Correction noted, many thanks!

James, With all do respect, if the Christian Heritage Party convinced one of Harper’s backbenchers to join them (let’s say Epp) and they were able to field candidates in 306 ridings would and then they repeatedly said that although they are their own party they still supported Harper for PM, would you be as quick to defend the idea that their leader should be in the leaders debate.

The Greens are essentially a one issue party. I agree with them that the environment is crucial issue but I would imagine that a considerable number of Canadians believe that abortion is a crucial issue.

I think that Joan Bryden’s piece is pretty compelling:

Joan Bryden from CP gets it:

OTTAWA _ Elizabeth May says she won’t endorse Liberal Leader Stephane Dion during the current election campaign.

…(snipped for brevity, full article available here —jb)…

Jimbobby… Gerry Caplan? Really? I doubt that Caplan has been a member of the party in a long time. I haven’t considered him a New Democrat in eons, regardless of what the MSM seems to think…

With all do respect, if the Christian Heritage Party convinced one of Harper’s backbenchers to join them (let’s say Epp) and they were able to field candidates in 306 ridings would and then they repeatedly said that although they are their own party they still supported Harper for PM, would you be as quick to defend the idea that their leader should be in the leaders debate.

Yes.

The Greens are essentially a one issue party.

No. They have a full party platform addressing issues outside the environment. Check out their website.

Gee…. you got off lucky James, leftdog obviously likes you better than me - he called me unprincipled *and unethical.

I’m just so likable.

Duceppe was elected in a by-election in 1990.

Yes, but as an independent. The Bloc was not at that time a registered party with Elections Canada.

Right on James. Lately, Layton and the party have been a disappointment to me too. I was at one time a card carrying member of the NDP and my roots go back to the Regina Manifesto and the CCF. My heroes were Tommy Douglas, Coldwell and the Lewises (father and son). In my opinion Caplin represents the old guard of the party; the NDP should be listening to him and trying to return to it’s roots. This election Layton has lost my vote too. I’m not taking a sign this election - I had an NDP sign for all the elections since we moved to Kitchener.

Hmmm. I’m pretty disappointed by Harper. So much of his support comes from people like me who like the idea of a principled politician. I don’t understand why a network wouldn’t go and hold a debate without them. It would be a bit of a sensation… maybe those two would try to get in after all and the network could say no!

It would be so much more interesting than the usual overcrowded excuses for debates.

And yeah, to AjeSutton’s point I’d even say that a Christian party would have a good chance of outdrawing the NDP in proportional representation.

Although I can’t say I’m really a Christian any more, I’m perfectly at home among the christofascists - fundamentalists are the best people I know and I recently went with a friend to an “impartation meeting” in Calgary of an evangelist who operates in Africa and has brought 30 some million people to Christ. It was a real thrill to see a perfect mesh of black and white hands raised during the singing. I was standing with one of the overflow crowds outside the doors to the room and a little white girl met a little black girl and they started talking and spelling their names to each other. I think it was one of them who said “look! white people standing with black people”. One remembers that Christianity is wonderfully universalist and that Africa has had it longer than we presumptuous north americans.

Even so, I don’t think I’d like to see the Christian Heritage Party become a contender.

Reply to wolfe: There are Christian socialists in the world too. The International League of Religious Socialists is an umbrella organization of religious socialist movements throughout the world; it has member groups in 21 countries totalling 200,000 members. Now why is it that the U.S. has a Christian Socialist party, Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). while we, in more left leaning and main stream Christian Canada, don’t? In my opinion the currant NDP which punishes MPs for voting according to their Christian conscience certainly doesn’t qualify. I think Canada needs a Canadian Christian Socialist Party (CCSP).

James, it seems a bit disingenuous to say Layton “lost your vote” when it’s pretty clear to anyone who reads your blog that you generally vote Green anyway.

That said, you are right that Layton blew it. I don’t necessarily agree that one non-elected MP should allow the Greens into the debate, but that question is certainly not for the other parties to decide. Layton could have championed her participation and given himself a boost. Regardless of the risks of her participation, the truth is they really have nothing to lose and everything to gain by shaking things up.

The NDP hasn’t lost my vote, but they have lost my money, time and enthusiasm.

Couldn’t agree more! Well said, James!

Hey, Owin,

Here in Kitchener Centre, there is often a temptation for me to vote New Democrat, because the party has always run a spirited campaign against the Liberals. They often have a strong candidate, like Richard Walsh-Bowers. I voted NDP in 2006, federally, and while I was leaning towards the Greens this time around, I was willing to keep my options open.

I might still do that. Five weeks is a long time in politics.

James, can you edit my previous comment to remove the disingenuous line-I read the above comments-hadn’t realized you were a sometime Dipper, so that comment was unwarranted.

Thanks,
O.

I’m a former dipper, having left them for the Greens in the past year. I was a member and a donor. The vitriol, from Jack on down, towards Elizabeth May and the Greens was/is too much when climate change became more important to me than political dogma. This stunt by Jack Layton, so petty and immature whatever the defensive reasons behind it, has too many repercussions to ignore. May he be peppered with questions and protests from now until the debates!

“if the Christian Heritage Party convinced one of Harper’s backbenchers to join them (let’s say Epp) and they were able to field candidates in 306 ridings would and then they repeatedly said that although they are their own party they still supported Harper for PM, would you be as quick to defend the idea that their leader should be in the leaders debate”

I would answer that in the negative. In the 2006 election the CHP managed 0.16% of the vote nationally and 1.32% in the 45 ridings they contested. By contrast the GPC contested 308 ridings in the last two elections, 665,000 votes in 2006 which was almost four and a half percent.

I think there should be published guidelines as to who gets in, with a minimum number of ridings contested and a threshold number of national votes at the previous election. Alternatively, a group of MPs splitting to form a new party could be represented so long as they already have party group status in the HoC.

Mark:

I think it would be reasonable for the leaders debate to match electoral funding rules:

From: http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes/voterstoolkit/faqs.html

“Every registered party gets $1.75 every year for each vote they received in the previous general election, as long as they attracted two per cent of the national votes cast or five per cent of the eligible votes cast in the ridings in which they ran candidates.”

That includes the Green Party, but excludes the CHP (for now) based on popular support.

The fact that taxpayer money is going to these parties adds legitimacy to the concept that we should be allowed to hear what they have to say.

Its not too late to change your mind Jack. You have made a big mistake by trying to stop Elizabeth May from being in the debate. Show how big you are and change your mind and at the same time show that you really are a Democrat!!!

Tis the power of the BOW blog!

Layton and Harper have both done reversals!

How will the might Bow Blog next wield its influence??

Stay tuned! (I know I am)

Whooee! JamesyFeller, looks like Jack read your sensible letter and made a sensible decision. Congrats!

JB

@Catelli works for me. However, the media “consortium” might not like their choice being effectively decided by statute.

Oh that’s interesting Eric : ) I always assumed Christians who were socialistic had substituted a search for heaven on earth for any real belief in Christian salvation. I went for a while to a church I nicknamed the first church of Al Gore since they seemed to do as much watching of environmentalist films as bible studies. But I was very impressed by how genuine their faith was.

Okay so we forced the broadcasters and politicians to allow Elizabeth to speak. Lets get on their backs about the stupid decision to have the Canadian debate on at the same time as the US debate. Surely it makes sense to have them on different days, are they really stupid or is there something sinister here??