Monday, September 09, 2024

Harris On Singh

Four days ago, I wrote that Jaqmeet Singh engineered his own demise when he tore up his agreement with Justin Trudeau's Liberals. Michael Harris believes Singh had no choice. He writes:

The timing of Singh’s campaign-style announcement is telling. It comes just a week before the return of Parliament, as well as two important byelections in which the NDP is competitive.

The prime minister’s reaction to Singh’s decision was defensive, if not dismissive. Making clear that he hopes it won’t lead to an election before the fixed date of October 2025, Trudeau had this to say on CTV:

“I’m not focused on politics. I’ll let other parties focus on politics. I’m focused on actually delivering things that Canadians told me this summer they need.”

By comparison to Trudeau’s hike up the high road, Pierre Poilievre waded into the NDP’s news with political elbows high. Calling Singh’s decision to abandon the deal with the Liberals a “stunt,” Poilievre said at a press conference in Nanaimo.

“My message to sellout Singh is this: If you’re serious about ending your costly carbon tax coalition with Trudeau, then commit today to voting for a carbon tax election at the earliest confidence vote in the House of Commons.”

Poilievre's reaction was predictable. Like Donald Trump, he believes you can score political points by name-calling. Singh's problem was that the agreement gave him no political boost: 

The deal was a flop at the political box office for the NDP. Instead of getting credit for pushing the Trudeau government on key, progressive issues, the party saw its popularity decline.

Some pollsters have projected that the NDP will win fewer seats at the next election than they did in 2021. The lesson seems to be this: Trudeau and the Liberals are so deeply unpopular with Canadians in almost every region in the country, that anyone seen as propping them up damages their own brand — no matter how noble their reason for doing so.

Pollster and data-scientist Nik Nanos said that the NDP have not benefited from the deal, noting that the party ranks lower in the polls than the embattled Liberals.

“Maybe it’s a moral victory from a policy perspective, but it sure isn’t a political victory in terms of gains in ballot support for the New Democrats,” he told CTV.

Unfortunately, that's been the story of the NDP. Canada's most progressive policies started out in the NDP brain trust. But it's been the Liberals who implemented them.


Image: Facebook

17 comments:

Northern PoV said...

The NDP prov. gov'ts and the Fed Lib gov't are simply milquetoast defenders of status quo in terms of vote reform and the existential issue of fossil fuel expansion.
I may reluctantly vote for one or the other cause Lil'PP and his ilk are simply social-horror shows, but I don't spend $ or time on the 'progressives' any more.

Trailblazer said...

You are loved
You are respected
You are welcome!
That tells you all you need to know as why the NDP are failing.
It takes much more than nicey nice one liners to win an election.
TB

Owen Gray said...

The Dippers have always had a messaging problem, TB.

Owen Gray said...

And these are times where progressives could make a lot of headway, PoV.

Trailblazer said...

As aweful as it seems , most voters are ignorant of current affairs either locally or worldly.
Most voters are attracted to the shiny things as a magpie is!
Most voters can be swayed on a meme or an offer of instant gratification and others are swayed by a ill informed pent up prejudice against his or her fellow voter.
I'm guessing this is why so many turn to authoritarian leadership!
Having taken the necessary 'education' to citizenship the average immigrant is more aware of what it is to be Canadian than those born here and have been brainwashed by US media that controls the Canadian audience!
TB

zoombats said...

There's no one "left" to vote for anymore.

Anonymous said...

And, wasting no time, the Fed NDP leader proves my point as
Jagmeet tries to out-flank Lil'PP on the non-science-right-wing side:

"Singh signals NDP plan to oppose carbon tax, says it puts burden on ‘backs of working people’"
Not only is it a complete sell-out to right-wing framing, poaching in Lil'PP's backyard will not turn into NDP votes.

"The party leader said the NDP is working on an alternative climate plan ahead of the next election" (as if it is a recently arrived issue)

I'm sure he has 'concepts of a plan'
NPoV

Owen Gray said...

I apologize for my late response to comments. I have been dealing with health issues. As a result of those issues -- and because I have been covering the same ground over and over -- I have decided to discontinue this blog.

Responding to reader comments has been the most enjoyable part of doing this blog for the last eighteen years. I thank you for reading and I wish you well.

lungta said...

Easy wood and clear water and thanks .

Anonymous said...

" I have decided to discontinue this blog."
and another one bites the dust.

So sad Owen. You and your blog will be missed. And your comment-sandbox will be missed as well.
Take care of your health.

BTW, you and your readers might like Blue-sky (Bsky.app)
It looks and works like old Twitter*. I've followed climate and political news posters (for ex. climate scientist Katherine Hayhoe and Salon's Amanda Marcotte)
I am there under my real name.

Cheers .. Ron Austin

*where my feed was hopelessly corrupted by Musk's vandalism

Anonymous said...

aka NPoV ;-)

Graham said...

I wish you well too Owen. I have very much appreciated your calm and level tone here on your blog. You have welcomed one and all but you didn’t put up with any bunk or baloney and you did that in a nice and respectful way. We all could learn from you on how to do that. These days it’s very easy to get snarky and mean on anonymous posting boards and to have a couple places, here and there, like your blog has been a very welcome and needed reprieve from that environment.
I had some health issues myself last year and while I will never be the same as before I have gotten over them and I certainly wish the same for you. I guess it’s one of the things we can look forward to from time to time, that something is going to crop up and we’ll have to deal with it. It can be a worrying and unpleasant time for a person and their family and friends.
Again, thank you very much and I wish you all the best as you work through this. I really hope to see you back in another blog someday, when you’re ready, as I found this one to be a great place to visit. You can always do something different, non political, fun or of special interest to you. Sometimes the political stuff can get kinda depressing.
I look forward to seeing or hearing from you somewhere down the road Owen, all the best for now, Graham in Vancouver.

Anonymous said...

Take good care Owen. I shall miss your blog. Anyong

Anonymous said...

Thank you Owen for your thoughtful comments and allowing us to air our thoughts and grievances on your blog. I'll miss your blog but your health comes first. Look after yourself as best as possible and once again thank you.

mr perfect

Rural said...

I can only wish you a full recovery and thank you for your thoughtful selection of the words of so many of our political scrum, I have been reading your contributions for many years now and even occasionally commented upon upon them but now also find myself less able or willing to beat my head against that political wall. Regards 'Rural' of Democracy Under Fire (retired?)

Cap said...

I was missing your blog in my feed and checked back to see what was going on. I'm so sorry to hear that you're no longer up to it. As a long-time reader, I'd like to thank you for the effort you've put into maintaining a lively discussion of Canadian politics. As our first prime minister might have said, "Lang may yer lum reek" - good luck and good fortune!

steve said...

Best of luck Owen, I enjoyed your blog. Lots of peaks past the Star paywall. All the news just repeats itself - John Prine from Hello in there.