Showing posts with label Manitoba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manitoba. Show all posts
Friday, November 14, 2014
Manitoba's NDP Party Executive & the Coming Leadership Race
As Manitoba NDP party executives put their weary, conflicted, befuddled heads to a pillow tonight trying to dream the impossible redemption dream - they need be mindful the present provincial leadership crisis is not just an "NDP party matter". It is, writ large - a Manitoba matter. The decision the NDP executive will arrive at Saturday to govern "their" party leadership race will, without a doubt, irrevocably impact "our" entire province. If the NDP executive advances a leadership race scenario tomorrow that does not speak first to fairness, second to expediency, and third (a distant third) to petty internal party machinations - they will not only alienate large segments of the party faithful, they'll sabotage their party's political fortunes for years to come. If the NDP executive cannot resolve the leadership issue in a fair and equitable manner before next March they will have failed. If they cannot guarantee a level playing field for those challenging Greg Selinger's leadership; all of Manitoba will take note. And if the NDP executive allows Premier Selinger to maintain his Premiership as he seeks to marginalize, undermine, punish, and silence all his NDP detractors - they will have sent us all a strong and clear message. That message? Status-quo first: Manitoba second.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Selinger's Staying Is Pure Folly
The mass resignation on Monday of five sitting Manitoba cabinet ministers irrevocably damaged NDP Premier Greg Selinger's political career. Moreover, his failure to adequately address the issues raised by the 'Gang of 5' in their post-resignation news conference has truly tainted his legacy. The reasons behind the rebellion required more substantial redress from Selinger than just a desperate Hail Mary cabinet reshuffle. When the heaviest hitters from your cabinet quit because they believe you are more preoccupied with retaining power than governing in Manitoba's "best interests": the die is cast. It's a damning indictment. The kind from which there is no coming back. No longer is the question "can Selinger continue to lead?" (He cannot.) The only question now is: How can he be forced out?
Yesterday, in the media scrum after the reshuffle kerfuffle, Selinger was asked how he hoped to stay on given the blistering criticisms and open dissent coming from within his own government. His reply? "I am listening to Manitobans". Really? One wishes he'd first 'listen' to the most important voice of all, the one in his head chanting: "Staying be pure folly. Staying be pure folly." But alas no.
Selinger's stubbornness is not doing anybody (err, save Manitoba PC leader Brian Pallister) any damn good. Because of his obstinance, five major cabinet portfolios are now in limbo. Until his erstwhile bench warmers, now ministers, get up to speed on key files in their respective departments, some things (presumably some very important things) will suffer delays. In addition, the now reconstituted Planning & Priorities and Treasury Board Committee's both have major hurdles and time constraints to overcome if they are to have any meaningful input in the formulation of the next provincial Throne Speech and ensuing budget. Selinger's favourite catch-all mantra "jobs, the economy, and families" will not be enough to sell either a speech or a budget. Overused at both the federal and provincial level at budget time, the "jobs, the economy, and families" mantra has lost its meaning, it is now just retail schtick - and voters are tired of the charade. Manitoba's economy has pressing issues. As such, voters deserve to be presented with a 2015 Budget that includes a clearly articulated, frank, and honest fiscal roadmap. With all the new inexperienced faces suddenly sitting around the budget-making sausage machine - this may prove a daunting task. And with Selinger remaining at the helm, it may be nigh impossible. Fairly or unfairly, the perception is Selinger lied in 2011 about increasing the PST. That the 1% increase was a necessary evil matters not. What matters is, voters remember Selinger declaring, on the record, that if elected, he wouldn't increase the PST. Rightly, or wrongly, this fact, is enough to ensure any budget primarily authored by the now politically compromised and embattled Selinger will be virtually unsellable to the people of Manitoba. His staying is pure folly.
Yesterday, in the media scrum after the reshuffle kerfuffle, Selinger was asked how he hoped to stay on given the blistering criticisms and open dissent coming from within his own government. His reply? "I am listening to Manitobans". Really? One wishes he'd first 'listen' to the most important voice of all, the one in his head chanting: "Staying be pure folly. Staying be pure folly." But alas no.
Selinger's stubbornness is not doing anybody (err, save Manitoba PC leader Brian Pallister) any damn good. Because of his obstinance, five major cabinet portfolios are now in limbo. Until his erstwhile bench warmers, now ministers, get up to speed on key files in their respective departments, some things (presumably some very important things) will suffer delays. In addition, the now reconstituted Planning & Priorities and Treasury Board Committee's both have major hurdles and time constraints to overcome if they are to have any meaningful input in the formulation of the next provincial Throne Speech and ensuing budget. Selinger's favourite catch-all mantra "jobs, the economy, and families" will not be enough to sell either a speech or a budget. Overused at both the federal and provincial level at budget time, the "jobs, the economy, and families" mantra has lost its meaning, it is now just retail schtick - and voters are tired of the charade. Manitoba's economy has pressing issues. As such, voters deserve to be presented with a 2015 Budget that includes a clearly articulated, frank, and honest fiscal roadmap. With all the new inexperienced faces suddenly sitting around the budget-making sausage machine - this may prove a daunting task. And with Selinger remaining at the helm, it may be nigh impossible. Fairly or unfairly, the perception is Selinger lied in 2011 about increasing the PST. That the 1% increase was a necessary evil matters not. What matters is, voters remember Selinger declaring, on the record, that if elected, he wouldn't increase the PST. Rightly, or wrongly, this fact, is enough to ensure any budget primarily authored by the now politically compromised and embattled Selinger will be virtually unsellable to the people of Manitoba. His staying is pure folly.
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