When Jenny Kwan and her merry band of dissidents, unleashed Operation dump the leader, we wonder if they had visions of a leadership race that seems to be attracting more in the way of chuckles than the prospect of voters.
When Ms. Kwan and her twelve fellow MLA's declared that Carole James had to go, perhaps it might have been a good idea to have an actual plan in place as to who might lead the NDP into the new era of enlightenment.
Or at least maybe have a few legitimate names for the short list.
As it is, thus far in the debate over where the NDP is going to go, the agenda seems to be the domain of proponents of marijuana and an MLA who it would seem has a pretty short fuse and a less than conciliatory attitude.
Two candidates have come forward so far to suggest that they have the vision to lead the party in its new direction, Marijuana advocate Dana Larsen, who while not particularly well received by NDP officials has found a rather formidable advocate for his candidacy having been endorsed by Tommy Chong, which should be helpful for celebrity endorsements.
Nicholas Simons, one of the dissident 13 of December has also entered the race, making his campaign debut with a two part review on You Tube, see here and here, offering what he describes as a new voice for the party and province and wishing to put all that hullabaloo of the last month behind him.
His entry to the race has been documented by Vaughn Palmer of the Vancouver Sun, who outlines how his wish to put the past behind him may be but wishful thinking, especially considering the apparent combative nature he has provided in that past.
The two candidacies so far, weird as it all may seem, may actually be just the sideshow to a larger issue for the NDP, that being it's own constitutional rules, which as David Schreck points out will limit the leadership campaign to the female gender, unless they remove one of the two higher party officials in place at the moment who are men.
The entire leadership turmoil has clearly taken the heat off the Liberals, who up until the palace coup of December were becoming the poster children for political dysfunction, what with a Premier who was leaving but not too fast and the anchor of the HST draining away their credibility with would be voters.
But shazam and wham, the NDP 13 went all Soprano's on Ms. James and now have left the NDP to travel the path of dysfunction, leaving former leader Mike Harcourt (he himself the victim of one of these semi frequent leadership cannibalism sessions) to urge the faithful and any would be newcomers to the party to stay the course, as the "heavies are about to enter the race".
The "heavies"had best hurry, the Liberals are taking much of the media file these days with a rather energetic leadership campaign, offering up at least three serious candidates who all at the moment are providing a variety of policy options.
By the time the NDP finally gets its act together to offer up some kind of policy direction, it may already be too late.
The damage having been done, by political miscalculation and ego. Providing for an unnecessary bit of theatre that may very well banish them to the opposition benches for another four year term, and delivering an even worse fate for MLA's and candidates caught up in the discombobulation.
Vancouver Sun-- NDP renewal faces rocky road
Victoria Times Colonist-- NDP race off to stumbling start
The Tyee-- Candidates joining leadership race
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