Sheila Copps Could Join NDP

Layton is doing a way better job than any other party leader. It\'s too bad he doesn\'t have a seat in the HoC though. I bet he\'d mop the floor with Martin & any member of the cabinet.

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"So many right-wing Christians, so few lions." - t-shirt I saw @ school

Actually I think because he doesn\'t have a seat he is able to do more in media, travel around and talk to people. I think he is using this to his advantage and maybe to ours!

I`ve got to admit, I`m not sold on Layton. His meeting with Paul Hellyer still left that main question unanswered. Layton never talks about the Romanow report, and never mentions how harmful NAFTA and the dangerous Chapter 11 and energy clause are to Canada`s sovereignty. I just don`t get the sense that Layton is actually genuine. All he talks about is cities, and while I agree with what he says about cities, I just think that he should mention the other stuff, if he actually feels like we do. Sheila Copps, well, I don`t like her either. Opportunist extrordinaire! She never stood on the left side of the Liberals for 10 years under Chretien`s rule. I think back to transfer payment cuts, health care cuts, education cuts, APEC summit protesters being peppersprayed, Chretien signing a treaty allowing US soldiers into Canada in case of a \'terrorist attack\', and so on. I also remember \"If we don`t get rid of the GST, I`ll resign.\" Well, that was quite the resignation! While Martin squeezing her out like he did was dirty, I certainly do not see it as an attack on women. I just don`t like this picture. Layton is grasping here for someone who he thinks can win, not for a genuine contribution to left wing politics. The NDP still has the steak through its heart. Why not try to lure Shirley Douglas to the party? Like her father Tommy, she would be a REAL asset to social and economic justice in Canada! The NDP MUST resurrect its CCF spirit or it will remain null and void in Canadian politics.

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Dave Ruston

I was big on Layton, thrilled he won the leadership, but after reading the words of Hurtig, Hellyer and Orchard, I can\'t help but think we\'re getting a watered-down version of a nationalist.

When Paul Martin said \"This isn\'t the old NDP, this is NDP lite,\" I hate to admit it, but he could be right!

Layton is good on the environment, but doesn\'t get economics. Hellyer is just praising him as a suck-up would, to get what he wants.

I don\'t think Hellyer has to suck-up to anyone, he seems to have the straight talk on every aspect of Canadian policy. Layton is still not talking straight, mostly talk is directed at Martin; which is fine, but not enough. I want to know what he and NDP is going to do, not what Martin is not going to do or is going to do; we know Martin is not a good thing, but the question is \'is Layton\'? Sheila, well I agree with Dave, too much water under that bridge, I can\'t think of one good thing she did as a Liberal Minister, I don\'t agree with the way Martin is getting rid of her, but I don\'t think she\'ll help the NDP, it just confirms that all the parties are basicly the same. Everyone seems to move from party to party depending on the odds to get a payed position. There doesn\'t seem to be any loyalty to any party, not in the last 10 years or so anyway.

I think we need something new, educated, and from the people, real people with ideas on how to save this country, make it productive again, and retain the good policies and get rid of the garbage, including the politicians who are sell outs!

<br> <br> <p><b>mostly talk is directed at Martin; which is fine, but not enough. I want to know what he and NDP is going to do, not what Martin is not going to do or is going to do;</b></p> <p>Totally agree. Layton has to balance himself while he is infront of the camera's/media. He needs to make sure he gets the NDP party's real priorities and vision of Canada infront of people. Explaining to Canadians and helping them become aware of Mr. Martin downfalls is fine, but he has to balance this.</p> Kevin Gagnon <br> <a href="http://www.kevingagnon.ca/">www.kevingagnon.ca</a>

Layton is doing something the rest of the politicians are NOT doing and that is getting people who would not vote otherwise at least interested in politics with his fresh approach.

I agree with the other comments that there is something missing from the Layton camp. He puts out a call for the progressives on the left to come to his side, yet he is stalling out on Hellyer and the Canadian Action Party. Why has he not made any moves to bring the Greens on board as well?

Lets hope they get their act together because they do stand a good chance at forming the official opposition and that would be great for our democracy - watered down version or not. We would never hear any questions to another corporate tax break if the far right conservatives remain as the official opposition.

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If there was ever a time for Canadians to become pushy - now is the time - for time is running out on this nation called Canada.

Well, Well Jack seems to be reading this means. If you look back on this means I stated that he should be trying to bring people Like Copps into a new progressive party. Why in heavens name would a Shelia Copps, Joe Clark, Andre Bechand, John Herron and yes David Orchard want to join the NDP with all the stigma that goes with it. They would sooner stay as independents and call themselves whatever.

I am starting to loose hope in this one big party. To me it is starting to look like one big bomb. I held so much hope out for this prospect but obviously it seems that Jack and others are going it alone. So if everyone is Happy with being the Consciousness of Canada and not being able to enact any sort of legislation then that is what we are going to get and yes indeed be happy your wish will come through. We can count on Paul Martin to deliver what we desire for the next 4-10 years.

As I also said before the NDP will pickup more seats to get to maybe 41 Max. Remember that poor old Bob Stanfield received 109 seats on a bad day. Yes the polls look good at the present time but wait until the election is called and all leaders are put under the spot light and people start to look closely at them. The first thing they will always see with the NDP is that they have really no economic plan, nothing for the military, nothing for small business to name a few. It is then that the Honeymoon is over and those polls which look so good now will take a dive. The One Big Party Concept would give us a name change maybe Progressive Canadian Democratic Party. This would denote A Progressive Canada moving forward, As a Canadian nation, As a people who believe in Democratic Principles. It would give us a new constitution and a new image based on the new reality.

I guess my question now is: Who is out there that will take on this important role for Canada? Jack it seems is not the man. Maybe we should unite under the Cosmopolitian Party. They have the infrastructure and are open to new leadership and ideas. Maybe we were barking up the wrong tree thinking that we could get something done with the NDP.

I agree with this last comment. NDP does look good in the polls. But, I\'m also concerned about the day of election.

As \"anonymous\" said above, you will always see with the NDP is that they have really no economic plan, nothing for the military, nothing for small business to name a few.

If these areas were addressed by the NDP, as a balance with the social side of Canada. The NDP would keep and attract allot more votes. Some NDP members oppose the idea of Paul Hellyer\'s request to merge with the NDP. But, at least he has a economic plan and a military (peace keeping) plan. He also still addresses the small business sector which is very important.

If Mr. Layton would take the next chance infront of the camera talking about these areas, instead of bashing the opposition he would start to attract another group of votes. As much as the majority of Canadians do think of our social programs, these Canadians still have a military (peace keeping) interest, these Canadians work at, or own a small business. Some of these Canadians have economic intelligence, and they seek a leader who has some of that economic intelligence.

Its time for the NDP to take these areas serious, and realize that their are Canadians in these sectors who want the social pograms that the NDP promote, but they also want to keep their military, their job or their business.

Kevin Gagnon
www.kevingagnon.ca

Last week on Don Newman\'s Newsworld show, Politics, an NDP person said that the party would make an effort to create \'more of an east-west\' trade system rather than a north-south one. I think implicitly that means kill NAFTA/FTA. It\'s also up on FlyOurFlag.ca that Martin supports agreements that allow corporations to contaminate our water supply, etc. (so we don\'t just have trade in goods, we also have trade in \'bads\' hehe)

I think the reason he hasn\'t said anything about NAFTA/FTA is because it would just be too controversial. He\'d hear nothing but a chorus of \"oh no, you aren\'t against trade are you?\"

http://www.flyourflag.ca/enough_about_flags/Trade/

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"So many right-wing Christians, so few lions." - t-shirt I saw @ school

I\'m not overjoyed about the courting of Ms. Copps by the NDP. I can\'t forget the cynical promise of \"getting rid of the GST or I\'ll quit\" fiasco. We taxpayers had to foot the bill for the bi-election in her secure Hamilton riding.
Her angst about how the electoral map of that riding has changed falls on deaf ears in my home. She owned it for a long time.

Mel Hurtig in [Canada: Yes or No] video predicts says near the end of the video that if the NDP doesn\'t do well in this next election. That you will see the One Big Party idea come forward with force. He mentions that you will see people like David Orchard, NDP, progressives from the conservative party and the liberal party unite under the new one big party idea.

Let\'s just hope the NDP does do well.

This is all and good but the opportunity is now. Their a lot of people who are looking for an alternative. I believe that CAP should start talking with David Orchard.

We can start this new progressive party process by using CAP as the vehicle ie changing party name, new constitution and new image reflecting present reality. Then after the election we can talk to the NDP and others who may be interested. At that time we can include their policies and constitution principles in the new party.

We can at least take advantage of the opportunity to attract those people who want to join a new progressive party now. In particular those who will not go to the NDP in its present format may go to a new progressive party. At least we keep them involved with the process and if others can see that this new party is viable and can bring people together, other parties may also join. We would certainly keep the doors opened to all.