It was suggested in this thread that there should be a place on Babble for questions to be put to NDP leadership candidates.
I think that's a great idea. We know Brian Topp is a registered babbler already - and perhaps the others will join in from time to time.
Good campaigners can't spend too much time surfing internet chat boards, but hopefully we will see the candidates from time to time here.
I suggest we build it, and see if they come.
Good idea.
The NDP has had a confused relationship with the idea of putting a tax on carbon. In 2004 and 2006 the Federal NDP platform suggested support for a carbon tax. In 2005 the BC NDP platform suggested the same. In 2008 the Federal and BC NDP sections reversed course and campaigned against a carbon tax in both the 2008 federal and 2009 provincial elections. In 2011 the BC NDP reversed course and is supporting the carbon tax.
Q: What do you think the federal NDP's position on a carbon tax should be?
Q: If you were Prime Minister, who would Canada trade with? Can you give an example of a trade deal that you, as Prime Minister, would present for ratification in Parliament?
The illegal marijuana trade causes great harm across Canada every year in terms of fostering and supporting organised (and unorganised) crime, negatively affecting communities' and individuals' health, siphoning billions of dollars into an underground economy, bringing guns across our borders as drug traffickers compete over "turf," raising prohibitive costs to our health and public safety, undermining respect for the rule of law, introducing new threats into our immigration system, and leaving a trail of horrific bloodshed across (our neighbours in) the developing world.
Q: What do you think the federal government should do to address the crisis brought about by the illegal marijuana trade?
Q: What do you think the NDP's vision should be for the Canadian Forces?
Q: Does Canada need a long gun registry?
Q: How can we reduce poverty in Canada today, not in fifteen years? How can we have confidence that those reductions would be sustained?
Do you consider yourself to be a "socialist," a "social democrat", a "progressive", or some other political classification?
What differences, if any, do you see between any of these categories?
How should the NPD define ourselves in terms of these ideological approaches? How would you explain that approach to Canadian voters?
While I thank Lou for opening this thread, and I think it will be a good one regardless, Rebecca and I, along with the rest of the rabble staff, are working on a very exciting exchange with some NDPers, which, if it works out, will require its own set of threads. There will be information forthcoming. Stay tuned!
What constitutes a healthy economy, how should economic health be measured, and what is the purpose of economic policy?
While I thank Lou for opening this thread, and I think it will be a good one regardless, Rebecca and I, along with the rest of the rabble staff, are working on a very exciting exchange with some NDPers, which, if it works out, will require its own set of threads. There will be information forthcoming. Stay tuned!
Feel free to borrow any questions you like
Q: How would you balance the federal budget?
Q: In honour of Jack Layton, would you be wiling to participate in Movember?
Do you believe that a Quebec provincial NDP should be created? If so, how can we ensure that we recruit strong candidates at both levels rather than dilute the talent?
Q: What are you going to do about gas prices?
Trivial Questions
1. What is one international issue/conflict that needs to be adressed more?
2. What is your ethnic background? How/when/why did your ancestors come to Canada?
3. Favorite sports/music/games/tv shows/movies?
Regular Questions
1. Define democratic socialism/social democracy in your own words and how they can be applied pragmatically.
2. Does social democracy need to be more than about winning elections? Is it still about evolutionary socialism or something else?
3. What kind of social democrat/democratic socialist are you? (ex.Progressive, moderate, fabian, blue labour[see u.k.], etc)
4. Do you feel that the U.S.A. needs a social democratic party?
5. Greg Selinger and Jack Layton had different styles, yet both advanced the NDP forward. What is your own style?
6. Name a social democrat/democratic socialist that you most relate to. Why? (Try to pick one outside Canada)
Difficult Questions
1. What lessons can we learn from the Nordic Model in Northern Europe. What public companies should we create here based on their experiences?
2. Will you survive the tory attack ads? How?
3. Interculturalism or Multiculturalism? Why?
4. As we look to Europe, some are questioning the lack of involvement of the central bank there. Tommy Douglas once stated that Canada used the Bank of Canada to fight against Nazi Tyranny in his final speech as party leader. He was also famous for doing whatever it took to balance the books in Saskatchewan. In short, how do you describe yourself economically? Keynesian? New Keynesian?
5. How can the NDP balance both affordability and the enviroment?
I'll think up some more specific ones directed at certain candidates if they participate here. (Y'all should do this sort of things with ordinary folks sending you emails on youtube, although on youtube your responses will have to be attack ad proof)
Q1. What are the first five things an NDP government should tackle?
Q2. What do you think our members have not fully absorbed yet about the challenges forming a government will pose for us.
What's your favorite album?
TV show?
Book?
Q: Does Canada need a long gun registry?
Perhaps instead of buying into Liberal and Conservative wedge politics, we could instead opt for a grown-up conversation about firearms regulation.
Are stream of consciousness questions - or the thread itself - somehow meaningful,, therapeutic, even if not related to questions of well-being as understood by those on mainstreet living from paycheque to paycheque, survival?
Q1. What are the first five things an NDP government should tackle?
Q2. What do you think our members have not fully absorbed yet about the challenges forming a government will pose for us.
Thanks, OO. You rode up with these just in time.
1. What are your thoughts about Canada's involvement in Afghanistan? Libya? Palestine? NATO?
2. How does it feel to be servants of the imperial court?
It looks like we are addressing individual candidates, but there are some general questions I'd like to see all of them answer:
1 ) As we see with the Occupy movements in the US and Canada, people are frustrated with an economic system that rewards the rich at the expense of the rest of us. A particular manifestation is that taxes on the rich have gone down, yet the NDP has recently been scared to touch this issue. How would you use taxation policy to address this issue and fund the social programs and services Canadians need?
2 ) The situation in Libya looks out of control, and while nobody is defending Ghadaffi, the line we have been fed by the Canadian government about "Ghadaffi bad/NATO intervention good" is not as clear-cut as they would have us believe. As conflicts around the globe increase, so will military intervention and the pressure on the Canadian government. Do you feel it is appropriate for the Canadian military to intervene in foreign conflicts, yes or no? If so, under what circumstances?
Question: Would you lay out your perspective on Canada's economic future in the face of the overarching contradictory needs...growth to sustain employment and the demands of global investment in a globalized world, and a sustainable economy in the face of climate change. What structural changes are needed, and in what order?
I would be willing to conact all the campaigns and 'encourage' them to come here.
The idea comes from Megan Leslie buttonholing all of them to get commitments to come to Nova Scotia. It is a combination of being a non-aligned, and carrot and stick in the persuasion. [Carrot=look at the access you will have / Stick=candidates x, y, and z have already commited.]
Being familiar with the inner dynamics of leadership campaigns, some will quickly say yes, and most ot the rest will be persuaded, save those who make a considered decision that they wouldnt touch it with a 10 foot pole no matter how much new exposure opponents are getting.
I have three campaigns in mind who I am confident would want to be here, then go from there: next, with some commitments in hand, go to the campaigns where I do not expect resistance. So on, with iterations.
I think the session with Libby would be re-assuring to the campaigns: the demonstration that the forum isnt going to get them into a corner where they get trapped into pressure to say something they want to stay away from, or looking really bad.
And just plain that it is not difficult for the guest to handle. That plus the assurance that the moderators will make sure it stays that way for them.
The fallback in talking to them would to encorage them to at least make appearances, where they can speak and answer questions without the pressure of being the 'featured guest'. [Get to withdraw whenever they feel like they have had enough.] The multiple threads, this one or the ones with their names on the thread, gives them the reassurance of a range of choices.
