The fickle and fair-weathered
“Meili lost” is not a good reason to give up all hope for the NDP
Do you really support the NDP or are you just a fair-weather member?
To fill people in about what I am talking about, Cam Broten won the NDP leadership two weeks ago by a slim 44-vote difference against leadership candidate Ryan Meili. Meili and Wotherspoon gracefully stepped down, accepted the leadership results, gave Broten their support and encouraged the membership to do so as well. Once Broten was announced the winner of the race, some of the memberships’ reaction was not met with positive morale.
People are already trolling and personally attacking the newly elected Saskatchewan NDP leader. He has not done anything controversial, hostile, offensive, or crass towards any of his colleagues in the legislature, nor to the NDP membership. So what is with all the negativity?
Disgruntled members are already whining about how the party has become “so awful” and making declarations that they will be voting for the Saskatchewan Green Party for the next provincial election. Not to knock the Green Party, but this does not sound like party loyalty.
More NDP members are threatening to withdraw their membership from the party because Broten agreed with Premier Brad Wall on the Keystone pipeline issue. Broten’s job, as with any political position, is to put the needs and wants of their constituents first. It is not to be a constant and consistent headache to his rival. Just because Broten agrees with Wall on this particular issue and not getting on top of a soapbox condemning the Sask. Party for anything does not mean he is not doing his job
It remains to be seen how and when Broten and some Sask. NDP members will disagree on issues as well as how they will handle the disagreements. But, the sour grapes within the NDP membership is appalling and disturbing. Broten hasn’t been given a fair timeframe to be a leader of the party, let alone do anything productive or constructive. So far, from what I have observed, the remaining NDP members of legislature publicly support Broten, as well.
I suggest that certain resentful voting membership put their differences aside and discuss their grievances with Broten in a professional, appropriate and mature manner that does not involve trolling and publicly shaming him, as it is not going to displace him as leader. It doesn’t’ just hurt Broten, it hurts the NDP as a whole.
Jordan Palmer
Contributor
Photo courtesy of cambroten2013.ca
