Today's poll question is who should have the ultimate authority over candidate selection in any given riding, the individual riding association, or the party leader? Yesterday we learned that Helena Guergis' riding association is firmly behind her, prompting media speculation that this would lead to a showdown between the R.A and the Prime Minister (who allegedly does not want her to run again). I don't know that there is any credible evidence the PM wants to force her retirement, but that doesn't stop the speculation.
I am inclined to believe that candidate selection should be entirely the responsibility of the riding association, but I also understand the party leader having a veto. The NDP is repeatedly a classic example of riding association selections backfiring and damaging the national brand. The yokels might love that guy on YouTube talking about how much fun it is to drive a car while high on acid, but that isn't going to help the party nationally.
Of course I am not comparing Helena to any one of a number of clowns chosen by local dippers. I have much more faith in Tory riding associations than I do in the NDP. Dippers might like that guy caught on tape flashing children, but Tories have a higher standard. Though I will say sometimes even local Tories can blow one out their asses, like Garth Turner. They say shit happens, I say sometimes Garth Turner happens...
Who should make the call?
When I worked for the Ontario PC MPP, I had known him since his nomination. The way it worked in his case was the riding association voted and the winner was declared the candidate, "pending" the leader's approval. He was subsequently interviewed by party officals and the Common Sense Revolution discussed. He had to be completely 100% onside.
ReplyDeleteAnd, that is the only way it can work -- two steps, two approvals -- otherwise the local choice may not want anything to do with the party's platform.
Why? Easy. Very seldom do local candidates win elections on their own merits. If they win it is on the coattails of the leader and the party's message.
So,I will now vote and say "both must agree."
The riding association should make the decision, with one caveat.
ReplyDeleteIf they nominate a candidate who demonstrably doesn't meet the pre-determined criteria of a candidate, the leader has the right to not sign their nomination papers.
I don't believe for a minute that the PM would permit this cat out of the bag, yay or nay so it's my opinion that the alleged blabber re the opinion of the PM is BS.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the question goes, it's my thinking that her riding SHOULD be supportive and endorse her until otherwise shown that she doesn't deserve their support. At that point I would side with the PM. Until then, the riding and I believe the PM would be of like mind.
I live in Simcoe Grey, and I was hoping that a candidate would be selected to run as a Conservative, while Helena is sitting as an independent MP.
ReplyDeleteThis is a tough one. Let's look at her electoral record in Simcoe-Grey, in the last three campaigns:
ReplyDelete2004 ... 40.6 % ... won by 100 votes
2006 ... 49.8 % ... won by 11,446 votes
2008 ... 55.0 % ... won by 18,798 votes
That very impressive record counts for a lot in her favor, IMHO. It tells me that, when she was just an MP, she did good work for her constituents, and was rewarded by big increasing majorities in votes.
But then, the Peter Principle kicked in ... she got a promotion, and couldn't deal with the added responsibilities. Plus, she looks to have made some border-line unethical decisions. It seems that PMSH has seen enough, and is signalling through one annonymous surrogate, that he wants a new candidate.
Bottom line for me, and what I hope her riding members consider: Politics is a team sport. I'm very reluctant to throw a fellow team member under the bus. There is a lot to be said for giving someone a second chance to redeem themselves. I don't know how badly she screwed up, and so will take some direction from the signals that come from our team leader PMSH.
Is it too much to ask that a candidate be vetted BEFORE running for the nomination? Once the final three or four are set in the riding then they get approval before the vote.
ReplyDeleteThis is supposed to be a democracy,so let the decision on candidates rest with the local riding association, and no one else.We've seen too many "stars" parachuted in over the RA's objections,and it serves no one except the Party's Leader.
ReplyDeleteDMorris
It has been known for a riding association to be hijacked, aka the calgary riding of Rob Anders. It was widely reported that Paul Martin got all his people into exec positions in RAs.
ReplyDeleteThe plot in Calgary failed, and the poor lady will have to run as a liberal and try to get elected. It was widely suspected she would cross the floor asap if elected.
I don't think a leader should parachute a candidate in, to replace a sitting member-aka Mr Z, and many other liberals.
I was at the Simcoe-Grey AGM on Saturday as a carded member. Helena was there, she did mingle through the crowd prior to the meeting portion but did not address the members directly. The sole purpose of the meeting was to vote on our new board members, 24 positions, 24 vetted members sought out by a nominating committee of 6, balanced by geographic location in the riding and by gender. True to democratic form 6 nominations came from the floor and seconded from the floor giving a choice of 30 for 24 spots. The vote was tabulated and counted by Conservative representatives from another riding association and the selection results read out. Most all members, including myself feel that Helena is our CPC MP albeit she no longer has caucus status. Pending the results of ongoing investigations the association's stature will remain the same. Should an election seem iminent and the current issue is not resolved I would like to think that Helena herself would do what is right and step aside to allow the board to secure a new candidate through a democratic member voting process. Ultimately PMSH would need to be satisfied with the selected candidate for that candidate's name to be put on the ballot as our CPC Simcoe-Grey representative.
ReplyDelete