Former B.C. premier Mike Harcourt quits NDP
Harcourt let membership lapse over many issues including the party’s opposition to carbon tax
CBC News Posted: Apr 01, 2014 8:10 AM PT Last Updated: Apr 01, 2014 8:10 AM PT
Have to agree with Mike, in principle, although my membership lapsed years ago, and though I vote for the NDP in spite of the things they do that I don’t like (the alternatives are unthinkable) I am, like so many BCers, leaning towards the Greens..I can’t speak for other Provinces , but here on the West Coast, where the bulk of the population does not vote for the Liberals but they magically keep getting elected (don’t ask) our environmental issues are becoming more and more important, but the NDP keeps slogging along with leaders who can’t decide to get their heads out of the dirty 30’s and deal with the realities of today..and we are not all part of ‘working families’ which seems to be the sole focus of every on-message statement the NDP make..yes, Carole James was dumped rather unceremoniously, but the fact is, she kept hanging on long past the time when she should have exited gracefully..like Adrian Dix has done – and like Harcourt, in no way responsible for the Bingogate scandal, did in fact resign, because he knew that when it comes to leadership, the buck has to stop at the top..would that Harper had so much class…
The Green Party is still too conservative-minded for my taste, mostly because a balance has to be achieved between labour and environment, and they haven’t come up with much in that department..but there is hope for us in the person of NDP MP Nathan Cullen, who has been travelling around our Province urging us to fight Con rubber-stamping of the Enbridge pipeline (those of us on Vancouver Island need little urging.) A referendum is in the works, and I for one intend to fight tooth and nail, at whatever level I can be of use..hopefully Harcourt will be there with us..
I met Mr. Harcourt on two occasions spread far apart, and was impressed both times with his willingness to listen, a rare commodity in a politician..hopefully, he will join us in this fight and help us to draw the attention of the media and the government to our issues and not simply ‘retire’ to nurse his resentments..he is much to valuable as a spokesperson and a still-popular ex-politician to be allowed to fade away…
Left Over 