Cheri DiNovo an ‘unofficial’ candidate for federal NDP leadership
‘I’m running for principles, not for a position,’ DiNovo says, rejecting party’s $30K entry fee
By Susana Mas, CBC News Posted: Jun 07, 2016 8:16 AM ET Last Updated: Jun 07, 2016 11:15 AM ET
Now isn’t this an interesting little turn of events..a woman saying she wants to run for the leadership of the NDP, but averse to paying the $30 thou fee to register…this is an education for me and I suppose any woman who is interested in politics..maybe I’m naive, but I was unaware of this insane demand…yes, insane, how many NDPers, especially women, have 30 grand laying around? Guess you need to find a ‘sponsor’ for that, which, of course, automatically puts you in the position of owing ‘favors’..right? And they wonder why women don’t run..since we already are financially challenged by the imbalance in our economic situation, think this is wonderful, a breath of fresh air, and a good way to educate the voter on what it takes to run..never mind principles, or experience, it’s all about the money…or is it?
Ms DiNovo states that she is an ‘unofficial’ candidate because of, among other things, that little matter of 30 large…well, I for one am impressed with her initial statement of policy..it’s very close to my own, and with the environment in first place in her list of concerns, I am happy to say that, as non-member of the NDP who always votes NDP, I heartily endorse her unofficial early declaration with all the lack of validity my support gives her..
There’s something in the air, folks…I think that the Bernie Sanders run for the nomination in the US has (gasp!) awoken some dormant scruples in this country…and shaking up the moribund NDP, (which I promised elsewhere I would no longer vote for if Nathan Cullen didn’t get the nod for Party Leader) is definitely my cup of tea..
Maybe I’ll invest in some popcorn..this ‘race’ suddenly got interesting..let’s hope it embarrasses the NDP powers that be into a serious look at the way they run their party, and what they stand for..I’ll say it again (and again, until someone hears …) without the environment being at the top of the list of concerns and promises for positive outcomes, not just travel/gab fests with other ‘leaders,’ I will not vote NDP again. Nathan Cullen has said no..that breaks my heart, but so be it..let the circus begin…
Left Over 
Federal leadership campaigns are subject to campaign finance laws. Since the entry fee is paid to the party, that’s considered a donation. That in turn means that paying such a fee out of your own pocket, or getting that money from just one individual, or even just a few individuals, would violate said laws.
The current limit for a donation to a political party is $1525. Given that the average NDP donor gives substantially less than that, meeting the entry fee would probably require at least a few hundred donors.
So that potential candidate would have to be raising that money from ‘legit’ donors for who knows how long to wind up with 30 thousand dollars to give to the party, is that how it works? Seems bizarre, this makes it even tougher to raise the money..okay, thanks for the info Mark..doesn’t change my mind, if anything, it reinforces the concept that money should be kept out of politics…
It seems undemocratic. For a party with the name Democrat, it’s pathetically ironic.
The burden is overly onerous, and favors entrenched and established candidates. NDP leadership seems to be protecting itself from insurgents, ala Sanders or Corbyn. It’ll become an election of political actors with the most connections, rather than who’s the best candidate to lead the NDP.
Good on DiNovo bringing light to this.
I totally agree agree, Troy..and this is only (we live in hope) the opening salvo to what might be a bit of a revolution in party politics..or, dare I suggest it, politics in general
As you point out it’s happening elsewhere..hopefully Canada will at some point catch up..