Layton Bashing on a Labour Day Weekend
Everyone is dumping on Jack. Well, quite a
few people anyway, from a variety of left of centre perspectives. The leader of
the federal NDP is not getting the respect he thought he won in last January's
election.
Before giving in to my schadenfreude I must admit that there were two occasions when I felt he was unjustly criticized.
Before giving in to my schadenfreude I must admit that there were two occasions when I felt he was unjustly criticized.
Back in 1990 Layton and his spouse were accused
of squatting
in subsidized housing when in fact their apartment was in a geared to income
co-op. They were both city councillors and I thought it was admirable they chose
to live there.
And this year he was called a hypocrite for having a hernia repaired at a private clinic, the Shouldice Hospital in Thornhill, Ontario. When medicare was established the Shouldice was allowed to continue as a private not for profit hospital because it was, and still is, arguably the world's best facility for such operations. Patients from Ontario have their surgery costs covered by the provincial health care plan. To suggest Layton shouldn't have gone there because he opposes private health care was disingenuous.
That said, here are links to four stories from the past few weeks where I agree with Layton's critics.
1 - The Canadian Auto Workers Union officially broke with the NDP at the constitutional convention in Vancouver on August 16. Previously the union had decided to support Liberal candidates in the last election in ridings where the NDP was unlikely to win. In retaliation the NDP expelled union president Buzz Hargrove from the the party. In turn the union has cut off funding to the provincial party organizations.
2 - Layton has finally decided to put the NDP firmly in the anti-war camp, calling for Canada's immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan and negotiations with the Taliban. Nav Purewal responds:
Layton takes credit for the debate and vote in the House of Commons on the Afghan mission. What credibility does he think Canada would retain if we renege on that decision?
3 - Lobster Thermidor has a three part essay on the crisis in the NDP: here, here and here. He begins by saying the New Democrats have been damaged "by the widely held view that the party sold out its base in the last election." And he concludes that Layton is indeed responsible for the election of the Conservative government.
4 - Not only is Layton losing support from workers and moderates, the knives are out on his left wing as well. The old waffler, Jim Laxer, has some harsh words in a post entitled: The NDP's Strategic Dilemma. He indicts Layton for running "the two most right-wing election campaigns in the history of the party."
Next weekend the NDP hold their national convention in Quebec City. According to the official web site it promises to be "the most exciting NDP convention in years." We shall see.
And this year he was called a hypocrite for having a hernia repaired at a private clinic, the Shouldice Hospital in Thornhill, Ontario. When medicare was established the Shouldice was allowed to continue as a private not for profit hospital because it was, and still is, arguably the world's best facility for such operations. Patients from Ontario have their surgery costs covered by the provincial health care plan. To suggest Layton shouldn't have gone there because he opposes private health care was disingenuous.
That said, here are links to four stories from the past few weeks where I agree with Layton's critics.
1 - The Canadian Auto Workers Union officially broke with the NDP at the constitutional convention in Vancouver on August 16. Previously the union had decided to support Liberal candidates in the last election in ridings where the NDP was unlikely to win. In retaliation the NDP expelled union president Buzz Hargrove from the the party. In turn the union has cut off funding to the provincial party organizations.
2 - Layton has finally decided to put the NDP firmly in the anti-war camp, calling for Canada's immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan and negotiations with the Taliban. Nav Purewal responds:
Someone needs to give Mr. Layton a quick lesson on what life was like under the Taliban. (Really quick lesson: Hell.) If he still thinks they're committed to reducing violence and death and that they long to address the basic needs of Afghans, he's nuts.
Layton takes credit for the debate and vote in the House of Commons on the Afghan mission. What credibility does he think Canada would retain if we renege on that decision?
3 - Lobster Thermidor has a three part essay on the crisis in the NDP: here, here and here. He begins by saying the New Democrats have been damaged "by the widely held view that the party sold out its base in the last election." And he concludes that Layton is indeed responsible for the election of the Conservative government.
4 - Not only is Layton losing support from workers and moderates, the knives are out on his left wing as well. The old waffler, Jim Laxer, has some harsh words in a post entitled: The NDP's Strategic Dilemma. He indicts Layton for running "the two most right-wing election campaigns in the history of the party."
Next weekend the NDP hold their national convention in Quebec City. According to the official web site it promises to be "the most exciting NDP convention in years." We shall see.
Posted: Sun - September 3, 2006 at 06:23 PM
Quick Links
A blog by Jim Monk
XML/RSS Feed
Archives
Calendar
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
Categories
My Favourite Blogs
My Favourite Sites
Subscriptions
Windsor - Essex Blogs
Statistics
Total entries in this blog:
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Sep 12, 2007 03:13 PM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Sep 12, 2007 03:13 PM