Monday, May 12, 2008

On issue selection

A quick memo to Adam Radwanski: just because the Libs are virtually certain to claim that environmental policy begins and ends with their flavour of the month (in this case a carbon tax) doesn't make it so. In addition to its track record as the strongest environmental party in Parliament, the NDP still has a comprehensive Green Agenda to campaign on - which, along with the Libs' woeful track record, should give the NDP plenty of opportunity to hold (and build) support in the environmental community.

Not that I'd dispute for a second that the NDP figures to try to expand its current coalition to include Canadians who stand to be disproportionately affected by high fuel prices, whether those are caused by tax policy or simply a continuation of the status quo. But the NDP still figures to have plenty to offer to voters who agree on the end of emission reductions but don't see a carbon tax as the preferred means - and adding a renewed populist message to their existing environmental position offers the potential for the best of both worlds.

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