Not surprisingly, a huge chunk of coverage of Jack Layton's death has already started shifting toward the inevitable narrative of "woe is the NDP!". And it's well worth taking some time to discuss where the party figures to go in a leadership race which figured in Layton's own plans.
I've already pointed out some of the opportunities the party will enjoy in holding a leadership race while it's on an upward trajectory. But I'll follow that up with a warning to potential candidates and their supporters which strikes me as more important than any prognostication as to who might (or might not) seek the party's leadership.
For all the media's efforts to attribute the NDP's success to Layton alone, the reality is that it can also be traced to two factors which should survive him for the moment, but which could be at risk in a leadership race: the party unity that allowed Layton and his team to plan and build without having to expend large amounts of time and energy fighting internal enemies, and the positive message that enabled the party to rise above its competitors.
And as far as I can tell, the most pressing question for the NDP now is less who will lead the party next, than whether it can maintain those advantages during and after a leadership race.
That means candidates and their supporters should work to make sure that their own brands built up during the course of a leadership race fit with the image that has worked so well for the party. And equally importantly, it means not attacking fellow leadership contenders with avoidable messages that serve as fodder for Con attack ads and Lib grenade-throwers.
Of course, there's still every need to draw contrasts between candidates - and I'm sure a leadership race will figure plenty of healthy debate. But the more the NDP's leadership contestants can follow Layton's lead in doing so with respect and principle, the better the party's chances of finishing what he started.
Well said, as usual.
ReplyDeleteI think we can take a lesson from the recent BC NDP leadership race. Despite the party tearing itself in half (according to some pundits) when it ousted Carole James, the party pulled itself together and five different visions were presented in the candidates, although there was a general agreement about the principles of the NDP and few critical words were exchanged between the candidates. It ended up being a slightly less dramatic, and hence less headline worthy race - somewhat expected since the BC Liberal race for premier overlapped most of it - but that can be an advantage.
With the NDP's new position as Official Opposition, however, it will mean our leadership race will shadow the Liberals and Bloc for the time being, granting a bit more press than the others.