Good article on "vetting" and opposition research - don't embarrass the team

Wanted to share this post by former Alberta NDP candidate Marc Power discussing the political vetting process for candidates. As someone who used to do exactly the kind of opposition research Mr. Power talks about in the post, I found it an interesting perspective.

Mr. Power also talks about how important the role of "the team" is in modern politics, and how one individual candidate who has a scandal emerge that could have otherwise been caught in background vetting can knock an entire election campaign off-track, most notably the case of Allan Hunsperger, the anti-gay "Lake of Fire" Wildrose candidate whose past homophobic remarks surfaced during the 2012 Alberta provincial election. The remarks were widely seen as a turning point in that campaign, allowing the Redford PC's to successfully paint Wildrose as being out of touch with modern Alberta.

Given that recent events have thrown the very future existence of the Wildrose Party into doubt, here is a great political what if - If Wildrose vetters had caught Hunsperger's comments and disallowed him as a candidate, would Wildrose have won that election? If instead of crossing the floor with most of her caucus, would Danielle Smith be Premier today?

Vetting matters folks.

"Limiting information" on oilsands probe demonstrates Harper government problems with both openness and the environment

This story out of The Star hits at two major problems of the Harper government - an inability to take environmental concerns seriously, and a desire to limit access to critical information by the media and citizens.

"Environment Canada’s enforcement branch asked a spokesman to “limit information” given to reporters about how long it took to launch a federal investigation into a serious Alberta oilsands leak last summer.

The comments were included in more than 100 pages of emails obtained by the Star that were generated in response to questions from journalists last summer about the mysterious leak in Cold Lake, Alta., that now totals about 1.2 million litres of bitumen emulsion, a mixture of heavy oil and water.

The incident itself was not publicly disclosed until a report by the Star in July 2013. More than 100 animals died near the site of the spill, which continues to release heavy oil above the surface, one year later....

Liberal environment critic John McKay said the case seems to be another example ofHarper’s government favouring one industrial sector over others, while attempting to keep news about spills and environmental damage “secret” for as long as possible.

“It is upsetting that the Harper government’s lack of transparency and disregard for our wildlife, water and environment is something we have come to expect,” said McKay, who represents Scarborough-Guildwood in Parliament."

It is absolutely critical to develop Canada's and Alberta's natural resources in a responsible way to help grow the economy. But stories such as these do nothing to help the Harper government's reputation as uncaring towards the environment, which has had a significantly negative impact on Canada's trade relations with the United States and the ability to market Canada as a responsible energy power. Canada will not see it's full economic potential from natural resources until we have a government that doesn't see the economy and the need for strong environmental regulations and social licences as enemies, but as complimentary to ensure prosperity for all Canadians. 

New nomination news

Make sure to check out the Winter Tour kickoff in Ottawa West-Nepean with Michael Ignatieff and Anita Vandenbeld on Jan 12 if you're in the Ottawa-Gatineau area!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=173291749375363
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http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Garrison+nomination+Esquimalt+Juan+Fuca/4053196/story.html

2004 and 2006 candidate and Esquimalt city councilour Randall Garrisson annouced today he would take another crack at Esquimalt-Juan De Fuca, with incumbant Liberal MP Keith Martin, who narrowly bested Garrisson in both elections not running again. Interestingly, provincial BC president Moe Sihota, who has come under fire at times for getting paid directly by BC unions, and the controversy now brewing over his handling of the potential BC NDP leadership candidacy of marijuana activist Dana Larsen was apparently also considering a run, but decided against it.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Going+longest+shot/4044042/story.html

Some discussion of the possible upcoming Calgary Centre-North by-election, and if the Liberals can build on an upset victory in Winnipeg North with another suprisingly strong showing in Western Canada. Apparently the party has at least one interested candidate:


Fridhandler (the Alberta federal co-chair) has been courting a promising candidate for the riding -- a professor at the University of Calgary who is a political neophyte but, apparently, interested.

At one point I had heard rumours that outgoing Calgary mayor Dave Bronconnier was a possibility for the Liberal candidacy, so we'll see how that pans out.

The author of the piece also speculates that the Tories awarding the nomination to Michelle Rempel a loyal but lower profile party activist might also backfire.

She may turn out to be a terrific campaigner, but when parties reward faithful members with safe seats it suggests complacency.

The two candidates Naheed Nenshi defeated to win the mayorality, Ric McIver and Barb Higgins had at one point both expressed interest in the Tory nomination, but nothing ultimately came of that.

More nomination news from the West

A good look at the contenders for the Tory nomination in Lethbridge here: http://www.examiner.com/x-39080-Calgary-Conservative-Examiner~y2010m4d20-The-real-election-Lethbridge-Conservative-nomination

http://www.dailytownsman.com/article/20100419/CRANBROOK0101/304199976/-1/cranbrook/creston-woman-seeking-ndp-nomination

And from BC, local businesswoman Rhonda Barter is going after the NDP nomination in Kootenay-Columbia, and 2004 and 2006 NDP candidate Brent Bush is considering going after the Liberal nomination.

Quick pre AGM nomination news

Haven't done a nomination update in a bit, so here we go:


http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2485978

Colin Wilson, a federal civil servant, was nominated as Liberal candidate in Barrie last night. Mr. Wilson was acclaimed.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2010/03/12/sk-lawrence-joseph-federal-ndp.html


Lawrence Joseph, former Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is going after the NDP nomination Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River. The riding has a bit of an odd federal history, being held by Liberal, Tory, and NDP in recent memory, and sometimes swings against the national tide, electing a Liberal in 2006 over a Tory incumbent.

http://www.echoweekly.com/8320-GUELPH+BEAT.htm

Sticking with the NDP, social worker Bobbi Stewart will represent the party in Guelph next election. Guelph was the site of a 4 way race last election, with Liberal Frank Valeriote winning over Tory Gloria Kovach, Tom King for the NDP, and Mike Nagy for the Greens, who with 21% of the vote to Frank's 32%, was the Green candidate who came closest to winning a seat last election.

http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/content/view/157687/110/

With Tory incumbent Rick Casson stepping down, local businessman Mark Switzer is stepping up to go after the nomination.

More nominations

http://www.caledonenterprise.com/editorial/article/78527

With Garth Turner out in Dufferin-Caledon, a new possible candidate has emerged for the Liberals, long-time Caledon resident Bill Prout.

http://kingscorecord.canadaeast.com/news/article/822056

I reported on David Delaney looking like he was going to be the only candidate to put his name forward for the federal Liberal nomination in Fundy Royal, and this article shows that he was in fact acclaimed back on the 30th.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=291910090444

The NDP has a whole bunch of nominations coming up, and here is some news for them in Edmonton-Leduc, with Artem Medvedev, a research assisstant at the University of Alberta declaring for the nomination.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=76694965264

Staying with the NDP and Edmonton, 2008 candidate Mike Butler will take another crack at the NDP nomination for Edmonton Millwoods – Beaumont.

Pre-Quebec nomination news

http://www.canada.com/Ignatieff+heads+Quebec+City+address+Coderre+fallout/2063378/story.html

This article, and many others, are quoting Coderre's statement that the Liberals had candidates in 68 of 75 ridings. As I have written before, this "68" number is probably a combination of a few things; of actual legal nominated candidates, which Pundits' Guide numbers at 31, incumbant MP's who have yet to be formally nominated, ridings in which candidates have been identified but not nominated, and probably some good old fashioned spin.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200910/02/01-908075-jeanne-le-ber-les-liberaux-lorgnent-sebastien-dhavernas.php

We could see more Outremont-Jeanne Le Ber movement with the Liberals, with 2008 Outremont candidate and Quebec actor Sébastien Dhavernas having been asked by members of the association to take a run in his home riding.

And thanks to Facebook, I know a few more Alberta Liberal candidates:

2008 candidate Marlene LaMontagne will challenge a little-known Conservative MP named Stephen Harper again in Calgary Southwest, and 2008 candidate Donna Lynn Smith will again take on James Rajotte in Edmton-Leduc.

http://centretownnewsonline.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=997&Itemid=94

This article says for Ottawa Centre Conservatives "four people seriously considering running", which fits into previous rumours I have heard about the local riding association attempt to find other candidates than Bruce, who to my knowledge is the only candidate who has publically declared, and has the backing of the national party but not the riding association executive.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/645966

After previous indications that she would run again, former MP Paddy Torsney will not take a crack at the Liberal nomination for Burlington. Businessman Bruce Bowser now looks set to be the Liberal candidate. And in another reversal, the article also says that popular Ward 2 Councillor Bob Bratina will indeed go for the Liberal nomination in Hamilton Centre, despite previously declining to August.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/politicalbytes/2009/10/le_prohon_nom_still_on.html
Despite some rumours that she would follow Denis Coderre's lead, his preferred candidate for Outremont, Nathalie Le Prohon, confirms she will be running for the nomination in Jeanne Le Ber, where it looks like she might face previous the Outemont candidate as mentioned above.

http://www.canada.com/Bell+gets+North+Island+nomination/2057130/story.html
Former Vancouver Island North NDP MP Catherine Bell was nominated a couple days ago, trying to take back her old seat from Tory John Duncan. The riding has seen tight battles between Duncan and Bell the last 3 elections, with Duncan narrowly winning in 2004, Bell knocking him off in 2006, and Duncan reclaiming the seat in 2008.

Edit: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/actualites/politique/200910/02/01-908025-une-porte-de-sortie-en-or-pour-denis-coderre.php

Just found this one, making reference to two possible Quebec City area Liberal star candidates, former provincial Liberal minister Jean Leclerc who apparently is still considering a bid, and radio host Martin Pouliot of FM 93, with the later running in Beauport – Limoilou.

Another day, more nomination news

Two great Liberal candidates won their respective nominations in the Ottawa area last night; Steve MacKinnion in Gatineau, and Julie Bourgeois in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell. I was particularly pleased with Julie's victory, as I was out in GPR last night to support her campaign. Moving on to other news:

http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/news/article/134870
The Greens have a candidate in Pickering-Scarborough East, Dell technology marketing manager Kevin Smith. 2008 Tory candidate George Khouri is also "absolutely considering" running again but is not fully decided. The riding is held by Liberal Dan McTeague.

http://www.medicinehatnews.com/content/view/131770/65/
Out west in the Tory stronghold of Medicine Hat, 2008 Liberal candidate and riding association president Bev Botter is undecided about running again, but long time NDP candidate Wally Regehr will not be running again.

Nomination news

Some nomination news from across the spectrum. This article: http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1670228 says that all Liberal incumbants have reached the requirements to avoid nomination challenges:

"To date, all of the sitting members have met their minimum requirements and then some. Unless they decide otherwise, we're expecting all of them to run," Rocco Rossi, national director of the Liberal Party of Canada, said here yesterday.

Rossi also says that he expects incumbant Liberal MP and Speaker of the House Peter Milliken to run again. (Although if/when Milliken eventually leaves, I have heard more than a few people toss out Mark Gerretsen, a Kingston city councillor and son of Liberal MPP John Gerresten as a possible candidate)

Out west, it looks like 2008 Edmonton-Sherwood candidate Rick Szostak will be taking another crack at it for the Liberals.
http://www.sherwoodparknews.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1670093
Sherwood Park is an interesting riding because due to conservative vote splitting (independent conservative James Ford nearly won the riding in 08, and is strongly considering running again) it is a potential if still long-shot pick up for the Liberals or NDP.

On the Tory side, businessperson and social club founder Rachel Greenfeld will be running for the Tory nomination in Vancouver Centre.
http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=2a6c96a5-747e-4ef9-ad45-45c575daeb69
Vancouver Centre was a 4 way fight last election, with the Liberals, NDP, Conservatives, and Greens all running credible campaigns and winning polls.

I was also at the Ottawa-Gatineau area Liberal candidate pub night last night, which was great. Despite currently only holding the ridings of Hull-Alymer, Ottawa South, and Ottawa-Vanier, the Ott/Gat area is ripe for Liberal growth, with the ridings of Ottawa Centre, Pontiac, Gatineau, Ottawa-Orleans, Ottawa West-Nepean, and Glengarry-Prescott-Russell all being ridings which the Liberals have a decent shot at winning, and must win if we wish to form the next government. The party has strong candidates for the nomination in all of the ridings, and I will be proud to support and help the eventual winners whenever the next election comes.