It is a puzzle sometimes. You look to the news media to keep you abreast of politics across Canada. The question you need to ask about the so-called political news is it news or just gossip? It is discouraging to think of some of our favourite pundits of the press as gossip mongers.
What stirred this thought was articles (two days in a row!) in the Toronto Star complaining about Annamie Paul’s experience in her first six months as leader of the green party ranks. And, as is the Star’s custom, Ms. Paul’s race, religion and sex are pitted against the supposedly white-male dominance of the party organization.
When she first won the green party leadership, Ms. Paul reminded me of the bad jokes about Sammy Davis Jr. during his career. In today’s brittle race relations atmosphere, there are no jokes and there should be no recriminations. Her campaign manager was out of line to complain openly. It was amateur of him to complain to the news media. He has burnt his boats with the party.
And if you do not want to “paint this organization as overtly racist,” why would you say it?
Mind you, it is hard to imagine a competent campaign manager who would advise Paul to throw herself on the pyre by deciding to run in the Toronto Centre byelection. It was never her race to win. I can think of at least seven ridings in the Toronto area where she would have had a much better chance. There are also some conservative-held electoral districts where the sitting members need to be challenged on their lack of environmental concern.
Previous green leader Elizabeth May never made it secret that the green party was a difficult party to run. It is badly organized and run by too many prima donnas. The current ambition of the party is to get enough members elected to become a recognized party. Then, they would be able to hire some decent research staff.
The party has an ongoing problem with its rank and file taking some very bad stands on non-green issues.
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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry
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