… Rabble Election Blog has a valid point! Yes, that their point is valid is what is startling; that it isn’t just more Green Party bashing. In this case, the site takes aim at CBC (darn liberal media) for not properly covering the election in Central Nova. Elizabeth May, and Peter MacKay are squaring off there, and the NDP candidate who no one in the country has heard of, didn’t get a fair mention in The National’s story. It was even shot in a way that seemed to imply she wasn’t at the Antigonish candidates debate CBC was reporting on.
Unfortunately, in Rabble’s rush to defend democracy through fair reporting, they neglected to mention the OTHER two candidates in the riding who were also ignored (and didn’t even have their signs shown like the NDP got). Michael Harris MacKay, of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada and Paul Kemp of the Canadian Action Party are probably not so amused either. Since the Green Party was very recently in their boat (of media coverage omission, you know, the policy that Jack Layton supported with Stephen Harper?), I sympathize with their plights in receiving fair media coverage. Will Rabble Election Blog correct their story to mention those candidates as well?
Sure, the CAP and CHP have a much smaller chance of getting elected than May, the NDP, or MacKay (Conservative), but the point is that the media should not play favourites, because every candidate is equal… until election day.
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I would have preferred that the NDP teamed up with May to defeat MacKay in the same manner, and in return I would have expected May to ensure that one or two NDP candidates with good records on environmental policy get elected where they had a shot. As it stands now, the NDP are almost certainly going to lose to Peter MacKay, and will only take down Elizabeth May with them. I’m sure the less clear thinking members of the party will take glee in that, despite it being one more seat Stephen Harper needs to put a nail through any law he can get support from the Liberals and Bloc on. Spilled milk will flow on election day. I have a feeling it might not be pretty. And if it does spill, it will only be a grim reminder that Jack Layton would rather work with Stephen Harper in Parliament, than he would a potential ally like Elizabeth May. That says something pretty negative about him I feel.
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themusicgod1 | 07-Oct-08 at 1:14 am | Permalink
Except that it’s not the completely NDP at fault here, the people of nova scotia who choose to split their votes or not do share some of the fault as well if they elect a Conservative, first past the poll system or not. If we were to go to a further extreme, the action and NDP would back out their candidates in nova scotia leaving the Conservative, ABC & christian heritage party candidates to duke it out. Would that be more or less democratic than what we have? How many people would be disenfranchised at each step, liberal backing out, ndp backing out, action backing out? I don’t know. But can we at least acknowledge that there are costs and benefits of
Furthermore, what of the conservatives who could presumably lose the election in such a scenario; they could account for up to ~49.9% of the populace and still not have their vote “counted” in the bottom case. I guess we shouldn’t really be worried about that…disenfranchised conservatives is a nonissue isn’t it.
Jaytoo | 07-Oct-08 at 5:22 am | Permalink
Knowing up-front that the NDP does not do these kinds of deals, May freely chooses a riding where the NDP is the leading contender, and then she and you cry that she’s hooped by the presense of the New Democrat. When you call this “…a grim reminder that Jack Layton would rather work with Stephen Harper in Parliament, than he would a potential ally like Elizabeth May,” do you seriously expect anyone outside your choir to hear anything but petulance?
That said, good on you for sharing the rabble blog bit — and I totally agree with your broader point on coverage with smaller parties.
Green Assassin Briga | 07-Oct-08 at 7:00 am | Permalink
Damn i had a long answer that got lost, so I’ll give a summary
By supporting PR the NDP agree the system is broken and fundamentally undemocratic, Therefore why not game a broken system to defeat Harper?
That said the party leaders should not decide this but bring it to the members at convention. ASK THE MEMBERS!
Would they be willing to throw a dozen or so ridings each (next election) to ensure there can never be a Conservative Majority?
I won’t defend May’s choice of ridings but I don’t see gaming a broken game as so terrible a thing.
The threat that Harper could continue to lead with mid thirties percentage support might finally wake up some Libs to the need for PR so various progressive coalitions could rule. Creating cooperation and detente between our parties on a small scale is a good first step.
Green Assassin Briga | 07-Oct-08 at 7:28 am | Permalink
I do think claims the CBC is being more fair the Greens than the NDP are bullshit, we are both being screwed,
each night they have that little graphic in the corner with 3 leaders and a coin, not four leaders and it’s May that’s missing.
Last night on the ecconomy they talked about 3 leader’s plans, No May
And they screwed the NDP on the MacKay/May riding
The favoritism is about 2 Parties with the NDP and Greens both relegated to whatever spare time they have left over. I actually thing their story wieghting is based on poll percentages.
Compared the disgrace that is my local paper, the CBC is doing a reasonable job even as pitifull as it is.
Saskboy | 07-Oct-08 at 7:41 am | Permalink
“Would that be more or less democratic than what we have? How many people would be disenfranchised at each step, ”
More, and none, are your answers. People do not lose their ability to vote, and there is no “right” to vote for a Liberal or any party. If people don’t feel properly represented by any federal party in an election they are supposed to back an independent. The federal party manages a country and has to at times ask some people to act in the greater interest.
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Jaytoo “May freely chooses a riding where the NDP is the leading contender, and then she and you cry that she’s hooped by the presense of the New Democrat.”
Think about that Jaytoo. Where in the country can May run locally (close to where she grew up) or otherwise, where her party is definitely in 2nd place? Seriously, give your head a shake. May convinced the Liberals, the bloody LIBERALS, to stand down. She should get an award in negotiating for that alone. She was one party away from having a clear shot at taking down MacKay, but Layton supports PR only when it means the NDP get more seats, I guess.
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GAB, you’re too right, and sorry your comment got eaten. What happened?
Saskboy | 28-Oct-08 at 12:51 pm | Permalink
I wonder how crushed Scott P. is knowing now that May was in 2nd place.
“But but but…. the media (not just the CBC) has already decided that one of the key narratives of the campaign is about that feisty upstart Elizabeth May taking on the MacKay dynasty. Reporting on the actual situation on the ground in Central Nova (the NDP continuing to make the gains on its strong showing in 2004 and 2006; the Green Party continuing to be irrelevant) would conflict with that — and nobody wants to rewrite the narrative when they’ve worked so hard to construct. The fact is that, if anything, May’s efforts and her backroom deal with the Liberals are more likely to ensure a Conservative victory in the riding than to help in the defeat the Potato Farmer from Pictou.”