"Çons®@minority#s" <Çons®@minority#
2012-07-26 23:53:24 UTC
Thursday, 07/26/2012
New Democrats look to solidify East Coast support with Newfoundland summer caucus retreat
Federal New Democrats are surging in popularity in Atlantic Canada, particularly
Newfoundland and Labrador where the party is hoping to continue its East Coast
breakthrough by holding its summer caucus retreat in St. John's in September.
"We're very keen on building in Atlantic Canada," NDP national caucus chair Peter Julian
(Burnaby-New Westminster, B.C.) told The Hill Times. "It's a region that we want to
continue to build in, it's a province that is showing real breakthrough support for the
NDP like we've seen in Quebec, British Columbia, and other parts of the country."
A string of recent polls show the party neck and neck with the federal Liberals and
Conservatives in terms of public support throughout Atlantic Canada.
A poll released on June 28 by Forum Research showed a three-way race on the East Coast,
with the NDP at 33 per cent, trailing the Conservatives by two percentage points, and
leading the Liberals by five percentage points.
A July 13 poll conducted by EKOS Research also put the NDP second in a three way race with
the Liberals and Conservatives in Atlantic Canada. The EKOS poll put the New Democrats at
28.4 per cent support in the Atlantic, 2.6 percentage points ahead of the governing
Conservatives, and 4.1 percentage points back of the Liberals.
The numbers confirm that the NDP has remained a competitive federal party in the region
after it took 29.5 per cent of the popular vote in the 2011 federal election, but a July 4
poll by Environics Research shows the party surging ahead in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Environics poll, which focused solely on Newfoundland and Labrador, put popular
support for the New Democrats at 49 per cent, while 34 per cent of Newfoundlanders support
the Liberals, and 17 per cent support the Conservatives. It's a big gain for the NDP, at
the expense of both the Grits and Tories. In the 2011 federal election the NDP took 33 per
cent of the vote in the province, while the Liberals took 38 per cent and the
Conservatives took 28 per cent.
"People down here don't like Stephen Harper, and it's going to be another generation or
two before people will even consider voting federal Conservative again," said NDP MP Ryan
Cleary (St. John's South-Mount Pearl, Nfld.), whose riding will host the NDP summer caucus
retreat on Sept. 4-Sept. 6 in St. John's.
Mr. Clearly told The Hill Times that Newfoundlanders have a long list of grievances with
the current federal government, including changes to Employment Insurance and Old Age
Security, and cuts to search and rescue services in the province, which have been blamed
for the death of Labrador teen Burton Winters in January.
"We're a sea aring people. These things are important to us and there's been no reaction
from the federal Conservatives. Their word is law, and that does not resonate with people
down here. It pisses people off," said Mr. Cleary.
There's also a history of acrimony between Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary
Southwest, Alta.) and the province's former Progressive Conservative premier Danny
Williams, whose feud over equalization payments and resource development led Mr. Williams
to start an "Anything But Conservative" campaign in the lead up to the 2008 federal
election. Progressive Conservative MHAs in the province campaigned against the federal
Conservatives during that election, and the Tories failed to win a single seat in the
province in that election.
The NDP currently holds two of seven federal seats in Newfoundland and Labrador, three of
11 seats in Nova Scotia, and one of 10 seats in New Brunswick. The party has yet to win a
seat in Prince Edward Island.
Mr. Julian credited Mr. Cleary and NDP MP Jack Harris (St. John's East, Nfld.), as well as
Newfoundland's provincial NDP leader Lorraine Michael for building NDP support in the
province.
Although Progressive Conservatives took 56 per cent of the popular vote under the
leadership of Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Kathy Dunderdale in the province's fall
2011 election, the Environics poll reported that the provincial NDP is now leading with 38
per cent support, compared to 35 per cent for the governing Progressive Conservatives and
26 per cent for the Liberals.
"The NDP hasn't been particularly strong in Atlantic Canada. Fifteen years ago, we were a
fairly marginal political force," said Mr. Julian. "Newfoundland and Labrador is the next
breakthrough for the NDP."
================================================================
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the greater ones to public office
New Democrats look to solidify East Coast support with Newfoundland summer caucus retreat
Federal New Democrats are surging in popularity in Atlantic Canada, particularly
Newfoundland and Labrador where the party is hoping to continue its East Coast
breakthrough by holding its summer caucus retreat in St. John's in September.
"We're very keen on building in Atlantic Canada," NDP national caucus chair Peter Julian
(Burnaby-New Westminster, B.C.) told The Hill Times. "It's a region that we want to
continue to build in, it's a province that is showing real breakthrough support for the
NDP like we've seen in Quebec, British Columbia, and other parts of the country."
A string of recent polls show the party neck and neck with the federal Liberals and
Conservatives in terms of public support throughout Atlantic Canada.
A poll released on June 28 by Forum Research showed a three-way race on the East Coast,
with the NDP at 33 per cent, trailing the Conservatives by two percentage points, and
leading the Liberals by five percentage points.
A July 13 poll conducted by EKOS Research also put the NDP second in a three way race with
the Liberals and Conservatives in Atlantic Canada. The EKOS poll put the New Democrats at
28.4 per cent support in the Atlantic, 2.6 percentage points ahead of the governing
Conservatives, and 4.1 percentage points back of the Liberals.
The numbers confirm that the NDP has remained a competitive federal party in the region
after it took 29.5 per cent of the popular vote in the 2011 federal election, but a July 4
poll by Environics Research shows the party surging ahead in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Environics poll, which focused solely on Newfoundland and Labrador, put popular
support for the New Democrats at 49 per cent, while 34 per cent of Newfoundlanders support
the Liberals, and 17 per cent support the Conservatives. It's a big gain for the NDP, at
the expense of both the Grits and Tories. In the 2011 federal election the NDP took 33 per
cent of the vote in the province, while the Liberals took 38 per cent and the
Conservatives took 28 per cent.
"People down here don't like Stephen Harper, and it's going to be another generation or
two before people will even consider voting federal Conservative again," said NDP MP Ryan
Cleary (St. John's South-Mount Pearl, Nfld.), whose riding will host the NDP summer caucus
retreat on Sept. 4-Sept. 6 in St. John's.
Mr. Clearly told The Hill Times that Newfoundlanders have a long list of grievances with
the current federal government, including changes to Employment Insurance and Old Age
Security, and cuts to search and rescue services in the province, which have been blamed
for the death of Labrador teen Burton Winters in January.
"We're a sea aring people. These things are important to us and there's been no reaction
from the federal Conservatives. Their word is law, and that does not resonate with people
down here. It pisses people off," said Mr. Cleary.
There's also a history of acrimony between Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary
Southwest, Alta.) and the province's former Progressive Conservative premier Danny
Williams, whose feud over equalization payments and resource development led Mr. Williams
to start an "Anything But Conservative" campaign in the lead up to the 2008 federal
election. Progressive Conservative MHAs in the province campaigned against the federal
Conservatives during that election, and the Tories failed to win a single seat in the
province in that election.
The NDP currently holds two of seven federal seats in Newfoundland and Labrador, three of
11 seats in Nova Scotia, and one of 10 seats in New Brunswick. The party has yet to win a
seat in Prince Edward Island.
Mr. Julian credited Mr. Cleary and NDP MP Jack Harris (St. John's East, Nfld.), as well as
Newfoundland's provincial NDP leader Lorraine Michael for building NDP support in the
province.
Although Progressive Conservatives took 56 per cent of the popular vote under the
leadership of Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Kathy Dunderdale in the province's fall
2011 election, the Environics poll reported that the provincial NDP is now leading with 38
per cent support, compared to 35 per cent for the governing Progressive Conservatives and
26 per cent for the Liberals.
"The NDP hasn't been particularly strong in Atlantic Canada. Fifteen years ago, we were a
fairly marginal political force," said Mr. Julian. "Newfoundland and Labrador is the next
breakthrough for the NDP."
================================================================
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the greater ones to public office