The yellow scarfs backfired for NDP Leader Carole James

by Charlie Smith on November 21st, 2010 at 1:49 PM

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It appears that B.C. NDP Leader Carole James has somehow managed to alienate 37 percent of her caucus.

Yesterday (November 20) at the party's provincial council meeting, 13 of 34 NDP MLAs did not don yellow scarfs in a public demonstration of support for the leader.

One was four-term MLA Jenny Kwan. Another was former NDP leadership candidate Leonard Krog, who came second to James in 2003.

The others included former whip Katrine Conroy, former caucus chair Norm Macdonald, Robin Austin, Gary Coons, Guy Gentner, Harry Lali, Lana Popham, Doug Routley, Michael Sather, Nicholas Simons, and Claire Trevena.

James and her supporters might have thought the yellow-scarf tactic would demonstrate that there was a small number of dissidents. If so, it blew up in their faces when the media saw how many MLAs are not thrilled having her as their leader.

Not even former prime ministers Brian Mulroney and John Diefenbaker, former NDP premier Glen Clark, or former federal Liberal leaders John Turner and Stephane Dion faced such visible public opposition from their caucus while they were leading their parties.

Divided parties face an uphill battle because those on the outs don't want to help during an election campaign. People withhold donations and don't volunteer their time, which impairs the party's chances of success.

This was apparent in the Vancouver NPA's obliteration in the 2008 municipal election. This came after former councillor Peter Ladner narrowly took the mayoral nomination from incumbent Sam Sullivan.

It's not hard to figure out where things will go from here within the B.C. NDP. Someone who wants James replaced will finance a political poll, which will be leaked to the media.

It will compare James to a number of other potential NDP leadership candidates, possibly including Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson, Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan, Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson, Delta North MLA Guy Gentner, Vancouver-Mount Pleasant MLA Jenny Kwan, Nanaimo MLA Leonard Krog, Port Coquitlam MLA Mike Farnworth, Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian, New Westminster MLA Dawn Black, and maybe, just maybe, former NDP premier Glen Clark.

Hell, I would even add political commentator Bill Tieleman's name to the list.

Some would likely rank significantly ahead of James in popularity. This will continue the pressure on her to resign.

During the Socreds' internal fight over Bill Vander Zalm's leadership, four MLAs walked out of caucus. A group of MPs also walked out of the Canadian Alliance caucus during the battle to remove then-leader Stockwell Day.

It wouldn't be too shocking to see some NDP MLAs form an independent caucus, given what happened yesterday.

More pressure can be brought by having constituency associations pass resolutions calling on James to quit.

The NDP leader and her supporters might think that they squelched their internal opponents yesterday. History suggests otherwise.

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Comments

33 Comments

Akat

Nov 21, 2010 at 2:59pm

Vancouver Sun is reporting that Robin Austin and Guy Gentner declared their support for Carole immediately after the vote... Expect more will do the same as they confront the level of support for Carole within the Party and determine unity is required to present BCers with governing option.

Teya Loverock

Nov 21, 2010 at 3:36pm

And this party thinks it should govern the province?

David L.

Nov 21, 2010 at 3:57pm

Have to agree with Teya , the word "Hopeless" comes to mind !

Westcoast RN

Nov 21, 2010 at 4:32pm

I am rather disappointed in the negative bias shown in this article. Even Canwest provided a more balanced viewpoint!

Let's keep the Mind Rape to a minimum

Nov 21, 2010 at 5:18pm

I found myself getting swept up in the anti Carole James debacle lately. Then it donned on me how much hatred for her has been drummed up in the main stream media. I am now trying to reassess how much of the confidence vote in Carole has been manipulated and manufactured by outside sources and how much flak she actually warrants.

Its important to remember that these PR firms are treacherous and their entire existence relies on creating your opinion for you. Try and keep that in mind when you start to feel heated and your emotional heartstrings are being jerked.

Because thats all part of the plan.

james green

Nov 21, 2010 at 5:40pm

Go Gregor Robertson. He has screwed up Vancouver with his misguided spending and breaking his swearing in promises.
The NDP needs another loser at its helm to match the other losers Glen Clark, Mike Harcourt and I hope soon Carole James.
Damn the province needs to get worse before it gets better and Robertson will hurry this process and crisis along.

East Van Arts

Nov 21, 2010 at 5:49pm

Carole is a perfectly likable person. It's enough to get a leader to first base, but thereafter? Not far.

She lacks intellectual gravitas, depth, awareness. BC has a resource-based economy. No one can lead who does not have a deep and thorough understanding of resource development issues. Can even one reader describe one significant analysis offered by Carole in terms of mining, forestry, fisheries, agriculture or water? Even tourism and IT issues?

Consider: BC Hydro is under constant attack by the Liberals. It was WAC who 50 years ago stole a page from the CCF/NDP and built our MOST powerful instrument for the creation of industry and jobs in BC. Today, the Liberals are whittling away at BC Hydro. They do so through their endless and costly reorganizations, their phony run-of-river schemes (guaranteed profit to private owners, and little else), and by failing to realize the potential of BC Hydro in a future clean / green economy here.

Historically, the NDP has always understood resource and economic development issues. They created the ALR, whose benefits are incontestable. They created ICBC, and brought us some of the lowest insurance rates in North America -- and see billions reinvested in our own economy. But today?

As the Liberals sell our bridges to private interests, and sell BC Rail, and more, where is Carole James? Talking about school lunches.

Those who want to spend our wealth must be equally concerned about creating our wealth. Carole understands only one half of that social democratic equation.

The NDP's Provincial Council failed to bite the bullet this weekend, and that will come back to bite them. This province needs a progressive leader able to hold her/his own at the highest levels of resource and economic argument, and lead us to the greatest possible return on those resources.

No one I know sees Carole as that leader. I wish it were otherwise.

gold santorum

Nov 21, 2010 at 6:59pm

yeah james green you would have been a much better mayor you're so great , its funny you can can see the vancouver sun keith baldrey and global play this for all its worth, they were so eager to get that bill bennett and 15% tax cut rollback off peoples minds, their clinging to this carol james thing as long as they can

Who should be leader

Nov 21, 2010 at 7:52pm

Corky Evans:

or Don Davies:

dream weaver

Nov 21, 2010 at 8:24pm

Jim Sinclair would be great (knowledge, experience, talent), John Horgan would be very good (ditto) and several others would be big improvements (re knowledge of economy and business). Carole could still earn glory as a strong cabinet minister but her closest allies and advisers obviously want her to try to stay in charge for their own sakes.