Friday, September 09, 2005

Laying the foundation

Tasteful Future has the rundown on Layton's recent speech in Quebec. The conclusion:
We need to reduce Bloc influence in Ottawa by showing up the majority of voters just how ineffective it is. We need to give Bloc-fearing Québécois another option than voting Liberal by default. Harper's not interested in Québec, it doesn't take a genius to understand that, so the path is clear for the NDP to move in and open up some new ground for a substantial amount of voters who suffer electoral fatigue. I've said it before and I'll say it again: modern history shows the province of Québec as a socio-democratic province with very left-leaning values. The NDP could make major, major inroads if they could help break their image in Québec of being a "farmer's party."

Layton's doing exactly what he needs to at this point: sending a message that'll resonate across the country, but more importantly questioning regional assumptions in the process. There's a substantial Bloc vote that's more a protest vote than a resounding endorsement of separatism, and it's about time to point out that the protest vote would be better given to a party which actually uses its position to change the status quo. A similar message should be the focus of the NDP's prairie campaign against the Cons: why keep voting for a party which utterly failed to do any good when it could have dictated the terms of the budget?

The biggest potential payoff in seats is likely an election or two away, as entrenched regional positions may die hard. This could be why the Cons are putting their attention elsewhere (along with the fear that a similar strategy might be effective against them elsewhere). But as pointed out by Case, that's a perfect opportunity for the NDP in the long term. And Layton's message shows that the NDP isn't going to pass this one up.

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