On setting goals

When I first started up this blog last year, I noted early on my frustration at the federal NDP's unwillingness to discuss any possibility of forming government. In the 2006 campaign, things changed only slightly for the better, as any mention of a potential NDP government was reluctant at best, and sometimes entirely absent. This year, there has apparently been some talk in meetings free of media coverage.

But now, the change in message is finally complete, as the NDP's policy convention will include an explicit focus on forming government:

On Sunday, NDP Leader Jack Layton wraps up convention with a major keynote address. Through two elections under Layton’s leadership, the NDP has doubled the size of its caucus, tripled its national vote, and become the effective opposition in the House of Commons. Addressing delegates on Sunday, Layton calls for progressives to unite to form a NDP-led government in Ottawa.

Needless to say, there's still a long way to go before the goal can be achieved. But while there's still plenty to be done, the NDP's newfound willingness to aim toward forming government at least removes the largest internal barrier to further progress. Which means that the next order of business is to begin convincing the wider public that the Dippers are headed in the right direction.