Thursday, April 16, 2009

Saskatchewan NDP P.A. candidate debate - partial liveblog

Having missed the start to tonight's debate as mentioned in this morning's post, I'll take the opportunity to comment on the rest of it as it goes by...

Question on the oilsands

Meili - need to be careful in developing oilsands resources - notes the connection between oil sands and nuclear development intended to provide power for tar sands operations

Higgins - notes that progress on development is slowed due to the slowing economy and lowered oil prices - we should take this as a chance to look closely at the effects of development

Lingenfelter - proposes a ban on open-pit mining, favours steam extraction and injection methods instead as part of further development - boosts Weyburn carbon sequestration project

Pedersen - Alberta's development a "complete mess", environmentally, socially or economically due to boom and bust cycles - the two main means of extraction are not environmentally sustainable due to consumption of water and natural gas - and our goal should not be to exhaust our non-renewable resources over the next few decades

Question: 50% female candidate target

Higgins - need to develop networks around potential female candidates - knowledge & money to facilitate candidacies for active members - proposal to develop a team of current & former MLAs to facilitate womens' involvement during and after election campaigns - party needs to be representative of province

Lingenfelter - need to reach 50% goal - "right thing to do and wise thing to do", raising question of why it hasn't been done yet - proposes women's commission with responsibility to recruit, mentor and finance candidacies and other party involvement

Pedersen - committed to 50% goal, but not as only goal alongside minority, aboriginal representation - need party leaders to be approaching women and inviting them to run, but not planning to interfere in constituency nomination processes - better notice for nominations, leadership workshops and parental supports would all help

Meili - we've made strides on equality, but have a long way to go in poverty, violence, pay, which will only be resolved with more women in politics - may be done through existing structures such as SNDW, as well as open nomination processes which encourage equity candidates

Question - Plans to allow members' policies to be developed

Lingenfelter - policy review plan including travel to all constituencies - opportunity in opposition to listen around the province and revive party - year-long process followed by convention leading up to next election

Pedersen - message while president that problem goes beyond number of members to lack of inspiration, need to feel like party can make a difference and people can shape party's direction - need to discuss long-term priorities with membership in order to rebuild on foundation of democratic socialism

Meili - party is in an identity crisis after years of competent but uninspiring government - won't be solved by single campaign or policy process if renewal is forgotten when NDP is in government - need to keep party vital, people involved at all times, hire organizers to bring ideas into the party

Higgins - knocking on doors valuable not just to sell memberships, but to listen to concerns and get feedback - NDP is a membership-based party, needs to maintain connections with its members - that's what I did after the election, knocked on doors to listen to what members are saying

Closing statements

Higgins - exciting time to be a New Democrat, time to reconnect and rebuild as well as set path for future - Blakeney policy required MLAs to have 10% of NDP voters as target for membership, now Moose Jaw-Wakamow is the only constituency which would meet the requirement - example of commitment to the party - discusses history in party & in cabinet, good results from tough decision - time to change the face of the party and put forward a vision different from the Sask Party, but one person alone won't change the party

Lingenfelter - suggests any candidate should answer what he/she brings to the party and province - in his case, understands rural/farm issues based on experience while growing up, experienced in government and in winning difficult seats, ready to run in 2011, has business experience which has highlighted need for mixed economy which allows people to share in wealth

Pedersen - "story of two men" analogizing to Douglas - called to action by faith, armed only with vision for future and challenged existing structures - vision based on ability to build future in Saskatchewan, limited only by effort and imagination - need to inspire & excite as well as dealing with political structure - need to win next election, but party needs to do more than merely win elections - makes appeal for membership renewals

Meili - new vision for party, building a healthier society - not just extracting resources - long-term goals and plan needed, investing in renewable energy, seeing opportunity in First Nations people, expanding & improving health care - winning important as well, but excitement will last only while people feel they're listened to - endorsements as sign both of momentum and of broad appeal

I'll leave this post there for now, and follow up with some further thoughts.

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