Really - did we miss Dwain Lingenfelter that much that we are now rallying to bring him back?
I ask because it is not clear what Link brings to the table eight years after he quit politics.
As a refresher, Link was a career politician having been elected 1978 in the Shaunavon riding, unelected in 1986, re-elected in 1988 when former Premier Allan Blakeney stepped down in Regina Elphinstone (Link landed in a safe urban seat!). When the NDP returned to power in 1991, Link held various senior portfolios including Deputy Premier, until he decided to leave politics in 2000 for the greener pastures of an Alberta oil company.
Link had a sturdy hand in the governance of the province throughout the 1990s, and he was considered the Frank McKenna of his day (i.e. perpetual almost leadership candidate). But what has changed in the eight years since he left office? The only thing that springs to mind is that he believes he has a greater shot of winning the leadership than he did in 2001. His impressive resume shouts "career politician" and that is not what we need leading the Saskatchewan NDP.
If Roy Romanow was the practical New Democrat, what did that make Link?
The Saskatchewan NDP needs someone with vision and principles who will both strike confidence in voters and create a distinction between the NDP and Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party. Someone who has spent his entire working life between a legislature and executive washroom of an oil company, and who is a backer of nuclear energy for its economic benefits (safety first, anyone?), is not the man to lead the party. Link is more likely to draw comparisons with Brad Wall.
Now, as I stated at the start, I do not know what Link stands for or why he is running. I will reconsider my position if he surprises me with a strong campaign that talks about social policy and how he is going to get Saskatchewan back on track to being a socially democratic land.
19 comments:
he also seems to have other liabilities that no-one wants to mention publicly at this stage.
He'll legally be a senior by the time he is able to take office.
I don't get why they would choose him. He makes Calvert look like Tommy Douglas.
He is also the only person in the NDP that can take on the Saskatchewan Party in regards to issues dealing with rural Saskatchewan, the business community and with labour. Nobody else can unite the party like Link. As for other so called liabilities, if they are such an issue either raise them or simply admit you do not like Link and quit picking at non-issues.
Also, it is Dwain.
One of the most divisive figures in the NDP will 'unite the party'? ... interesting theory.
Why would voters choose an older version of Brad Wall in 2011 when they can just keep Brad Wall?
That is why he had individuals who are considered to the left of the party endorsing him such as Nystrom?
Anon 2/3- thanks for the correction. change has been made.
As to your stance that he is the person to take on Wall and unite the party - that maybe so. Wall's comments about Link being like running against his dad shows that Wall feels threatened by Link. But do we want someone just for the sake of getting back to power?
Someone who says Saskatchewan is so good to be that I will move away and attract business to Alberta, then jumps back when he feels he can take control, is perhaps not the leader the NDP needs.
Anon 5 - I would not call Nystrom the left of the party - although he is more left Link. Nor would I call Van Mulligan, Harper and Trew on the left. Link's backing group represents the old guard.
He also had Judy Junor, Darcy Furber and Trent Wotherspoon. So he has a wide range of support and I imagine he will be gaining some more endorsements as the campaign continues.
You can already tell that this is going to be an interesting race.
I certainly would like to see Deb Higgins throw her name into the ring to make it even more interesting.
Lingenfelter is on record as saying that he would like to see a large field of candidates .... because this will renew the membership base and allow the party a good, debate on issues and vision.
At the moment, I am not decided on whom I will actually end up supporting ... I will however say that Link - Higgins - Thomson are all candidates that I believe could limit Wall to a single term in government.
Yeah, heaven forbid the NDP choose a leader who knows something about business...
If Wall wins a 2nd term (and he most likely will) Link will be almost 70 when he takes over. Not really the agent of change the province could looking for by then.
I just don't agree when someone who has been living out of province for almost a decade can say they are the best person to lead that province.
What about that Saskatoon lawyer that ran last time? I forget his name, but he impressed me (not enough for me to actually remember his name however.)
Ryan L.
"Yeah, heaven forbid the NDP choose a leader who knows something about business..."
Well, according to that logic, Jack Layton would be the perfect fit for the PMO. Isn't he the only federal leader that has owned his own business? I guess you probably voted for Jack, then.
How do people keep linking change and progress with age? Grant Devine was one of the youngest Premiers in Saskatchewan history. Do those who claim youth results in being progressive think the Devine years were good simply based on his age? A persons age does not matter but what they stand for.
I don't think a politician who got his start in the 1970's can really be an agent of change.
I could be wrong. That's why we have elections.
Ryan
Ryan L makes an excellent point that Link may be more of a caretaker than an agent of change. Saskatchewan NDPers should not expect to defeat Wall after only one term - they need to earn the right to govern. Link may only have one election in him before passing the hat.
That is not to say that he could not defeat Wall, but that NDPers should not be looking at defeating Wall simply for being anti-NDP. If Link can renew the party (particularly in rural areas) and bring vision to the party, than he may the right person in 2009.
How do you know he can't be a figure of change? He is the only person within the NDP party who is talking about going back to rural Saskatchewan and Northern Saskatchewan to recruit old and new members. He is also the only one talking about rebuilding strong constituency associastions.
He is also the only one in the race so far.
Ryan
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