The NDP needs new Leadership so...

Newfoundland and Labrador can have three choices.

Danny Williams is riding high in the polls - too high for the results he has achieved in major sectors of our economy. His stance with the oil companies is correct - however that is marginalized by his stance on exporting power from the Lower Churchill. His stance with Ottawa is correct - however it is without a plan. Stephen Harper - with a minority Conservative government has defeated Danny Williams and Newfoundland and Labrador - because when the hammer was dropped on equalization promises - Williams did nothing but moan and whine.

Getting rid of Loyola Hearn and Fabian Manning in the next election is hardly a competent response to Newfoundland and Labrador losing 11 billion dollars.

Gerry Reid is from the "old" party and is demonstrating nothing more than agreeing with the Premier on most significant resource issues - like exporting power from Labrador and privatizing FPI. He squeaks a bit on the Hebron development but only to be weak. So the message of "Gerry Reid's New Liberalism" is the government is doing fine but we should be more flexible with the oil companies. Until the Liberal Party elders and permanent cling-ons relinquish leadership and direction to "new" participants - the Party will continue to be stagnant despite the mistakes of this Premier.

In this time of Liberal "destruction" and then hopefully renewal - the NDP should be primed to take over the role of Official Opposition and government in waiting. Unfortunately the new leadership under Lorraine Michael is failing to raise the interest of people to the point where real gains can be made. Jack Harris was a great parliamentarian but not much of a Party builder. Lorraine does not have the expertise or on the ground wisdom of Newfoundland and Labrador affairs over the past 15 years to be as articulate and participatory as Jack was.

This does not bode well in the upcoming fall election and leaves Danny Williams with a free reign over issues that can decide our future - such as the fishery and the Lower Churchill power. I was amazed last week when Lorraine called one of the VOCM talk programs and stated that while on a tour of rural areas on the Island one fisherman begged her to talk about the fishery - so she did. This is not a fraction of the effort required by this leader to deal with such an important policy area. Lorraine should be out-speaking - me - Jim Morgan - Gus Etchegary - and the fishermen who call the Fisheries Broadcast regularly with industry concerns. If Lorraine is relying on the FFAW to form her fisheries policy - she may wish to think again. There are many fishermen and plant workers in the province that have major concerns about their union.

More peculiar is Lorraine's tendency to believe she has a candidate when she does not. Just a short while ago the leader called an open line program to announce that Simeon Tshakapesh had agreed to run for the NDP in Torngat Mountains - in fact it is still on their website as at this writing - seems Simeon has changed his mind and also stated on CBC's Morning Show that he told Lorraine he had not completely made up his mind on whether to seek the NDP seat or run for local office. In either case NDP president Nancy Riche expressed - no displeasure in Simeon's switcheroo - in fact she fully understood Simeon's right to change his mind.

Now this does not add up - just a few months ago Labrador West was going through a provincial by-election and the NDP were courting a female candidate from the area - Karen Oldford. When Karen officially announced - it was for the Liberals - not the NDP. Nancy Riche was not so gracious to Oldford when publicly speaking about Karen's apparent switcheroo - in fact Oldford states that she had informed the NDP (and says she has emails to prove it) that she had not fully made up her mind.

I can tell you the response to Ms. Oldford - changing her mind - could only be seen as politically brutal when compared to that of Simeon Tshakapesh.

It is true that Lorraine Michael has minimum resources to wage a campaign when compared to the PC's or even the Liberals - but that fact was obvious - or should have been when she took over the leadership role. Ms. Micheal should be heard - bellowing to the roof-tops that public funding of elections is necessary to even up the playing field a little.

The other reality is that candidates with major connections to labour organizations in the past have and are lining up to seek PC or Liberal nominations - this must be a blow to the party and questions whether or not some traditional support may be slipping.

Ms. Michael is not inspiring the masses and as such the NDP is not flush with growing enthusiasm. While I have heard media claim that Lorraine has been accepted by Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as a legitimate leader - that has not converted to the party support required for substantial growth.

I do hope some NDP candidates make it - especially in areas where the Liberals are folding - that may generate enough interest where - in 4 years time - the NDP will be presenting a new leader - new ideas - new candidates - and a real shot at Opposition.