PC Convention - putting more lipstick on a pig

For a Party that has avoided a real leadership contest in almost two decades - 19 years - the choice of a delegate style event seems underwhelming.

In a country where provincial and federal parties are opening up the leadership process to all but children - the Newfoundland and Labrador Tories are determined to keep this in their controlled house.

The question is why?

When the Party was at its height - in popularity - somewhere holding on to the coattails of Danny Williams - people were kept at bay from challenging the "I don't want this job" interim Premier Kathy Dunderdale.

At first there were rumors that several caucus members would throw their hats in - then some speculation on outside interests. Brad Cabana paid his money - but was blocked from even a challenge - to what the party interests wanted. In the end - no takers.

So now the field has become wide open (so to speak) for any select individuals to step forward. As mentioned in an earlier post - I believe this process is taking on such flurry now because particular corporate interests wee unsuccessful in getting their chosen Liberal leader.

Such as all this is - why shut the people of the province out? Why not allow all to vote who want to vote? Why use delegates on a floor instead of the more progressive and open approach of letting everybody cast their own votes?

Instead of over 20,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians casting individual votes - as was the way with the Liberal Party - late last year - we are going to see about 500 district delegates and some ex-officio's engage in some good old backroom politics and deals.

For a party that says it wants to listen to people more, engage them more, and be more open and accountable - their first act of contrition - is to control the party once again from within.

The slight of hand thing has already been set in place with wannabe - really wannabe - Cabinet Minister - Sandy Collins - referring to the Liberal Convention this way "we should strive to repeat your process. I really liked the sounds of crickets in the half filled room. Tumble weed nice touch."

Sandy has taken over from Minister Kent who used to do the useless hacking until he was placed in Cabinet. Of course like children - if they see another child being rewarded for bad behavior - similar behavior may follow.

In either case - what the Liberal process did was allow everybody to cast their own private vote and to choose a second third and fourth choice. The fact is over 20,000 people participated directly in that democratic process.

Collin's instructed position is that we would rather stuff 500 in a room via delegate selection - so the optics would be better. He likes the sounds of cheers and wants to be taken to a room and be smoozed into voting for one or another.

The 500 or so who attend may well represent only 1000 or less people. You and I will never know unless we attend each and every district association meeting.

In our democracy you don't get a separate vote for the Premier - so a leadership contest is the only inclusion there is. When you strip that to a delegate convention - you may party hardy and hoop and holler - but you are doing nothing to directly involve tens thousands of people.

So here we go again - the method of communications - is key - not the message. That's why they say Dunderdale was dumped. Pile people in a room - they are delegates - therefore they should have their expenses paid.  Pile people in a room - looks like the party is growing in its enthusiasm. Pile people into a room and feed the media cameras.

Let's not forget - not that long ago people piled into a room for now former Premier Kathy Dunderdale. The media reported that all was happy in Toryland. In fact Telegram reporter James McLeod headlined "Support for Premier rock solid at convention". This was September - just 4 months ago.

Now after 19 years of no leadership contest - after appointing and anointing the chosen - the Tories are going to the backrooms to pick a leader.

The message has not changed - the Tories are putting more lipstick on a pig.