NDP delays decision on future leadership races
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/04/2010 (5890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
WINNIPEG — Manitoba New Democrats avoided debating a motion this morning that would have allowed all party members a vote in future leadership races.
The amendment to the party’s constitution and several related resolutions were referred to a committee already established to review the leadership selection process.
The delegate system used to elect party leaders was criticized as undemocratic during last fall’s leadership race, which saw Greg Selinger defeat Steve Ashton. The contest was necessitated by the resignation of Gary Doer, who left the premier’s job to become Canada’s ambassador to Washington.
Ashton was one of the critics of the process last fall, but this morning he urged the 551 registered NDP convention delegates to allow the committee to do its work.
He said afterwards that with a new leader in place, there was no rush to make a decision this weekend and the party should develop a consensus on the issue.
“I thought it was really important today not to have a divisive floor debate and send a clear message that we are united as a party,” he said.
Ashton said he still believes in a direct election process in which all members would vote in a leadership race.
***********
The process used to elect Selinger as party leader last fall, is being debated on Sunday. It’s been criticized by some as being undemocratic with too much influence given to unions and party brass.
During the leadership campaign, unions were assigned 20 per cent of the eligible delegates. Some of them couldn’t use all their assigned spots, which were then redistributed to party stalwarts or members who weren’t elected at the constituency level.
One resolution says that every member of the Manitoba NDP should be able to vote directly for the candidate of their choice.
Whatever is decided will be referred to a party committee, which is studying the best way to elect a leader. It’s to report back to members next year.
