If you judge from the reaction of NDP Premiers and former Premiers to the core ideas of federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, it's becoming more and more clear that he's not just at odds with his political opponents. He's also at odds with those who are ostensibly supposed to be his allies.
On one front is the party's so-called "unity bill," which would repeal the clarity act and allow Quebec to force secession negotiations with a mere 50% +1 vote in a sovereignty referendum.
Only New Brunswick Premier Dominic Cardy was dumb enough to give the idea support, as the federal NDP undoubtedly expected of all its counterpart Premiers. British Columbia NDP leader Adrian Dix -- who some suggest is the heir apparent to the BC Premier's office -- was wise enough to come out against it. The rest have publicly been evading discussing the idea which, in NDP speak, is a quiet denunciation.
The bill doesn't just place Mulcair at odds with his counterpart leaders, it also places him at odds with the people of Quebec. 75% of Quebeckers polled on the subject declared that the threshold to trigger secession negotiations should be higher than 50% +1.
On the other front is the Keystone XL pipeline. Mulcair opposes it. In fact, he seems to oppose any pipeline that will move Western Canadian oil anywhere other than Eastern Canada. Yet former Manitoba Premier Gary Doer (NDP) is not only supporting the pipeline himself, but is also noting that a "silent majority" of Americans support building the pipeline.
It's almost as if things weren't already awkward enough around Stornaway with Mulcair's oft-debunked ravings about "Dutch Disease." The way Thomas Mulcair's been going it's going to get an awful lot worse before things for the NDP get better -- when they dump Mulcair and pick a new leader.
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