With Lieutenant-Governor John Crosbie looking on, Kathy Dunderdale is sworn in as Newfoundland and Labrador Premier on Dec. 3, 2010, in St. John's.PAUL DALY/The Canadian Press
While the commentariat in the nation's capital and elsewhere have themselves in a state of rapture with dumb-ass federal election speculation - after the raging success that was cabinet shuffle prognostication - an actual political reality drama is playing itself out in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is looking to confirm a new leader after the departure of Danny Williams. Until just last week it looked like interim Premier Kathy Dunderdale would get the job by acclamation. The logic at home among Tories was, and I think still remains, that Dunderdale is best equipped now to keep pushing our province forward. Somebody, however, forgot to tell Brad Cabana that.
Cabana - who clearly sees himself as nobody's cabana boy - decided he wanted to take Dunderdale on for the job. He had until this past Monday to pay the $5,000 entry fee and get the requisite signatures of 50 recognized and designated party members. Before the deadline Cabana submitted his money, signatures and other materials. However, upon review of his signatures officials decided they didn't fit the criteria set out by the party and refused to accept Cabana's candidacy. The party, based on the rules, had the right to disqualify Cabana. Cabana, based on those same rules, now has the right to appeal this and he is apparently doing just that.
It's a dizzying account of democracy if there ever was one - and it is actually happening as opposed to the tarot card game that is federal election forecasting. And the tale only gets better.
According to published reports Cabana is a new resident to Newfoundland, having among other things once served in our military and been a mayor in Saskatchewan. Cabana is a self-described political scientist and blogger (you can read his musings at Rock Solid Politics). He says he wants to follow in the footsteps of Danny Williams and embrace the legend's leadership style. Great stuff right?
You can admire Cabana's gumption to a degree, but once that is done you have to ask just what he's really up to? I mean, I am all for bloggers coming out into the open and taking their ideas to the street to make the world a better place. Everyone should have a right to put their name on a ballot assuming they adhere to the rules.
We'll see what comes of Cabana's appeal and perhaps that will tell us more about the man.
I can tell you as a person who once helped draft and administer guidelines for a leadership campaign, along with guidelines for funding membership, rules are key to the integrity of the process. Any serious candidate always takes the time to get their signatures right because they know its a rapid downward slide if you don't.
What I have learned from numerous leadership races is that serious, meaningful candidates who care about their organization and about their province or country don't win by leading unfocused, empty internal revolutions based on their own sense of victimhood. Those who tend to win are organized, disciplined, have a clear mission and are more than about noise or cause. They also work to limit polarizing their competitors and the supporters of their opponents. You win with them, not by making it all about me.
So dear readers, from a blogger who has not yet put his name on the ballot, if you are looking for some actual Canadian political entertainment in the early days of the New Year, gaze to the far East Coast. It's more exciting than playing the federal election guessing game.