Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

And now, back to politics

by Aaron Wherry on Thursday, July 28, 2011 1:49pm - 4 Comments

As Nycole Turmel’s interim leadership is confirmed, there are anonymous grumbles from within the NDP caucus.

Despite the strong support Turmel has seemingly received from the party, some parliamentarians are grumbling that she does not have the temperament to be a thorn in the side of the government. But CTV’s Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reports that these dissenting New Democrats did not openly express their views during Wednesday’s caucus meeting because of the circumstances surrounding Turmel’s ascension to the job.

“Nobody wanted to raise objections for the obvious reasons that it would have seemed unseemly to do so, particularly when Mr. Layton was listening in (to the Wednesday caucus meeting),” Fife told CTV’s Canada AM from Ottawa on Thursday morning. Fife said these same party members are concerned that Turmel could be overshadowed by Liberal Leader Bob Rae, who is a proven performer in the House of Commons and a better-known personality with Canadians. ”They think this could be a gift for Bob Rae and that Canadians will see him as the official leader of the Opposition,” Fife said.

This assumes, of course, that Mr. Layton won’t be back for September 19 and that Ms. Turmel will, consequently, have to lead the NDP in the House. (One thought: Even if Mr. Layton remains absent, does that necessarily mean Ms. Turmel has to lead the opposition’s questions each afternoon?)

Meanwhile, Robert Fife also reports that Conservatives are trying to tattle on Thomas Mulcair. That Mr. Mulcair talked to the Conservatives (and Liberals) before running for the NDP is already a matter of public record.

Tags: Bob Rae, cancer, house of commons, Jack Layton, Nycole Turmel, Parliament, Question Period, Robert Fife, Thomas Mulcair

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Anonymous

Realism must set in to the media and the NDP.Sure we are sad for Layton but many families have been touched with the tradgedy of cancer and for many younger people . We lost 155 young souls in Afghaanistan and the out pouring of grief was not overwhelming. Jack has had 62 years of the good life so many are denied. As for his choice of leader and the party support this will be the end of the NDP.The greatest optimist looking at Jack really knows that if he survives he willl never return to politics.This appointment was to sooth the french faction and has probably caused much hidden anger in the western caucus made of of long time NDP. When all Canadians learn that this woman was a supporter of Quebec separatism she will lose her luster fast..
TonyAdams

Since reading about Layton talking to caucus using internet in Toronto …. maybe we will get Layton on computer Sept 19?
Anonymous

Okay, even by CTV’s standards of covering the federal NDP this is pretty silly.

Members of her own party think the woman who managed to wring a major pay equity agreement from the public service while Paul Martin was Minister of Finance & Chretien was balancing the budget on the back of the middle class won’t be able to give Harper the what-for? We know it’s true because . . . a young and inexperienced caucus with no experience in partisan rigour are saying nothing?

You don’t have to like her politics and accomplishments, but she’s one of the few sitting MP’s of any party who has any.
Anonymous

I think Wherry is right. We are going to see a three-headed NDP asking questions everyday. Nicole/Tom/Libby will each lead off.

The problem is not that Turmel has little Commons experience, it is that she is likely a bit too far left for the mushy middle ground of Canadian politics. Jack understood how far he could go without getting his party in trouble with the middle. We don’t know yet if Turmel understands this.