NDP to court 'progressive' Quebecers at fall convention

[tuvor]

The New Democratic Party is expecting more than 1,200 delegates to attend next month's policy convention in Quebec City.

The federal NDP says it chose Quebec City to hold its policy convention next month to approach Quebecers and ask them to consider voting for the New Democrats in the next federal election.

"Quebec is a very important component to the shape of the next Parliament and the future governance of Canada. Seventy five seats has always been important but the volatility in Quebec has never been so interesting," said Brad Lavigne, interim-director of policy and research for the NDP caucus, in an interview last week.

In the NDP's 45-year history, the only time an NDP candidate won a seat federally in Quebec was in 1990, when Phil Edmonston won in a byelection in the riding of Chambly. Other than that, NDP support in Quebec has been in single digits in federal elections. In the last federal election, the NDP won 7.5 per cent of the vote in Quebec, and in the 2000 federal election, the NDP won 4.6 per cent of the vote.

Mr. Lavigne said that in the last federal election, Quebecers demonstrated a willingness to vote for parties other than the Liberals and the Bloc. Now, he said the NDP would present its case to Quebecers and ask for their vote.

http://www.hilltimes.com/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=/2006/august/21/quebecndp/&c=1

[gula]

1. I guess the NDP does not read the National Post

otherwise they would know that we are nothing but a bunch of anti-(Jewish)semites.

[Bassic]

2. Or that we simply want to get our own country so we can do away

with democracy and human rights. :sarcasm: