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Monday, March 22, 2010

turnover at the alberta ndp office.

Word on the street is that Alberta NDP Executive Director Sandra Houston is resigning to pursue an job in Islamabad, Pakistan involving women and democracy. Ms. Houston has held the position for a couple of years and is considered a close ally of leader Brian Mason, something that has frustrated many reform-minded New Democrats that I have spoken with.

The Wildrose Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party have also had recent turnover in their offices leading to the hirings of new Executive Directors Vitor Marciano and Patricia Godkin. In September 2009, Corey Hogan became Executive Director of the Liberal Party after filling a vacancy left after the resignation of long-time Executive Director Kieran Leblanc in 2008.

11 comments:

Gauntlet said...

I'm curious... what do reform-minded NDP members get frustrated about?

daveberta said...

I believe that they are focused on internal-party reforms (transparency, democracy).

Brian Mason's mustache wax said...

Rachel Notley get's cuts to foster parents reversed and this is the NDP news you choose to focus on?

I realize the Liberals seldom get a 'win' this big, and the Alberta party doesn't have any policies to advocate for at all, but surely some kudos are due?

daveberta said...

Thanks for the link, BMMW. Didn't see that until this afternoon. Kudos to Notley for this one. I'm sure that you can read a lot about it at the Edmonton Journal or other outlets.

Clockwork Teal said...

A lot of ED turnover lately. The Wildrose Alliance, the PCs, the NDP now.

Anonymous said...

So when do the SoCreds, the Communists and the Seperationatists and the Alberta Partyatists get new executive directors?

Anonymous said...

She is leaving in May, so maybe the party will appoint a new Provincial Secretary at their May council meeting.

Anonymous said...

What would someone from the NDP know about democracy? Smells fishy.

Manmeet Bhullar's Gansta Wrap said...

Don't be silly anonymous 6:15, Of course the Alberta provincial NDP know about democracy, or at least the part about loosing at democracy *snicker* *snicker* *snork *snork*

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, loosing. A political term meaning 'to unravel.'

The 'Gansta Wrap' line was cute though, I'll admit.

Well, now that Sandra Houston and her bully boy Jeff Sloychuk are gone, maybe the NDP will turn around...

Jiri said...

I wonder if the NDP pride themselves on being a more effective opposition because they are not concerned with one day forming government and thus can swing for the fences every day? Not that the Liberals in Alberta should concern themselves too much with power given their recent history.

If you want nasty attack-dog politics, then is the NDP historically in Canada your best bet?

The NDP also walks a strange line with the progressives (is that always Progressives or can it be progressives?). So often the party line from the NDP is:
a) we need to give more money to X (as in already established programs)
b) the government should be empowered to do X (despite zero history of government doing such).
c) Everything the government does is wrong (granted this is standard fare for opposition).
d) I am shocked and appalled! (can be used daily)

Notley would make an excellent Minister; too bad it's not going to happen. I wonder what her career path is going to be like?

If the NDP thinks they are the most effective opposition party, then they should be examined as well as the others. All, um, 2 of them.