•  

•  

Sometimes the Simplest ideas...

By DERMOD TRAVIS, communications consultant

When you’re in a tunnel and see a bright shiny object ahead it’s either an oncoming train or that proverbial light people keep talking about. In politics the wise prepare for the train and pray for the light.

And it’s that very tunnel the Green Party of Canada is trying to chug its way through, as Council grapples with the constitutional requirement to hold a mandated leadership convention in 2010.

First, a little history to the pickle that has just caught everyone’s attention. In the middle of the 2004 general election, party staff and officials were informed that a party member was about to announce his plan to challenge then leader Jim Harris for the party’s leadership at the August Bragg Creek meeting.

After 15 plus years working on political campaigns, this was a first – a direct, open leadership challenge in the midst of an election. When you’re keeping the leader’s tour on the road with miscellaneous credit cards and rolls of packing tape, this wasn’t exactly the announcement the party needed. Fortunately, saner heads prevailed.

Back then the leader could be challenged every two years. Needless to say this presented a predicament during a minority parliament when an election could occur at any moment. And how many serious candidates for leadership would give up one career knowing full well that they might only be around for 24 months?

To fix the problem, a constitutional amendment was put forward that the leader would be elected to a four-year term. The amendment was passed in black and white at the 2006 convention. But by failing to include a leadership review mechanism following a general election another problem emerged.

Because lo and behold, we had another general election with yet another minority parliament. In less than eight months, the party is mandated to have a leadership race just following, in the midst of, or in the run up to a general election. Or is it?

The party’s constitution, as many party bloggers have noted, is clear – the party must have a leadership race in 2010. It’s a little murkier to bloggers as to whether that means August, December, or even two years following the 2009 Central Nova meeting.

Now some in the party believe in the principle of doing politics differently and are ready to batten down the hatches and plow ahead with a full fledged leadership contest in August. And while there’s a great deal of merit in doing politics differently, doing so should not encompass self-immolation on the public stage.

Proponents for 2010, talk about revitalizing the party, raising funds, and garnering media attention. The latter may not be the kind of attention any political party would want (just ask Michael Ignatieff). As far as raising funds, nothing is stopping anyone from doing that right now in their local EDAs.

So is there an easy way out of the tunnel the party finds itself chugging through? It depends whether Council and the current leader are willing to commit publicly to a voluntary leadership review six months following the next general election.

If so, let the August 2010 convention unfold with the mandated leadership contest, with potential aspirants knowing full well that there will be another, less divisive opportunity following the election. If she fails to win a seat in the election, it’s possible the current leader may see greener pastures elsewhere, automatically triggering a full-fledged race.

While this does not prevent a leadership challenge in August or the always present dark horse candidate (None of the Above), it minimizes the chance. While not jumping up and down with joy over a challenger, I suspect current party spokespeople could manage the fallout. For those chomping at the bit to replace the current leader, it means a wait that could be a matter of months, maximum one year.

But if these individuals can seriously contemplate tossing the leader now, then there’s nothing stopping another group of members doing the same to a new leader four years down the road just before or during an election. Trust me. Been there, seen it. It ain’t pretty.

And there’s another risk in proceeding with a race in August without a post-election review agreement – what if no candidates show up? Then the wait is another four years.

 Dermod Travis is former Director of Communications for the Green Party of Canada and organized the Green Party's 2006 National Convention