Thursday, January 24, 2008

NDP Renewal Site Set to Launch

It’s an Uncorrected Proofs exclusive!

A website dedicated to renewal in the Ontario NDP is currently under development.

I’m told NDPrenewal.org is essentially a “Dump Howard Hampton website,” but focuses on other aspects of party renewal as well (fundraising, internal party democracy).

Who runs the website?

A simple internet search turned up the following:

Registrant Name:Back Blast
Registrant Organization:BackBlast Design c/o Free Private Reg
Registrant Street1:P.O. Box 81024
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Burnaby
Registrant State/Province:BC
Registrant Postal Code:V5H4K2
Registrant Country:CA
Registrant Phone:+852.35941708

Stay tuned. Hopefully, Howard Hampton’s dismal tenure as leader of the Ontario NDP is about to come to an end…

Read more about Ontario NDP leadership speculation here, here , here and here.

6 comments:

Northern BC Dipper said...

Sounds more damaging than helpful, but we'll have to see what the content is.

ravijo said...

I'm not sure who you're getting your information about this side from, but I'd be interested to hear what it's all about. I'm not sure if it's so much an attack against Howard Hampton.

Anyway I'd be interested in tracking this person down.

uncorrectedproofs said...

I heard about the site second hand from someone who is not directly involved. I don't understand why it's being kept a secret, but I assume the key people fear retaliation. There were more than a few establishment type New Democrats who were mighty unimpressed when Hampton told the party he was staying put. This isn't the traditional way NDPers go about leadership reviews, but in this case, I'd argue the ends justify the means.

ravijo said...

Clearly someone does not understand the timing issues with respect to renewal and a leadership contest. Considering the Federal election possibilities and the timing of next years convention... it's a good thing that Howie stayed on.

Whoever is behind this needs to hold off a little. There are things in the work that will start to precipitate closer to provincial council. I personally think a polarized website based push is not good political judgement and they should seriously consider changing their tactic. If they would like to discuss it, I'm fully willing to chat (I just don't want to see this explode like the Tories thing).

ravijo said...

What needs to be taken into consideration is the fact that there is likely a Federal election ahead. Not to mention the normal convention is in February of 2009.

For a number of reasons this means that now or at the recent council is the worst time for Hampton to step down. Specifically because it would launch the party into a campaign it cannot run right now.

I would recommend whoever's behind this to seriously consider looking before they leap. Nothing wrong with discussion of the party's future-- that's what blogs are for. Please consider the implications of a full site (which looks like a full campaign).

Unknown said...

Well nobody actually knows what the website will be. All it says on the site now is: "coming soon ndprenewal.org Your place to discuss the future and direction of the Ontario NDP".

That language mirrors what Howard Hampton's speech to the last council was about. Time will tell.