Saturday, May 07, 2011

Give the girl a break

Ruth Ellen Brosseau admits she put her name forward so the NDP could field a candidate in a riding where they hadn't one. While I believe the NDP should be taken to task for allowing someone to *fill a slot* as it were, Brosseau herself should be cut some slack.

Voters don't always look at the literature. We don't read the pamphlets that are dropped in our mailboxes. We don't open our doors to people with clipboards. We don't bother to investigate our local candidate on the Internet. We trust the party has vetted people . . . gone through a nomination process and that a local riding association has nominated and/or voted for this person to fill the spot on the ballot -- obviously that was not the case here -- and apparently a lot of ridings in Quebec. But that's on the party. The candidates, even Brosseau, did what they thought was the right thing.

There's enough pressure on the new MPs without this kind of media scrutiny. I know it's slow news on the Hill, but the media is focusing on the wrong story -- not where was she, but why? Quebec voters trusted the NDP to field qualified, dedicated candidates and Brosseau may well prove to be both of those things --- but the NDP didn't know that either way. They just needed a name to fill the spot on the ballot. That's the news. Start questioning the process that allows someone to put their name forward because they aren't expected to win and no one else can be bothered.

The new MPs from all parties have a lot to digest. Putting so much heat on this one seems a tad unfair. Yes, I can read and I know her circumstances -- not much French, never been in the riding, away during the election. None of that means as much to me as will she do her job diligently and take it seriously -- and I don't plan on basing that opinion on how she handled an election in which she obviously didn't take her chances of winning seriously.

Press Jack for answers about all of his novice MPs, but leave Brosseau to adjust to her new life. Seriously.

canadianna

20 comments:

dougf said...

Absolutely right and good for you for saying it. The current insulting tirades against this single mom are unbecoming at best. When she REALLY screws up in her job, then it's fair to comment but until then as you say, ---Leave Her Alone.
I hope Conservatives are keeping a low profile on this one because it has real backlash potential, even ignoring the classlessness of the pile-on. She can easily become a figure of sympathey and understanding. and those attacking her look like mean spirited bullies.

Alberta Girl said...

I totally agree. Once again, Jack is left alone by our media. To me, this is something that the media should be holding the NDP to account. While I do believe this girl should have visited the riding, you can;t blame her if she as told she didn't have to.

The_Iceman said...

Really, the NDP could not find anyone who lived in the riding to run? According to who?

It isn't about attacking her personally, it is about exposing how poor the NDP are at candidate selection at the riding level. Her inability to speak French and never having stepped foot there is a condemnation of the NDP.

Unfortunately you have to talk about the inabilities and inexperience of the candidate as proof the party is not nominating qualified individuals.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, cannot agree.

She is not a girl. She is 27 years old.

She is a mom.

She knows MPs go to Ottawa, and serve their constituents.

If that is too big a word, then I suggest Pat Martin takes over.

The voters bear their own responsibility, but this gal now has to regroup, and either do the job, or step aside.

But, by all means pin Layton to the wall on this scheme. Outcomes have to be imagined, all of them.

Canadianna said...

Iceman -- according to her. That's what she said in her interview.

Anonymous -- you're right, but she has to be given the chance to pass or fail just like all the others. And the point is that while all outcomes should be considered, it's ultimately the party and its leader who should be considering all outcomes. Yes, she's an adult, but I've been a mom and 27 at the same time -- particularly when this was not really her ambition, I think the press bearing down is going to be overwhelming. Of course she has to do her job but I'm saying that she should be given the chance to breathe.
Personally, I think the media is bored and being catty at her expense. As for her ability, only time will tell. Much as I hate what her party stands for, I really hope she shines.

Anonymous said...

Good post. We need to be careful not to be seen as piling on some of these new young recruits or the p[ublic will see the CPC as bullies. The other young (19?) fellow from Sherbrooke was taken to task on a Toronto radio news show for saying sovereignty would come to Quebec. His English is not great and he meant to imply it will be decided in Quebec.

Richard said...

Fact of the matter is that she is in. Put Layton to the fire, but for her lets let her see what she can do. There are certainly enough other more important issues to discuss.

This is really between her and her constituents.

KURSK said...

Anonymous, that is not what he said in French..he said that the NDP supports sovereignty for Quebec, which is not ( as far as I know) an 'official' NDP policy.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you to the extent that she should not be further hounded.

However, I do think she made a very bad decision in allowing her name to be put forth as a candidate. A knowledgeable and responsible person with respect for democracy would not have done so, but it is what it is.

She is going to have a very difficult time coping with her new status. Her riding is flooded. She does not speak French very well and she has no informal support system in the area. Top that off with having to establish an office and a residence while being a single mother and the task is nigh on impossible. If she survives it, she will have my admiration.

It is ultimately Jack Layton's responsibility and he is the one who should have to answer for this nonsense. He has put this young woman in a very difficult position for the sake of two bucks a vote and the ability to claim a candidate in every riding. He has also compromised those who will undoubtedly have to come to her aid as they will be less available to their own constituents.

Jack Layton is the one that should be hounded. I doubt that he will get much heat from the press but I also suspect he will pay a very high price for his lack of due diligence.

Anonymous said...

Sorry no the real story is the NDP and liberals using pylons to get the $2 per vote and now they've got some of them elected. That's why the $2 vote subsidy needs to go.

Anonymous said...

The immediate motif was that Layton deserved this outcome due to the amount of work he had sacrificially expended in building his base in Québec.

Wouldn't that work have produced heated, contested nominations and a resulting ground game climaxing in capable candidates?

Or was this complete dumb luck?

Anonymous said...

We can't really massage the truth about this situation but I do favour more scrutinizing of Layton as a leader.

Anonymous said...

Agreed, anon 11:42 the N.D.P. had no machine in Québec.

Pissedoff said...

First thing Harper has to do is bring in the budget with the additional clause to eliminate the voter welfare starting with this last election.

Anonymous said...

Moooooooooooo............

The_Iceman said...

When was the last time that someone was elected to represent a riding they had not once set foot in? This is not a gender issue. I would be reacting the same if it were a dude, children or no children.

Could you imagine voting for someone to represent you in parliament only to find out later that they have never ever even visited the riding and doesn't speak your language?

You are demeaning your gender by even suggesting this is a gender issue.

Anonymous said...

The reason d'etre of putting forward candidates in ridings were they were perceived to stand no chance at all is funding, the $2 / vote subsidy.

Thus the claim they have so many women candidates more than any party was always a ruse, because many of them were in ridings such as Quebec where they were perceived not having a chance to win. Unfortunately / Fortunately the bluff was called and these people were elected.

Question is whether there was riding associations in each riding or where they "parachute" candidates a la Liberal Party. If it is the latter, Jack Layton should be held to account for the practice. Seems the Liberals and NDP share more than ideology, but also methodology.

Gerry

The_Iceman said...

Call me old fashioned, but if I were ever nominated to run for a political party in a riding; even if I didn't live there, I would at least visit that riding once during the campaign! Whether I were on the ballot as a favour to friend or as a potential $150K lottery ticket, I'd go there AT LEAST ONCE! Great, she didn't expect to win, is that an excuse for never going to the riding once after getting nominated to run for Parliament to represent those people.

I don't care if that candidate had a penis or a vagina, I'd be responding exactly the same way. Once you are on the ballot, at least visit the f**king place.

Happy Mothers Day! A wish I will also be extending to my 2 sisters who are single mothers.

Sixth Estate said...

Every party puts no-hope candidates into place just so they can say they have a candidate in every riding, and every once in a while something weird happens and, well, this is the result. The fact she wasn't in the riding wasn't a secret. Voters there didn't care. So I'm glad you've written this.

Layton could come straight out and admit all of the above -- seeing as it's true. He could even say that every party does in, which would also be true. Unfortunately, that sort of candidness is an extinct species in Ottawa.

Canadianna said...

Iceman, I could be wrong, but I don't recall ever saying it was a gender thing. I don't think I even implied it. My use of the word *girl* was simply because she seems so young, not a suggestion that it's the reason for the scrutiny.

Sixth Estate, sadly true.