Tag: just for fun

NDP – what could have been

To the tremendous disappointment of those of us who are biased to breaking news and having something to write about,the New Democratic Party — despite teasing us with their brand new blue and orange coloured website, their importation of US Democratic strategists, and promised debate on party identity — failed to change their party’s name on the weekend. To be honest, probably best for them that they didn’t get around to voting on a new name. The worst possible time to change your political brand identity would be the day before an election. Changing the party’s name is also not a wise move with a potential fall election and an uphill climb as fourth party trying to re-introduce itself to the electorate. Best time to rebrand: the day after you win a majority government.

But what might have been? You know Brad Lavigne and Anne McGrath were sitting on top of a party rebranding campaign ready to be unleashed at the word “go” by the party delegates. However, any investment in putting the “new” into the New Democrats (or whatever the new name) would have to be shelved until next time.

Would the NDP be well-served to rebrand as the “Democratic Party”? Or would have another name worked out better for them?

Here are a few suggestions for names for the next time the party thinks of rebranding:

  1. The Jack Pack – “cause it’s all about Jack”
  2. The New Emo-crats – “the only thing we’d ever cut is ourselves”
  3. The Obama Hope and Change and Hopechange Party – “we’re all in on this one”
  4. The Liberalist Party of Canada – “making coalition governments that much easier”
  5. The Orange-cha glad I didn’t say nationalize Party – “* we still might”
  6. The Not-in-Kansas Anymore Party – “rainbows and windmills and weed, oh my!”
  7. Everything for Everyone Party – “not to be confused with the ‘Everything to Everyone’ Liberal Party of Canada”
  8. The Farm Team – “if you work really hard, someday you too can be a Liberal cabinet minister.”
  9. The Local Party – “we’ve run cities and on occasion we’ve run provinces. But, for God’s sake, don’t let us near the army”
  10. The not-conservative Party – “because with that Ignatieff guy, you really can’t be sure”

In Markham for the 2009 PC leadership convention (aka announcement)

I’m here in Markham for the leadership convention for the next leader of the PC Party of Ontario.  It’s been a fairly nasty race with some bad blood between a few candidates.  Ontario PC conventions have been dramatic in recent years as former leader John Tory defended his job against a Dump Tory campaign and now there’s a looming police investigation over some dirty tricks conducted by one of the campaigns (or an outside agent) against the GOTV efforts of at least one candidate.

I’m off to go and find something interesting to report back here, but in the meantime check out what Calgary Grit describes as the worst campaign song in Canadian political history.  Often, supporters come out with music for political campaigns, and this particular video is a bit different.  It’s by a young BC based artist and was sponsored by someone on behalf of the Klees campaign.  Here it is.

Now that you’ve listened to the magic, I spent five minutes making it more interesting (I thought the rhythm sounded familiar).  We’ve seen Hudak vs. Klees and Klees vs. Hudak.  Here’s Klees vs. Moby – the remix:

Yikes, I wouldn’t even be able to DJ a wedding… bar mitzvah… funeral! Anyway, let’s hope I find something more interesting to report here soon.  Maybe I’ll bump into Perez Hudak?