Roundup: Strong feelings following defections

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In the wake of fairly stunning defections in both the federal NDP and the Wildrose party in Alberta are leaving a lot of hurt, angry and shaken people in their wake. With Glenn Thibeault leaving the federal NDP, his old riding association president says she feels like their work has been diminished, and a number of Thibeault’s former caucus colleagues say they’re feeling “hurt” by the departure. Over in Alberta, the Wildrose Party’s president has stepped down and a past president stepped into his place for the time being, and they insist they’re not defeated. I’m sure it will be a question as to how they decide to move forward, and what kind of leadership process they put in place in order to try and staunch the haemorrhaging that they’re feeling at present. Someone suggested that it’s something that Rob Anders could take on seeing as he’s been defeated in his quest for federal re-nomination twice, but still insists he wants to get that small-c conservative message about lower taxes out there. Then again, Alberta may be getting too liberal for Anders, which is what he blamed his lost nominations on. For many federal Conservatives, it’s more of a feeling of relief, no longer having their voter base split provincially (though how long said unity lasts is a question). The most incredible reaction to date, however, was NDP MP Linda Duncan, whose riding is in Edmonton, when she said that people in the province may be so disgusted that they’ll consider the NDP instead. I think this reaction says it best:

Good reads:

  • What’s that? The government knew its claims about the effects of marijuana on teen brains were dubious but ran the ad anyway to scare parents? You don’t say!
  • Experts in psychological forensics are cautioning that you just can’t say that jihaists are crazy, but rather they are often people with “overvalued ideas” jumping on a cause, added with a bit of narcissism.
  • The Conference Board says that raising our de minimus rate – the level at which duty kicks in for foreign shopping – from the current $20 to $200 could have a $5 billion net benefit to the economy.
  • The government is dropping its “principled opposition” to Cuba joining the Summit of the Americas, as the US begins to re-engage politically with the island nation.
  • John Pepall, author of Against Reform, says some salient things about Michael Chong’s Reform Act.
  • Senator Elaine McCoy’s website interviews new Senate Speaker Pierre-Claude Nolin.
  • Laura Stone talks to MPs who are also roommates, and how that works out for them.
  • A government report says that the Corps of Commissionaires should be hiring younger, lower-income veterans than the older crop it currently employs, as they tend to be better off. The Corps management disputes this and says the programme is working as it should.

Odds and ends:

Having previously unveiled his economic advisors, Justin Trudeau has likewise revealed his foreign policy advisors.

One of the Famous Five got a Google Doodle yesterday.

The Canadian Press’ photographers choose their photos of the year.