The evening of the Academy Awards a good friend and I were reviewing the foreign policy platforms of three NDP leadership candidates, Tom Mulcair, Brian Topp and Peggy Nash. Here are some awards we created for each of the three candidates’ policies:
Most impressive foreign policy recommendation:
Peggy Nash – “Prioritizing efforts in those countries where consenting same-sex relations are criminalized or where there are moves to change existing legislation (in either direction), raising the issue and encouraging States to make human rights sensitive legislative changes.”
Thomas Mulclair – “Support and defend our veterans, as they have supported and defended the implementation of our foreign policy, by halting any reduction to pensions for retired and disabled veterans.”
Least innovative foreign policy recommendation:
Thomas Mulclair – “Resurrect the Democracy Canada initiative abandoned by successive Liberal and Conservative governments.”
Most credible premise for a foreign policy platform:
Peggy Nash – “Canada has fallen in terms of reputation and action promoting peace and prosperity on the global stage. We can do better.”
Least credible premise for a foreign policy platform:
Brian Topp – “If one thing can be said with certainty about the world in 2012, it’s that the experiment with neo-Liberal globalization has failed in spectacular fashion.”
Least connected foreign policy criticism and recommendation:
Thomas Mulclair – “The Conservatives politicized foreign aid…”
“… Offer preferential trade and assistance to countries based on their commitment to human rights, labour standards, and environmental protection.
Foreign policy recommendation that is most antagonistic to Canadian allies:
Thomas Mulclair – “Follow Jack Layton’s policy of working with partners for peace and justice in Israel and Palestine, within a framework of respect for international law and UN resolutions including recognition of the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace as independent states within negotiated and agreed-upon borders.”
Thomas Mulclair – “Reform the United Nations Security Council by including nations such as Indian and Brazil as permanent members.”
Foreign policy recommendation that is least likely to succeed:
Brian Topp – “And [the NDP] can restore Canada’s good name in the world.”
Most vague foreign policy recommendation:
Thomas Mulclair – “Reduce duplication within the United Nations to ensure programs are delivered cost-effectively.”
Foreign policy recommendation that will actual damage Canadian credibility
Thomas Mulclair – “Offer deeper, longer-term assistance to a more limited number of countries as an incentive to progress, while using the prospect of bilateral treaties on trade or immigration to reduce the problem of aid dependency.”
Thomas Mulclair – “Reform the United Nations Security Council by including nations such as India and Brazil as permanent members.”
Foreign policy recommendation that most panders to the NDP:
Brian Topp – “Canada should work with other nations to end the current economic and fiscal race to the bottom.”
Supporting evidence that most panders to the NDP:
Brian Topp – “I’m happy to say that even in the US, the homeland and birthplace of these destructive “reverse Robin Hood” policies, support for a new path is building.”
Brian Topp – “From the streets of Cairo to Wall Street, the times they are a changin’.”
Foreign policy recommendation that was stolen from the Liberals:
Peggy Nash – “Placing civilian protection as a lead priority in international strategy.”
(http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/macleans/canadas-responsibility-to-protect-doctrine-gaining-ground-at-the-un)
Foreign policy recommendation that was stolen from the Conservatives:
Peggy Nash – “Advancing the promotion of LGBT rights on the agenda of international organizations and agencies to which we are party.”
(http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/23/john-baird-points-finger-at-gay-rights-abuses-in-african-caribbean-countries/ )
