Column: BHP joins the lengthening list of nickel price casualties
Indonesia's nickel production surge is challenging the West's ambitions of diversifying its critical metals supply chains.
Canada has a fresh face leading the government in waiting, and Thomas Mulcair may be the most pragmatic choice to lead the left-leaning NDP.
The long-time labour organizer and former cabinet MLA won the NDP’s leadership contest today, succeeding Jack Layton as opposition leader. It took him to the third ballot when he beat Brian Topp.
In the past Mulcair has had some harsh words Canada’s oilsands, worrying about labour standards and the environmental dangers. However, he tempers how far he would regulate the sector so he doesn’t alienate Western Canada votes.
“You’ll never hear me speaking against the development of the oil sands,” The National Post reports Mulcair told media outlets two weeks ago.
Bernard Von Schulmann, political commentator who runs the blog BC Iconoclast, believes that Mulcair is the most pragmatic choice to lead the party, and he bears resemblances to the UK Labour Party under Tony Blair and the Labor government in Australia.
Von Schulmann reminds us that the NDP is a government in waiting.
“It is also important to me that there is a clear alternative to the Conservative government that can govern from day one and govern well,” writes Von Schulmann.
“This means the NDP needs to solidify its’ position as the clear alternative. I can only see Thomas Mulcair doing this. He is politically closer to the majority of Canadians than the other candidates and he is clearly the candidate most likely to keep the Quebec gains for the party.”
Comments
Biddulph Art
I don’t care how close he is to Canadians he is not a friend of Western Canada. If he wins power he will stir the pot of western seperation. Don’t forget what NDP did toB.C. in their 9 or 10 years of power.