Nathan Cullen continues to pitch his proposal for joint nominations.
Some worry about the implications of my proposal. The root of many of these fears is a belief that my party can win on its own. I understand that sentiment. Indeed, I agree with it: We can out-organize another party in a joint nomination—resembling a U.S. primary—and go on from there to beat a sitting Conservative. Others say it’s not realistic, that parties would need common platforms to make it happen; or that vested interests wound not allow it.
In response, I ask them whether the differences among progressive Canadians are really so great that we can’t find ways to co-operate before the next election? They can’t be that large. If other candidates can imagine and plan to co-operate after an election, surely we can democratically co-operate before one, too.