84% support for James... there goes the NDP chances in the next election. I was really hoping they would change things up as well.

Seems to me that she has already lost the last two elections, although perhaps it has only been one.

Sure the party has been resurrected from the ashes. Well done Carol, now move on and let a fresh voice take it to the next level.

I don't see any mention of Bob Simpson in your write up.
He wasn't there?

Obviously,the NDP don't care what the voters think!
It's has been made very plain that the voters in B.C. would consider the NDP in the next election,but they have also made it very plain...they do not want Carole James.
Don't these people read?
So, from that I can only assume that the NDP doesn't give a damn what the people of B.C. think!
It is all about themselves and the "party".
Very bad idea that...Carole James is going to cost them the election and send support back to the Liberals.
BIG mistake!
Huge!

I will say this, carol james does not care about the voter... I sent her an email asking for her help and never even got the courtesy of a reponse. So In my mind she is as crappy a person as Campbell is...i still think we need a goverment with no parties... We vot for someone to represent us and if they don't they are done!

I love Carol James. She is our hope.

Yes.....hope in hell!!!

Well now that is settled. Time for the other party to speed up its transition.

Norm macdonald was great on SNL!

I have supported the N.D.P. from my first vote.What are they Thinking? if Carol could loose to a tired and unpopular Gordon before how can she win against a new improved Liberal party. Carol may be honest but She has been invisible and has no vision. She only reacts to the Liberals and Spouts union slogans, her voice makes me tune out.Sorry. The only thing worse would be Mo.How bout Jenny Kwann or Claire Travena. Both are smart and articulate.The new N.D.P. must balance the environment and jobs intelligently.No raw log exports,Farm gate sales etc

BCRacer: That is exactly what the Swiss government has. If one elected official lies at any time, they are turfed with no pay. It's a final good-bye. Just what we need and the BC refederation Party would give us that power.

supertech...the B.C. Refederation party needs to get out there and make some noise!
Very few even know what it is or who they are.
They are never going to be considered a viable option if they continue to hide in the shadows.
They do have some good ideas, but they need to advertze themselves better.
Voters are looking for options like never before, rather than the same old,same old.
Right now,Refederation is barely even a fringe party.
Tell people who you are and what you will do for them.
Who is your leader?
What are your policies and platform?
Who are your candidates,and if you don't have any,when will you get some?
If the Refederation party isn't prepared to do that,then what is the point?

84% from an inside group for James, eh?

That figure sounds familiar. Seems to be a popular number.

article from Nov 4, 2010
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/bc-premier-gordon-campbell-to-face-media-questions-over-decision-to-quit-106677173.html

"B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell received an 84 per cent approval rating from his own party just as his popularity among the public sank into the single digits."

That was from people present at riding AGMs across the province, not a special meeting in Victoria that supported James at exactly the same level probably from a much smaller group of people.

Looks to me like the NDP is in a difficult spot.

Thanks to Gordo's "fixed election date" nonsense we don't get to go to the polls before 2013, barring a defeat of the government in a non-confidence motion in the Legislature.

While that's a future possibility with a growing number of BC Liberal outcasts combined with enough successful Recalls and lost by-elections, it's still a bit of a long shot.

If James makes an exit, whoever replaces her has to successfully articulate the NDP's vision for BC that she's supposedly lacking, or at least failing to put across. The reason most often given for dumping her.

And the focus then is on defending that vision, without necessarily having access to the specific data needed to defend it. Which the Liberals have, and can use to pick it to pieces, right from the time James's successor outlines it, right up to the time of the election.

So if she goes too soon, and they do get a better replacement, he or she is going to have to be on the defensive, right at a time when they want the other Party to be in that position.

Of course, if the James, or anyone in the NDP likely to replace her actually HAD a worthwhile vision that would truly benefit ALL British Columbians, and not just shift the advantages from one group to another, then most of the problem would be solved. Aside from Corky Evans, I haven't seen any other New Democrats even really recognise they have a problem.

I read the BC Refederation stuff once. All about the need to have a new Constitution for BC, and negotiate a new deal with the Federal government, and how we were hamstrung under the current set-up, it was un-democratic, etc., etc.

Then I got down to the point where they were talking about how, after they've corrected all of the above, nothing to do with "banking" and "finance" would be changed. And, as a government, they'd be "fiscally responsible" EXACTLY THE SAME WAY as now ~ prostrating every other consideration before some supposed need to always have a "balanced Budget".

Without realising that a 'balanced Budget', UNDER THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SET-UP, simply means you have to beg permission from the Banks to live. I realised then they're just as hopeless (and hapless), and an awful lot more naive, as the rest. Those ultimately in control NOW, will still be in control. And writing a new Constitution will be a meaningless exercise in futility.

The problem isn't with the Constitution of BC, nor that we'll never be able to negotiate a new deal with the Feds in the areas where a new deal is most needed. (Which we won't be ~ not without a real fight, one where we'd need nearly ALL the people of BC on-side to win.) It's that the BC Refed people don't even realise WHERE a new deal is needed. The area they're going to leave unchanged ~ "banking" and "finance".

Vote for them if you want, but don't expect anything meaningfully different as a result.

Actually, it looks like the NDP caucus is now imploding:

1. 13 NDP MLAs, representing 40% of the NDP caucus, sat stone-faced and refused to clap when Carole James gave her speech yesterday;

2. After the vote, one NDP MLA physically threatened another NDP MLA in front of the media;

3. Vaughn Palmer, Vancouver Sun columnist, is now reporting that at least two party insiders have confirmed to him that some NDP MLAs will now leave caucus to form a new party with former NDP MLA Bob Simpson;

As things stand now, it looks like the NDP is toast in the next provincial election. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is certainly an understatement in this case.

During the 90's the Liberal party under Gordon Campbell had a group in their organization whose job was to constantly find dirt and other things on the NDP. We heard about Glen Clarks deck, the possibility of getting gambling kickbacks, Ujjal Dosanjh is a slum lord, Moe Sihota isn't paying fair wage for builders on his house, and on and on. The media told us over and over about this, we were bombarded everyday with new allegations, some true, some never substantiated.

The NDP has never been able to match this, not because it isn't happening within the Liberals, but either they don't have the wherewith to delve into people's private lives, or they don't realize how much of an impact it actually has.

The Liberal associates have already started digging into Gregor Robertson's life personally, and as a Mayor, probably afraid he may be the next NDP leader.

Be prepared to hear a lot of stuff about the NDP caucus, just to make sure that none of them are squeaky clean and a viable replacement for Carole James.

"James still faces a mandatory leadership review at the party's convention, scheduled for next November, where delegates will mark a secret ballot on whether they want a leadership contest before the May 2013 election."

http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/leader+enemies+sheathing+knives/3862113/story.html?cid=megadrop_story

One thing the NDP, and the Province, sure DOESN'T need is another former Mayor of Vancouver as Premier.

Looks like the NDP just put the noose around their neck as far as the next election goes and they did it themselves, willingly. I think the whole political mess in B.C. is just hilarious!

Why do I keep thinking this is all orchestrated? Im usually the first to poo poo conspiracy theorists but the more I hear people say "I would vote for the NDP if it wasnt for James" makes me think its free advertising. She will be replaced and it will bring votes. I just cannot believe anyone thinks she is the answer to politics in BC. From what Ive seen I wouldnt hire her to run a lemonade stand.

We need the "mayor" of Atlin to run.

I wouldn't doubt you're right, Interceptor. It could all very well be entirely stage managed, to make it look like the NDP's new leader (whoever he or she may be when Carole James finally does make her exit), represents something "new".

Anyone other than another Vancouver mayor, Gus. Mike Harcourt was a complete dud, and Gordon Campbell even worse. And I've seen no indication that Gregor Robertson has anything to offer that would make him a worthy successor to Carole James.

The NDP does have some good talent in their ranks, though it's often under-utilised and seemingly held back by some mandated adherence to failed ideology.

Possibly their greatest asset, if they could, or would, fully utilise him, is Corky Evans. If they could get him out of retirement, that man can articulate a vision for BC that a lot of people who both are and aren't NDP supporters would largely agree with. He's the only one of their crowd I've ever heard who sometimes sounds more like a 'original' Social Crediter, from way back before that Movement became a Party and was completely corrupted and "lost the thread of the story".

my2bits
What you are referrring to are "mau mauers"

I would suggest to you that this is a common occurance in every political party, local, regional, provincial and federal. It is in the nature of the human when in conflict to make sure that everyone knows what the other side is really made of. Take a look at the just finished American House elections....that is the empitomy of mau mauing or airing the others dirty laundry.

Looks like a potential ripe opportunity for the Green Party, and I hope they recognize that.