Political ‘ sport’ heats up as NHL lockout drags on

Federal Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair is in town today to help the provincial NDP select a new leader.

OK, so it’s not Don Cherry and Hockey Night in Canada. But until the NHL owners and players figure out a way to get back to work — and it seems that might be awhile — political ‘ sport’ may be one of the best games in town.

There’s plenty of action.

For star power, Mulcair is the top NDP draw on the federal stage and he’s sure to provide some extra spark at today’s convention. Trevor Leclerc and Mike Redmond are vying for the leadership. They’ll need all the help they can get from Mulcair and the federal New Democrats if they hope to make a serious move on the Tories and Liberals in the next election.

After the convention, the cast of leaders will be set for the next big political event — the fall session of the provincial legislature, which opens Nov. 13. Premier Robert Ghiz and his 22- member caucus will face Olive Crane and four other Tory MLAs. Outside the rail the new NDP leader will join Peter Bevan- Baker, who will be acclaimed as leader of the Green Party in November. He was making headlines in Bonshaw this week, ticketed for trespassing during a protest at the Plan B highway construction site. Both parties have enjoyed a spike in popularity and they’ll be fighting hard to make their voices heard. In a province traditionally ruled by the two traditional parties, there’s clearly a growing appetite for a third party option.

Speaking of third parties, the federal Liberal Party — once known as the Natural Governing Party — is anything but these days after the Orange Wave swept them into third place in the last federal election. Since then, there’s been more talk of the party’s extinction than of its eventual return to power.

But the Liberals got a welcome boost last week with Justin Trudeau’s announcement he wants to become its new leader. It was the kind of positive publicity the Liberals simply couldn’t have bought. The son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau may or may not be a game changer but if his announcement is any indication, the Liberals are at least still in the game. They could still use another quality candidate so the leadership doesn’t turn into a coronation.

If Island and Canadian politics don’t fill the NHL void, take a look south of the border. For the next 24 days, the race to the White House will fill the news pages and for sheer entertainment value — even from this side of the border — it’s hard to beat.

Republican contender Mitt Romney was seemingly down and out after he dismissed 47 per cent of Americans who pay no taxes and who, he said, “are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them...” He said they’ll vote President Barack Obama no matter what. Of course, he made the statement during a fundraiser he thought wasn’t being videotaped. In this wired age, that’s a bit naïve. The event was last May and the remarks magically surfaced online just weeks before the vote. Not surprisingly, Romney tumbled in the polls.

But last week he bounced back, taking advantage of a lacklustre performance by Obama to convincingly win the first presidential debate. The two will square off for Round 2 in New York next week. You can bet the president will bring his A game this time. It should be a dandy.

To be fair, this type of ‘ political’ sport isn’t for everyone. But as the NHL lockout drags on, more and more hockey fans are looking for alternatives. One pundit suggested this week an entirely new professional hockey league should be formed, perhaps along the lines of the WHA in the early 1970s. Others want to see Saturday night games televised from Europe and Russia where many of the NHL stars are now playing. More than a few are tuning out altogether.

So if you’re tired of watching the NHL season trickle away while players and owners squabble over billions of dollars in league revenue, it may be time to change the channel. You’ll find an exciting fall lineup of political ‘ sport’ at home and abroad. Stay tuned.