Rachel Notley has, at the moment, the respect of her party. And, judging from the standing ovation she received yesterday in the legislature, she also has their affection.Well she may: While she didn’t lead her party to victory in May, none of the MLAs who she did lead to their own personal victories has any reason to complain of her leadership. And it was close… a few thousand votes properly distributed might have meant an overall NDP win.However, in any best-of-three contest, you need two. And Notley having won in 2015, lost in 2019 and lost again in 2023 is — well, you know, one short.So in that standing ovation, was there a touch of over-enthusiasm? Was that the kind of gesture towards an over-the-hill leader that compares to when you tell a guest making their departure to ‘come again soon,’ but it would actually be a bit awkward if they showed up again the next day?As pundits always conclude as they attempt to portray considered wisdom, ‘time will tell.’ Meanwhile however, the twittersphere is busy with suggestions that this was her last hurrah. If Notley thinks otherwise, she is going to have to say so in a strong, clear voice, now. Nothing else will do.So who might get the job?Those of us who would move to Wyoming if the NDP ever won again in Alberta, could of course come up with some suggestions to ensure our continued Alberta residency.Give the job to Janis Irwin (Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood) why don’t you? Or to someone like Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour? For political reporters and pundits it would be a time like no other. (And, Wyoming’s loss.) Moving down the list, one’s finger stops at David Eggen, Shannon Phillips and once more looking outside caucus, former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi. The others — and there are some — start from further behind.It wouldn’t be Eggen’s first attempt. He lost to Notley in the leadership contest that she won, but then served capably as education minister according to the directions he was given. Obviously, those who value a traditional three-Rs education do not recall those as happy days. Eggen is on record from 2016 for example that “Now more than ever we need to teach about inclusion, to teach about equality and social justice.” But that would be music to NDP ears and to those of the union-education complex that it primarily represents.Shannon Phillips (Lethbridge West) was during the Notley administration entrusted with Environment. Those who know her (I don’t) speak well of her as an NDP politician with whom one can have a thoughtful — and agreeable — conversation. This matters because there was much harshness from the NDP during the last election; indeed the concentrated and personal venom directed by the NDP towards Smith was over the top and although we’ll never know for sure, probably cost them the votes they needed. It played to the base. Those who weren’t of the base, didn't care for it. (Notley, for all her other attributes, was among the worst.)Among the contenders, Phillips and Eggen seem most likely to convincingly balance ideological purity with some humanity.As for a bid by Naheed Nenshi, should he even be interested, it would face one of the singular (and charming) peculiarities of the NDP.That is, the party prefers those who have paid their dues, to a star-power parachute candidate. (Having in a former incarnation found myself obliged to reduce his prolix compositions to what the Calgary Herald could accommodate on its editorial page, it pains me to admit this: He nevertheless qualifies as a celebrity candidate.)How then might he stack up in any contest with a time-served party hack, who has gone to all the meetings, knocked on all the doors and dutifully shown up at the union meetings &c. &c.?It will be an issue for him, but it is not a fault in the NDP that it values enduring loyalty and long-term commitment over instant saviours.Still, however rewarding principled opposition and a clear socialist conscience may be, and at the risk myself of sounding like a federal Liberal, it must be a temptation to go with somebody who can actually deliver a win.The problem for the NDP, is that Notley is still the best they’ve got.
