Moose Jaw -
The NDP in this province is not exactly bathing in the glow of widespread public adulation right now.
That's why one of the biggest stories to come out of its relatively quiet leadership campaign has to be so damning for the party.
Firstly, the NDP was relegated to the wilderness 18 months ago when more than half of the province picked the Saskatchewan Party to rule for at least the next four years.
The other problem for the NDP is the fact that first term governments have won a second term every time in this province's history, except once.
The one case was from 1929 to 1934, however it was a much different case. In that situation, the governing Liberals, which had a strong majority after the 1925 election, still won the most seats in 1929 but with a minority of seats. The Conservatives, with just four less MLAs, formed a coalition government with the support of the Progressives and some independents.
In the 1933 election, the Conservative coalition was destroyed by the Liberals, who won all but five seats and the Conservatives were completely wiped out.
But other than that historical tidbit, everything from the past indicates the NDP may not win the 2011 election either.
With that history in mind, the party needs all the help it can get in the remaining 2 1/2 years before the next provincial election.
That's why this past week's debacle with the party membership scandal is a black mark the party can ill afford.
It was discovered that a worker for frontrunner Dwain Lingenfelter had signed up many out of 1,100 new members in the northern riding of Meadow Lake with the individuals' permission.
Now, Lingenfelter described the guilty party as over-exuberant. It's possible the person had no clue as to the improprieties (and illegalities) of their actions - however, it's also possible they did know.
But whether they knew is immaterial because the party has been stained at a time it is already vulnerable.
The Saskatchewan Party couldn't resist piling on in this case and by Tuesday was gleefully trotting out comments from some of the other NDP candidates slamming Lingenfelter on this issue.
The Sask. Party also raised a host of questions and attacked Lingenfelter as if he was already the leader and not just the frontrunner.
Frankly, I think the Sask. Party should have resisted the temptation to pile on in this instance.
It's inelegant. There really was nothing the Sask. Party could accomplish by throwing in a couple of jabs. If the Sask. Party had left it alone, it still would have left the same bad taste in the mouths of most people.
If anything, the governing party may look bad for taking a cheap shot at a sick mule.
Historically, the Sask. Party is in line for a second term so taking the jabs really do nothing. It would've been classier to just leave it alone.
Jason Small can be reached at 691-1255.
