We'll learn soon whether the NDP's federal council will choose a pure one-member, one vote leadership process. But it's not hard to see the news that major Quebec unions aren't interested in participating as formal affiliates as a major step in that direction.
After all, any union set-aside would now figure to be seen as resulting in undue disadvantage to Quebec - providing an added impetus to avoid one to the extent the party might otherwise have tended in that direction out of tradition. But at the same time, a set of rules that's seen as responsive to the concerns of key Quebec unions would also figure to reduce the case for any other structural tweaks to the voting process (such as a Quebec MP or member set-aside).
Of course, it's ultimately up to the federal council to set the terms of the race. But in keeping with the NDP's desire to build links into Quebec's labour movement, it's entirely possible that the unions' choice will offer the NDP the last push it needed to move in what already looked to be the right direction.
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