PARTY POLITICS OR POLITICS PARTY?

NDP Husband And Wife Sing With The Indie Crowd

TORONTO - It's Saturday night, and upstairs at the Palais Royale local
alt.country heroes the Sadies are in their dressing room, putting
their support for the legalization of marijuana into practice and
explaining why Paul Martin is "a total drag." Downstairs, on stage,
the Constantines are delivering what the Sadies describe as this
evening's "money shot."

To the Constantines' left are Jack Layton, the federal NDP leader, and
his wife, NDP candidate Olivia Chow. On, quite literally, the eve of
an election campaign, they're dancing (awkwardly) and pumping fists
(awkwardly), joining the indie rock band in a taut, rousing run
through Neil Young's anti-Republican rant Rockin' in the Free World.

Layton and Chow don't seem to know the words too well, but the party
faithful -- including a youth contingent that might as well be
groupies to Layton's rock star -- are delighted all the same. Young's
call to arms might make a great campaign theme song, even if the rock
legend who wrote it once endorsed Ronald Reagan -- as the Hidden
Cameras' Justin Stayshyn, there to support his friends in the
Constantines, notes backstage. The whole scene might even make a slick
campaign spot at some point over the next month.

So this, the climax to a night of "passion, pop and politics"
organized by the NDP and affectionately titled "Jack It Up," might
seem a little crass. Patronizing, even.

Thing is, it wasn't Layton's idea. Or even the bright idea of a party
operative. It was done at the Constantines' request. Seems they're big
fans of Layton.

As are the Sadies ("We have all his records"), who have a few requests
of their own. First, they'd like their activity here legalized. Next,
cut military spending. Third, keep funding the arts (so artists can
continue to take part in that hopefully-to-be-legalized activity,
perhaps). Oh, and poor kids should get hockey equipment.

Pop star Barlow, also on the bill, once asked a Liberal official for a
yes or no answer on the issue of same sex marriage and got anything
but. The NDP gave him an answer and, coincidentally, the right one.

The NDP, it should be noted, aren't even using this evening as a
fundraiser, taking home none of the ticket sales (let this say what it
will about the soundness of the party's financial planning). And the
proceedings are decidedly socialist -- egos put aside as bands play
short sets to ensure all can perform before the midnight curfew.

"The artistic community is, generally speaking, ahead of government,"
Layton explains, laughing, backstage. "Not that that's always difficult."

So why aren't we electing more rock stars? Or, conversely, why aren't
more of our politicians behaving like rock stars?

Layton, who reportedly brought his guitar on the campaign trail, is
probably the closest we're going to get until his friend and co-host
for the evening, Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies, decides to run
(Layton endorses the idea, Page is having none of it).

The NDP leader's closest rival in this regard is, coincidentally, his
closest rival politically -- Dennis Mills, the publicity-craving,
Rolling Stone-flaunting Toronto-Danforth incumbent, whom Layton must
best if he wants to join the rest of the kids in the sandbox.

A few days before Layton took the stage, Mills was squeezing a few
last precious bits of publicity out of last year's SARStock and Mick
Jagger at a press conference to announce a DVD release of the concert
he helped organize. Jagger sent along a video-taped messge.

So Layton's got the Constantines, Mills the Stones, and this begs a
comparison. Asked to provide one, Layton muddles through a needlessly
political non-answer. So we'll make it for him. The former are young,
loud, reckless and angry. Sample lyric: "I've got a few words for the
graceless herd / the state is now my shepherd."

The latter are old, shrewd, financially conscious and comfortable.
Sample lyric: "You can't always get what you want / But if you try
sometimes, you just might find / You get what you need."

You wouldn't want your daughter hanging around with either.

But at least Layton can claim a genuine, if convenient, connection
with the stars whose cool he's co-opting. Here's speculating Jagger
and Mills shared few words on social justice or foreign policy.

In Layton's case, there is apparently a mutual affinity. The rock
stars see a politician who would seem to endorse their whims and
habits. Layton sees an untapped voting block with which he, more than
Stephen Harper or Paul Martin (Bono notwithstanding), can claim a
political connection.

So, if he's going to speak at auto plants, hospitals or universities,
Layton asks, why not rock concerts? "I find, with the artistic
community, they're not just concerned with their community, they
actually have an understanding of the various dimensions of human
community. When you actually get a chance to listen to the lyrics
there's often a lot of that sort of analysis and sentiment being expressed."

Plus there's beer here (which all are sampling liberally). And, if you
ask the Sadies nicely, some enviro-friendly options.