Mr. Singh does not seem to be a megalomaniac; he comes across as a genuinely nice guy. But he was not the leader I believe we need — at least not from what we could see from media coverage and the party’s own communications. Personally I don’t give a damn about the sex, religion, or “race” of people I vote for, and I think even now among the electorate at large such factors are greatly outweighed by more relevant considerations. I want a leader who can convincingly explain in detail economics and what’s wrong with it, environmentalism and why it matters, how socialism could transform Canada, and why we should want it to. Then they might have a chance to recruit people at the grassroots level and revitalize the party. Too much to ask? Maybe, but this thread is about optimism.