NDP was a fish trying to ride a bicycle, it's a miracle it lasted as long as it did. Electoral politics is about giving a voice to the landed, wealthy male elite, and anything else is a sham. I'd like to see a party emerge that focuses on direct democracy at the municipal level & confederates to operate at provincial or national levels, rather than wasting time trying to play the other guys' game
I think the NDP had the same problem as the Reform/Conservative party does, which is that it tried to bring together into one tent a set of ideologies that might not be compatible -- as much as some might wish they are.
This article is focused on the NDP, so I want to point to a different article that suggested a different replacement: "What can work, and what they need to do, is radically deemphasize the social progressivism and the foreign policy issues."
I know there are people who get angry whenever I say this, but I do not believe that the labour movement within North America (and maybe elsewhere, but this isn't universal) is compatible with social progressivism or the types of foreign policy issues that you just wrote about (and that I support -- I really loathe the abuse of the term "antisemitism" to justify genocidal policies).
As an individual, I am attracted to social progressive (domestic and foreign) policy, and it has been the hierarchical corporate culture and the labour/union ties that have pushed me away from the NDP.
I truly believe that the NDP should be at least two different parties at the national level. They would be parties that could work together in many areas of policy, but would not have attracted the same candidates/voters for other areas of policy.
I also believe there is something critical to learn from the fact that the NDP has formed executive branches in several provinces, but not federally. As much as they try to claim it is the same brand in some pan-National way, I haven’t seen that. Different areas of policy have been emphasized in different regions, where a provincial message is much more coherent and attractive than the pan-National message could ever be.
I think we clearly saw this election that the Progressive Conservative party of Ontario is not the same party as the federal Conservative party. I wish these common-ish sounding names across provinces and the federal parliament were dropped, as they aren't the same.
Like the Reform and Progressive Conservative parties found, Canada's current corporate culture within Democratic Institutions really only works for big parties. That is what I believe needs to change, not to continue along the same path. Ranked ballots to eradicate vote splitting is only one part of the puzzle, even if an important one. The whole narrow focus on the executive branch, the "official opposition" (regularly opposing for its own sake, and not acting as an executive in waiting), and forcing everyone else into a "back bench" also needs to be reformed. The House of Commons needs to be turned away from being a warzone of competing special interest groups and into a healthy workplace of representatives of citizens.
I know there are people who are enamoured with electoral systems such as MMP which might transition Canada from a 3-5 party system to a 5-8 party system, but it is still fundamentally a party-centric system -- and that is where I think the core problems with Canada’s Democratic Systems are.
The NDP is going nowhere. I think the party’s diversion from its roots has led to the current malaise. The NDP needs to refocus on the dignity of work, taxation and social welfare. Nothing unites people more than these issues. Finessing a satisfactory position on Zionism should be far down the list of priorities. The CCF-NDP transformed Canada for working people using the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives as proxy. They are a fixture in Canadian politics. Down but not out, they will rise again.
Allowing the entire political landscape to shift into a two-party, center-right state is not healthy for Canada. That the NDP failed is as much a function of what you say in the article as it is fearfulness of the nonsense down south.
The answer isn’t to double down on all the policies that got us here, it’s to consolidate our sovereignty, to publicly own our energy, our food supply, our financial system.
There is only one party with the national infrastructure to do it.
If the NDP is unable to look to its past, and remember their purpose to create a vision for our future; then maybe they should be set aside for others to step in. This is their chance, this is the moment for them.
Since you've been reading regularly you know I don't support a two party system. The NDP does not have national infrastructure, they had their chances, many. We need a new left wing party.
NDP was a fish trying to ride a bicycle, it's a miracle it lasted as long as it did. Electoral politics is about giving a voice to the landed, wealthy male elite, and anything else is a sham. I'd like to see a party emerge that focuses on direct democracy at the municipal level & confederates to operate at provincial or national levels, rather than wasting time trying to play the other guys' game
On the "Build something new".
I think the NDP had the same problem as the Reform/Conservative party does, which is that it tried to bring together into one tent a set of ideologies that might not be compatible -- as much as some might wish they are.
This article is focused on the NDP, so I want to point to a different article that suggested a different replacement: "What can work, and what they need to do, is radically deemphasize the social progressivism and the foreign policy issues."
https://scrimshawunscripted.substack.com/p/how-to-save-the-ndp
I know there are people who get angry whenever I say this, but I do not believe that the labour movement within North America (and maybe elsewhere, but this isn't universal) is compatible with social progressivism or the types of foreign policy issues that you just wrote about (and that I support -- I really loathe the abuse of the term "antisemitism" to justify genocidal policies).
As an individual, I am attracted to social progressive (domestic and foreign) policy, and it has been the hierarchical corporate culture and the labour/union ties that have pushed me away from the NDP.
I truly believe that the NDP should be at least two different parties at the national level. They would be parties that could work together in many areas of policy, but would not have attracted the same candidates/voters for other areas of policy.
I also believe there is something critical to learn from the fact that the NDP has formed executive branches in several provinces, but not federally. As much as they try to claim it is the same brand in some pan-National way, I haven’t seen that. Different areas of policy have been emphasized in different regions, where a provincial message is much more coherent and attractive than the pan-National message could ever be.
I think we clearly saw this election that the Progressive Conservative party of Ontario is not the same party as the federal Conservative party. I wish these common-ish sounding names across provinces and the federal parliament were dropped, as they aren't the same.
Like the Reform and Progressive Conservative parties found, Canada's current corporate culture within Democratic Institutions really only works for big parties. That is what I believe needs to change, not to continue along the same path. Ranked ballots to eradicate vote splitting is only one part of the puzzle, even if an important one. The whole narrow focus on the executive branch, the "official opposition" (regularly opposing for its own sake, and not acting as an executive in waiting), and forcing everyone else into a "back bench" also needs to be reformed. The House of Commons needs to be turned away from being a warzone of competing special interest groups and into a healthy workplace of representatives of citizens.
I know there are people who are enamoured with electoral systems such as MMP which might transition Canada from a 3-5 party system to a 5-8 party system, but it is still fundamentally a party-centric system -- and that is where I think the core problems with Canada’s Democratic Systems are.
"Jewish voices of conscience." hellll yes we exist!
The NDP is going nowhere. I think the party’s diversion from its roots has led to the current malaise. The NDP needs to refocus on the dignity of work, taxation and social welfare. Nothing unites people more than these issues. Finessing a satisfactory position on Zionism should be far down the list of priorities. The CCF-NDP transformed Canada for working people using the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives as proxy. They are a fixture in Canadian politics. Down but not out, they will rise again.
I really wish Carney would do just that - absorb those NDP MPs.
I mostly agree with you Jesse, but not on this.
Allowing the entire political landscape to shift into a two-party, center-right state is not healthy for Canada. That the NDP failed is as much a function of what you say in the article as it is fearfulness of the nonsense down south.
The answer isn’t to double down on all the policies that got us here, it’s to consolidate our sovereignty, to publicly own our energy, our food supply, our financial system.
There is only one party with the national infrastructure to do it.
If the NDP is unable to look to its past, and remember their purpose to create a vision for our future; then maybe they should be set aside for others to step in. This is their chance, this is the moment for them.
My hope is that they meet the challenge.
Since you've been reading regularly you know I don't support a two party system. The NDP does not have national infrastructure, they had their chances, many. We need a new left wing party.