NDP votes to take 'socialism' out of party constitution

[B5C]

One of Canada's biggest parties finally decided to remove it's socialist roots:


NDP votes to take 'socialism' out of party constitution

he NDP voted Sunday to take references to socialism out of the party's constitution, a controversial move to modernize that the party had to set aside two years ago.

Delegates voted 960 to 188 in favour of the change. The result was met with cheers of "NDP! NDP!"

The move was supported by popular former leader Jack Layton, who died shortly after leading the party to its best-ever federal election result in 2011. Layton felt the party needed to modernize the preamble in order to appeal to more Canadians.

The new preamble to the constitution would be longer and refers to the party's history as the CCF, as well as a role for government "in helping to create the conditions for sustainable prosperity."

It also refers to seeking a future "which brings together the best of the insights and objectives of Canadians who, within the social democratic and democratic socialist traditions, have worked through farmer, labour, co-operative, feminist," and other movements.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/04/14/pol-ndp-socialist-preamble.html


Also note in the article that the NPD is trying to link with the US Democrats. WTF? They want to move more right? Really? Is Canada slowly moving rightward?

[Raúl Duke]

the NPD is trying to link with the US Democrats.Eh it's relative.

I think the NPD wants to pass itself off as a "progressive" party, kinda like the US Green Party (although they may be making references to the US democrats due to that most progressives are still tied to the Democratic party; I guess they want to tap into that tradition).

Either way, it's part of the right-ward shift that has become apparent as of late in North-America (and even in Europe) although could probably be traced back earlier (i.e. the US democrats under the popular presidency of Bill Clinton did many neo-liberal things. Of course, progressives may cite the fact that Congress was controlled by Republicans but many of these things the Democrats joined or took initiative in doing with gusto. Things such as changing the welfare system to cutting down finance regulations).

[Lucretia]

So it's finally bringing its rhetoric into line with its practice. Good. You also have to remember the context in which this is happening: the NDP finally becoming the opposition party over the badly decayed Ignatieff-era Liberal Party, but with the Liberal Party hoping to revive itself by redeploying a Trudeau. By realigning its rhetoric ore toward the so-called "center," the NDP is trying to cut off the eventuality of the Liberal Party takings its rightful place as the Good Cop to the Conservatives' Bad Cop.

[Q]

For a moment I thought this was about the German NDP (which is of course spelled NPD).

But yeah, nothing new here. Long expected. Is the IMT still active inside this party?

[Art Vandelay]

For a moment I thought this was about the German NDP (which is of course spelled NPD).

But yeah, nothing new here. Long expected. Is the IMT still active inside this party?

As far as I am aware, they still are.

[Luc]

I thought this happened last election?

[GiantMonkeyMan]

The same thing happened with the Labour Party in the UK and similarly they were pretty much a capitalist party in entirety before that anyway.... besides, their concept of 'socialism' is just state run services with progressive taxes.

[MP5]

About time really. They have only at best argued for a Canadian welfare state not actual Socialism anyway and it's been awile since they have argued for anything like that ever.

[Orange Juche]

That's like "Bernie Sanders decides to stop calling himself a socialist". By all means, please, stop.

[Crabbensmasher]

The same thing happened with the Labour Party in the UK and similarly they were pretty much a capitalist party in entirety before that anyway.... besides, their concept of 'socialism' is just state run services with progressive taxes.

I always thought of them as the equivalent of the post-Blaire style Labour Party, even before the name change. Right now, their thinking of merging with the Liberal Party to form some sort of "Left Opposition". Hah, it always makes me laugh when they say that. Good riddance.

[MP5]

I always thought of them as the equivalent of the post-Blaire style Labour Party, even before the name change. Right now, their thinking of merging with the Liberal Party to form some sort of "Left Opposition". Hah, it always makes me laugh when they say that. Good riddance.

Yeah what will happen i suspect is that instead of having the NDP just be slightly left of center on the Canadian political spectrum they will instead just start to look more like a older version of the Liberals.

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

So I wonder how the IMT is going to rationalize entryism this time.

[The Intransigent Faction]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: About Fucking Time!!!
Coming from the province that saw Bob Rae's "Social Contract", the idea of people equating social democracy with socialism, whether done by a party or misinformed people, can only hold back any progress.

[The Intransigent Faction]

I always thought of them as the equivalent of the post-Blaire style Labour Party, even before the name change. Right now, their thinking of merging with the Liberal Party to form some sort of "Left Opposition". Hah, it always makes me laugh when they say that. Good riddance.

Who's "they"? The party president claimed the NDP had already rejected the idea, last I heard.

[Crabbensmasher]

Who's "they"? The party president claimed the NDP had already rejected the idea, last I heard.

Yes, Mulcair isn't ready to make that step yet, but the option is still "on the table". It's predicted that they'll look to merge after the results of the next elections.

[MP5]

So I wonder how the IMT is going to rationalize entryism this time.

What the hell is it with Trots working with these slightly left of center political parties? I mean why not just go join the democrats while your at it. There never was anything Socialist or even Social Democratic about the NDP and they can be rather snobbish. A acquaintance of mine was trying to catch a elevator in some place in Ottawa and when he ran for it he saw that the now departed Jack Layton was in it. When he asked the guys with him to hold the doors they said something along the lines of "sorry your not allowed in here". Talk about elitism. They are really in touch with the common working class person alright :laugh:

I always laughed when people would try and tell me that the NDP was fighting for the working class and all that nonsense. They are nothing more the middle class academics who only want to get as much as they can out of politics for themselves so they can have a nice comfortable retirement. They could care less about the working class.

[melvin]

go right ahead, NDP.

[blake 3:17]

I've been so inundated by "what a disaster" this is -- who cares?

Resolutionary socialists, that's who.

[blake 3:17]

What the hell is it with Trots working with these slightly left of center political parties? I mean why not just go join the democrats while your at it. There never was anything Socialist or even Social Democratic about the NDP and they can be rather snobbish. A acquaintance of mine was trying to catch a elevator in some place in Ottawa and when he ran for it he saw that the now departed Jack Layton was in it. When he asked the guys with him to hold the doors they said something along the lines of "sorry your not allowed in here". Talk about elitism. They are really in touch with the common working class person alright :laugh:


There may have been very legitimate reasons that he wasn't allowed in. When someone is party leader or there's a campaign going on, there's a mandatory RCMP security detail assigned.

Part of Layton's popularity was that he was so approachable. We were neighbours for many years, while he was in municipal office, and he was always very friendly and responsible in terms of constituency issues.

When he became leader, he doubled the party membership on two primary bases : 1) Total opposition to the Iraq War and 2) Social liberal values & media savvy

He did take the party in Rightist direction, which previous leaders had failed at, because they were too boring and unpopular.

I think it's worthwhile looking at this interview from 2003 he did with Sam Gindin & Leo Panitch. He's certainly talking "lefter" than usual, but he's pretty consistent on other levels: http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2009

I came close to joining the party, not as one of these dumb ass Trot factions, but just as chance to connect with decent progressives etc, but got totally discouraged quite quickly and stopped volunteering at all when they endorsed mandatory minimum sentences in 2006(?)

[G-Dogg]

Social-democrats betrayed socialism and shouldn't be allowed to use the word in the first place.

[MP5]

There may have been very legitimate reasons that he wasn't allowed in. When someone is party leader or there's a campaign going on, there's a mandatory RCMP security detail assigned.

Part of Layton's popularity was that he was so approachable. We were neighbours for many years, while he was in municipal office, and he was always very friendly and responsible in terms of constituency issues.

When he became leader, he doubled the party membership on two primary bases : 1) Total opposition to the Iraq War and 2) Social liberal values & media savvy

He did take the party in Rightist direction, which previous leaders had failed at, because they were too boring and unpopular.

I think it's worthwhile looking at this interview from 2003 he did with Sam Gindin & Leo Panitch. He's certainly talking "lefter" than usual, but he's pretty consistent on other levels: http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2009

I came close to joining the party, not as one of these dumb ass Trot factions, but just as chance to connect with decent progressives etc, but got totally discouraged quite quickly and stopped volunteering at all when they endorsed mandatory minimum sentences in 2006(?)

Yeah it could have been the security detail. They endorsed mandatory minimums? I thought they fought against them when the Conservatives brought them in there last spring?

[Agathor]

Are they still social democrats at least, or have they gone full Labour?

[blake 3:17]

Yeah it could have been the security detail. They endorsed mandatory minimums? I thought they fought against them when the Conservatives brought them in there last spring?

It was probably a security detail. We're in US paranoid gun world, but there are protocols.

They can be kinda fun depending where you are. To the annoyance of many loyal party member I blew an excessively large joint one under RCMP protection. Rules are rules!

On the mandatory -- to be clear -- it was mandatory minimum sentences for youth in "gun related" crimes in the 2006 election. What it would mean trying teens as adults if a gun were present while another crime were committed. A 15 year old steals a car, his buddy has a gun in his pocket that he doesn't know about, and he's suddenly no longer 15? Fuck off.

I don't pay attention to Mulcair. He really is just a bag of shit. Who's head of the Bloc these days?

[The Intransigent Faction]

Are they still social democrats at least, or have they gone full Labour?

I'm not really sure what you mean by "full Labour" (yeah "New Labour" is warmongering, but have they suddenly also changed their position on social programs, etc.?). If you mean what I think you mean, this is anecdotal, but all I've heard from the NDP any more is "blahblahblah 'middle class'", rather than talk about "working families".

There's a small faction within the party that's at least "better". http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/04/13/pol-ndp-socialist-caucus-raises-ruckus.html

Still, the Capitalist Bullshitting Corporation goes too far in calling these guys "socialists", as far as I can tell.

I would agree with blake's assessment of Mulcair.

[Art Vandelay]

I'm not really sure what you mean by "full Labour" (yeah "New Labour" is warmongering, but have they suddenly also changed their position on social programs, etc.?). If you mean what I think you mean, this is anecdotal, but all I've heard from the NDP any more is "blahblahblah 'middle class'", rather than talk about "working families".

There's a small faction within the party that's at least "better". http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/04/13/pol-ndp-socialist-caucus-raises-ruckus.html

Still, the Capitalist Bullshitting Corporation goes too far in calling these guys "socialists", as far as I can tell.

I would agree with blake's assessment of Mulcair.

Sounds like it was the IMT.

[blake 3:17]

This is a kind of interesting piece on the issue before it happened: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/michael-laxer/2013/02/resolutionary-socialism-why-leftist-agenda-within-ndp-futile

For secatariana sakehood, the CWI are in "his" party, which really isn't anything but a kind of left pressure group on the NDP.