Contrary to some news reports, there was a large group of youth delegates at last weekend’s New Democratic Party National Convention. As one of those delegates, I went to Winnipeg with a high sense of optimism, but left disappointed. This convention was supposed to be a “historic” convention of change for the stagnant and irrelevant party. Instead, we got a whole lot more of the same.
The status quo reigned supreme over the course of the three-day congress, with any “changes” being referred to Federal Council for potential implementation at some unknown point in the future. Those resolutions passed which purported significant change (i.e. the switch to one member-one vote for leadership selection, with labour guaranteed 25 percent of the final tally) were in fact barely cosmetic changes. They will do little, if anything, to attract new members and voters to the party.
Saturday afternoon was the most eventful part of the convention. Passions were running high over resolutions on the one member-one vote system and the debate vote on the New Politics Initiative (NPI)—a move to fold the NDP into a new, broader left-wing party incorporating the environmental, anti-globalization, anti-poverty and social justice movements, etc.—which was the reason many of us were there.
After much shouting, cheering, jeering, excessive points of order/privilege/information and an extraordinary exchange between MP Svend Robinson (a leader of the NPI) and MP Bill Blaikie which caused the convention to explode into chants of “NDP! NDP!” the latter motion was defeated by a vote of about 60 percent to 40. An expected disappointment, to be sure, but a kind of victory as well. 40 percent is a significant amount by anyone’s count. Although the traditionalists carried the day, the message we 40 percent sent was quite clear.
On the final day of the convention, party leader Alexa McDonough survived a challenge to her leadership by Socialist Caucus co-chair Marcel Hatch by 85-plus percent. But what really happened at the convention was a re-affirmation by the party of its status-quo approach to politics. The much touted “renewal” process has yet to produce any change. The leader and party leadership remain the same, unions retain their strong hold on the party and a great number of party members (myself included) remain deeply dissatisfied and skeptical of the NDP as the viable option of today or tomorrow.
(One slight glimmer of hope was the election of 24-year-old Adam Giambrone as President of the party. He seems committed to the “renewal” process and made immediate overtures to the NPI, seeking to work with us to revamp and revitalize the party.)
Ryan Pritchard, as you may have gathered, is an NDP member and an NPI supporter.
