So, I've decided, since the NDP is being mentioned so often on the website recently just to give a brief history and rundown of the party. I'm a member, have been for years... it's a family thing for me. My family have been in the NDP and its predecessor, the CCF, since the 30s.
So, following the
Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, and the disasterous 20s, in the early 30s a very strong socialist movement was built in Canada. The main groups of this movement, which became the CCF, were unemployed and trade unionist militants, farmers (who were radicalised by the Depression, which destroyed the Prairies) and the evangalist Christains who sought a better world based on the social gospel, not tax cuts. Important events in the 30s, like the
On-To-Ottawa Trek (which ended brutally in Regina as Strikers making their way to Ottawa to protest at the capitol made the tragic mistake of going through the city where they train RCMP officers), as well as the 1935 election in which a handful of socialist CCFers were elected to Parliament. A rising star in the CCF, Tommy Douglas, and his comrades issued the
Regina Manifesto. In the early 40s, Tommy became premier of Saskatchewan and revolutionised Canada with universal health care, human rights, and shitloads more that I don't have time to write. Suffice it to say, when Canadians voted Tommy as the Greatest Canadian (ever!) in 2004, no one was terribly surprised.
In the 1960s, the CCF joined with the Canadian Labour Congress, the national federation of trade unions, and formed the New Democratic Party, or
NDP. In the 1970s,
the Waffle movement- a strongly socialist group within the NDP- were forced to either disband within the party, or leave. Most left, but returned. However, the distancing of such stridently socialist ideology, combined with the repression of youth wings around the country, and the message this sent to other socialists is often viewed as the cause of "ideological drift" within the party. That drift could not be shored up by the "Socialist Caucus" which took over for the Wafflers, but- so I'm told- new Trots are beginning to make the difference (I certainly agree with this, but the opinion is from an old-timer who didn't know of my beliefs).
While the NDP has never won a majority federally, they have held the balance of power in almost every Liberal minority government since formation of the party in '61. It was because of the NDP that Canadians have free universal health care, a Bill of Rights, and -again- a shitload of other great things.
Provincally, the NDP has formed government in many provinces, at one time or another. Notable exceptions are Alberta (which is the "Texas of Canada") and Quebec, which in the 1970s gave way to separatist sentiment (although the majority of the separatists seem to be Commies, so...). Moreover, the NDP often does a very good job when in power, although the media does not appreciate our brand of "blood politics" as it has been called.
However, the NDP is far from perfect. It no longer tries to agitate for socialism. It no longer has claim to represent the working-class- the term "we" use now is "average Canadians". There are bureaucratic problems, there is a great deal of resentment, and there have been many many problems with regards to policy in recent years. However, through slow, patient explaining, things may be turning a corner. The problems of disenfranchised youth members have been changed, though, at least in BC, where the wing is 2500 members strong and active members are quite tight-knit (although we'd still like to kill each other, often).
Perhaps the situation of the overall party is worst in BC, my province, where we have a ridiculously entrenched central executive that couldn't find their way out of a wet paper bag, can't win an election to save their lives, wouldn't know the different between a socialist and a drugged-out martian if their life depended on it (and I really wish it would), and are moderately corrupt. This is mostly due to a massive rebuilding process after a quirk of first-past-the-post elections desimated the party to two seats; furthering the mass membership increases since 2001 has been the hatred of the Liberal party of BC (not they same as the federal Liberal party). The NDP, by virtue of surviving when the media claimed we were dead, became the rallying point for the left-wing. Unfortunately, the left-wing doesn't always mean "Socialist," and the working-class mentality was watered down to such a point that the executive (see above for rant) tried to push through constitutional changes to disassociate from labour. Generally such an outpouring of new party members would make a good socialist skip but there were just too many to educate in any meaningful way, and many were old members of other, less radical groups.
In all, the NDP has moved away from its traditional labour roots. It is now more likely to be centre-left than it is to be left-left. However, all parties with open membership and looking for electoral wins have such problems. The rebuilding of the socialist movement within the party is everyday more successful. Soon, I think, we will be able to bring forth real change within the party, and finally see it help the working-class of Canada. However, at the movement, it isn't really the party it might claim to be.
I hate to be so critical, because I love the party and the people in it. However, my criticism is marked by hoped, because I know that the socialists within the party are gaining experience, respect and perspective (as well as an excellent education in real politik) and that we will soon have the support to agitate for change within and with out the party. So. A short explanation of many different aspects of the party.
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