The purpose of the NDP is as a containment device for Liberal crazies. They all support the Liberals whenever needed, but in the meantime they are in a separate party, so the Liberals don't get blamed for their lunacy. Of course, Liberal "moderation" is only a matter of style, not actual government, so both sides get what they want: the crazies get ultra progressive government, and the Liberals get to be the ones delivering it.
The blip between 2011 and 2015 when the NDP formed the official opposition and tried to take a moderate position was the anomaly in the NDP's history: it's always been a loopy, left wing organization. Even the fabled blue collar trade union influence was pretty out there, with union leadership espousing left wing ideology that was pretty far out of step with the actual practical pocketbook interests of their membership. They've never had anything resembling a realistic program. I remember being stunned at their platform plank of pulling Canada out of NATO in the middle of the Cold War!
Going with Avi Lewis and his progressive nonsense is true to the soul of the party. Their aging boomer-dominated membership might as well go with it. Maybe they'll build a new coalition to carry forward. Maybe the NDP will finally just die and go away, as seemed to be their fate in the post-Broadbent era when they also lost official party status.
IIRC the NDP was Canada’s representative at some international organization of socialist states along with Cuba and Russia some 10-20 years ago. But the world has moved on. They enjoyed a fair bit of support when they were an organ of big unions and lost it when they started lining up with Toronto Rosedale weirdos and other “silk stocking socialists”. Not sure if the fall of the Berlin wall has sunk in. Mayor Chow seems to be one of the last NDP socialists standing.
Poor Tom Mulcair, outflanked by Trudeau. I was one of the few people that voted for the NDP under his leadership, continuing my winning streak (I voted for the Kim Campbell led PCs as well). I can't say how successful the NDP would be under Avi Lewis, but I can say I won't be voting for them, regardless of the quality of my local NDP candidate.
Sometimes (like, every day now) I really wonder whether people grasp that democracy itself is under severe and increasing existential threat -- and, if they do, whether they want to rescue it or deliver its death blow.
Between overt and violent antisemitism on the left, whose adherents now find themselves defending the Islamist regime in Iran, and ultra-nationalist fetishists on the right who nonetheless think foreign interference operations are a-ok as long as *they* benefit, I'm not sure whether to keep defending democratic values against entitled ideologues or give up and build a bunker.
Let's hope they go full Mao.
Totally irrelevant party with no future.
The purpose of the NDP is as a containment device for Liberal crazies. They all support the Liberals whenever needed, but in the meantime they are in a separate party, so the Liberals don't get blamed for their lunacy. Of course, Liberal "moderation" is only a matter of style, not actual government, so both sides get what they want: the crazies get ultra progressive government, and the Liberals get to be the ones delivering it.
And "moderates" who vote Liberal keep wondering why Canada gets worse and worse, but aren't self-aware enough to realize it's their own fault.
The blip between 2011 and 2015 when the NDP formed the official opposition and tried to take a moderate position was the anomaly in the NDP's history: it's always been a loopy, left wing organization. Even the fabled blue collar trade union influence was pretty out there, with union leadership espousing left wing ideology that was pretty far out of step with the actual practical pocketbook interests of their membership. They've never had anything resembling a realistic program. I remember being stunned at their platform plank of pulling Canada out of NATO in the middle of the Cold War!
Going with Avi Lewis and his progressive nonsense is true to the soul of the party. Their aging boomer-dominated membership might as well go with it. Maybe they'll build a new coalition to carry forward. Maybe the NDP will finally just die and go away, as seemed to be their fate in the post-Broadbent era when they also lost official party status.
IIRC the NDP was Canada’s representative at some international organization of socialist states along with Cuba and Russia some 10-20 years ago. But the world has moved on. They enjoyed a fair bit of support when they were an organ of big unions and lost it when they started lining up with Toronto Rosedale weirdos and other “silk stocking socialists”. Not sure if the fall of the Berlin wall has sunk in. Mayor Chow seems to be one of the last NDP socialists standing.
In my mind, they are irrelevant no matter who they choose to lead the party
Poor Tom Mulcair, outflanked by Trudeau. I was one of the few people that voted for the NDP under his leadership, continuing my winning streak (I voted for the Kim Campbell led PCs as well). I can't say how successful the NDP would be under Avi Lewis, but I can say I won't be voting for them, regardless of the quality of my local NDP candidate.
Sometimes (like, every day now) I really wonder whether people grasp that democracy itself is under severe and increasing existential threat -- and, if they do, whether they want to rescue it or deliver its death blow.
Between overt and violent antisemitism on the left, whose adherents now find themselves defending the Islamist regime in Iran, and ultra-nationalist fetishists on the right who nonetheless think foreign interference operations are a-ok as long as *they* benefit, I'm not sure whether to keep defending democratic values against entitled ideologues or give up and build a bunker.