gci canada campaign coverage 2011

NDP Convention and Organizational Notes...
Transition to Power?

June 24, 2011| pa analysis

Background

For three days beginning June 17, over 1500 delegates from across Canada descended on Vancouver British Columbia to attend the NDP biennial annual convention.

Although the event was planned as a celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the party's founding, the NDP's election breakthrough in May had delegates more focused on the future than on the past.
The real possibility of forming a government in the next election is forcing big strategic questions onto the NDP's agenda as it seeks to consolidate its electoral gains and present itself as a governing alternative to the Conservatives.

There were three major moments at the Convention that highlighted the debate within the party and signalled the direction it is going.

All three came on the Convention's final day. They were the following:

1. Motion calling for the party to foreclose any discussion with the Liberals about merging.
   
   
2. Motion calling for the party to replace the existing preamble to the constitution, substituting a commitment to "democratic socialism" with a commitment to "social democracy."
   
   
3. Jack Layton's speech to delegates.

The overall message sent by the delegates - prepare for power, but don't abandon principle. Whether the NDP can square that circle will be the test over the coming months and years.

Anlaysis

The debate about principle versus power is as old as the NDP itself. Now that the Party is a serious contender for national government, the debate is taking on more significance at the federal level. Overall, one has to conclude that the party is ready to steer a moderate social democratic course, following in the footsteps of other successful centre-left governments.

First, the motion to foreclose discussion on a merger with the Liberals was soundly defeated. That the motion was defeated does not mean that talks on merging are imminent, but only that senior party strategists don't want to take any possibility of the table.

Moreover, because winning over more Liberal voters is key to its election strategy, keeping the lines of communication open sends the signal that the NDP will welcome Liberals into the fold.

Second, the motion to replace the preamble to the party's constitution was sent to committee for further work. The proposed new preamble replaced the party's commitment to "democratic socialism" with a commitment to "social democracy."

The term "socialism" implies a commitment to government control of the economy. "Social democracy" implies only commitment to values like equality in a market economy.

Most successful parties of the centre-left have moved in this direction, but the change still holds significant symbolic value for New Democrats. For some members, getting rid of "socialism" is a compromise with their principles. But they are a minority. The decision to send the preamble to committee means that there is a willingness to change the symbolic wording, but that party members want more input and discussion before they do it.

And finally, the central theme of Jack Layton's speech to delegates was that the central challenge for the party over the next four years is to show Canadians it is ready for government.

Not surprisingly, the speech was short on policy details, but the challenge the Leader has put to the party could not be clearer.

What it means

At this point, seven weeks after the election, the Official Opposition is still very much a work in progress. But the party's leadership and a majority of its senior activists understand that being Official Opposition is both an enormous challenge and an opportunity. They know that consolidating gains and offering a governing alternative means they have to reach beyond the traditional NDP base, including to leaders in the business community.

Overtures to the business community won't always be popular with some parts of the federal party, but as their successful provincial cousins have shown in provinces like Manitoba and Nova Scotia, such overtures are necessary if the party hopes to win power and govern effectively.

Two important moves to note: National Campaign Director, Brad Lavigne has moved from the party to the Leader's parliamentary office to take up a new role as Principal Secretary to the Leader. In that capacity, Mr. Lavigne will be driving the Opposition's long-term political strategy.

In addition, senior party heavyweight Brian Topp was elected at the convention to serve as President of the NDP. Anne McGrath remains as Jack Layton's Chief of Staff.

For now, with the convention behind them and the parliamentary session coming to a close, senior party strategists will take a short break and spend the summer continuing to build the Opposition's infrastructure.

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