NDP ponders deleting socialism from its guiding statement

OTTAWA — NDP brass are taking a second shot at jettisoning some of the socialist baggage that many — including Leader Tom Mulcair — feel might hold them back in the next federal election.

A committee of senior NDP members is recommending the party modernize its guiding statement by making it less ideological and dropping most of its many references to socialism.

A proposed rewrite of the opening lines of the NDP constitution was sent to party members Wednesday, in advance of next week’s policy convention in Montreal.

At the last convention two years ago, attempts to do away with the word socialist from the preamble split the rank-and-file, even though the idea was endorsed by former leader Jack Layton.

The existing statement outlines the “principles of democratic socialism,” including the concepts of “social ownership,” “social planning,” and the idea that goods and services should be directed toward the people “and not to the making of profit.”

A committee that includes former Manitoba MP Bill Blaikie, former leader Alexa McDonough and former leadership candidate Brian Topp came up with a compromise. Blaikie, in particular, was one a key opponent to moving away from mentioning the party’s ideological roots.

The proposal is a much longer preamble, makes just one mention of the party’s “social democratic and democratic socialist traditions.”

Mulcair has made it clear he doesn’t care for the “1950s boilerplate” language used by the NDP, and that it needs to reach out beyond its usual far left-wing base.

He has tried to move the party further to the centre to make it more competitive electorally, and that includes trying to portray his party as having sound economic policy.

The proposed text is not nearly as unfriendly to business and the free market as the existing one.

“New Democrats affirm a role for government in helping to create the conditions for sustainable prosperity,” says the proposed preamble.

“We believe in a rules-based economy, nationally and globally, in which governments have the power to address the limitations of the market in addressing the common good, by having the power to act in the public interest, for social and economic justice, and for the integrity of the environment.”

The NDP’s policy convention is being held the same weekend that the Liberals elect their new leader.

Original Article
Source: news.nationalpost.com
Author: Jennifer Ditchburn