Frustration on the Left

The political left in Canada absolutely needs to change the way it does business. During the past thirty years or so it has become disconnected from the people, and ideas that gave it life. It has become club that dreams of past glories and a future that has never happened. The NDP in particular, need to become less of a political party obsessed with finding a way of positioning themselves close enough to the middle of the political spectrum to somehow make themselves palatable to what they believe is the mainstream of the voting public. Continuing along this path will only blur the differences that them different, and preferrable, to the two centre right parties.

The left ought not fear proposing policies meant to improve the lives of the average Canadian. They need to send a clear message to voters, that their ideas will not bankrupt the economy and are more fiscally responsible than the policies of the Conservatives under Harper. After all, it is the Conservatives that have given us a $55 billion deficit, massive unemployment, and the systematic destruction of the manufacturing industry. All the while Harper pontificates about the repatriation of Tim Horton's head office, as a result of his tax policies. That is all well and good, but how many additional jobs has this provided Canadians, especially in the hard hit manufacturing heartland of Ontario.

Policies that enhance the social safety net for the average middle class Canadian aren't reviled by the average voter. Certainly they will be attacked by the right, but if the New Democrats pick those issues that resonate with the people, and build their platform of responsible change it will resonate with Canadians. It was the Conservatives who argued that it was too expensive to improve EI in what has been the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. It is that same Conservative Party that has overseen the fire sale of Canadian resource companies and manufacturers. What did they do to insure the longterm employment of miners at Falconbridge in Sudbury, (686 laid off in February of this year)? What did they do to insure that there would be no disruption of production at INCO when it was purchased by CVRD from Brazil, (forced into a strike in May)? Where was Tony Clement when US Steel shut down the Stelco plant in Hamilton, and then locked out the workforce at the Nanticoke operations this summer? Where were they when John Deere shut down in Welland and moved to Mexico. Where are they as the CAW tries to negotiate with Ford. Ford, the corporation that has a $1.8 billion shortfall in its pension plan obligations, in spite of praising themselves for declaring a $2.8 billion profit in the second quarter of 2009. The same Ford motor company that is demanding concession from Canadian workers while announcing the closure of plants in Ontario and the signing of agreements to open new plants in China. The list of missed opportunity and failed policies is almost without end.

There is little to differentiate the policies of the Liberals and Conservatives. Canadians need a real change. The New Democrats need to see the current situation as an opportunity. They need to organize at a grass roots level. They need to become a movement that attracts the young voters who do not currently vote. The fact that there has been a continuing decrease in the numbers of voters over the course of the last number of elections really only serves to solidify the positions of the old line parties. There is no better place to start than by educating Canadians that Flaherty's budget deficit will be used a a tool to downsize the social safety net even further. Without a strong left-wing alternative, Canada will become a meaner, less-caring society.