This weekend in Hamilton saw the annual convention of the Ontario New Democratic Youth (ONDY), which turned into one of the most intense and crucial political battles that the NDP youth wing has ever seen. The ONDY has been sharply divided for weeks following the de-chartering of the Toronto Young New Democrats (TYND), one of the largest and strongest clubs, by the ONDY executive in a secret “in camera” meeting, using evidence that TYND members were not allowed to see. This un-democratic attack stemmed from the desire by members of the ONDY executive and certain Party staffers to rid the ONDY of so-called “radicals” by any means.

On 8th October, the National Post published an article titled, “Not your father’s socialism.” It uncovered a plot by NDP brass to re-write the party’s constitution, eliminating any mention of socialism, economic planning, or nationalization.  Recently, in Ontario, sections of the party's youth bureaucracy have moved to de-charter the Toronto Young New Democrats, the most active youth club within the Ontario NDP in recent memory.  And, in BC, leader Carole James kicked out MLA Bob Simpson after the mildest of criticisms to her leadership.  Democratic freedom of thought, association, and criticism is essential to build a lively, active, and victorious movement. Any turn to the right is a short-cut off a cliff.

After months of organizing and eager anticipation, the first Socialist Summer Camp organized by the Toronto Young New Democrats (TYND) finally happened over the weekend of August 20 to 22, and it proved to be a major success. About two dozen attended the camp at the family campground of Neezh Meegwunun on Georgina Island, owned by Chippewa First Nation.

The media has recently been full of talk about a coalition between the federal Liberal Party and the NDP. Earlier in June, it was revealed that, behind closed doors, naturally, “senior insiders” from both parties had been holding “secret talks” about actually merging the parties in order to defeat the Tories.  While these discussions should be taken seriously by all socialists, workers, and youth in the NDP and the trade unions, the reality of the situation is that a merger of the two parties is, more than likely, not in the cards anytime soon. However, by placing the peg of the discussion as far as a merger, the leaking of these “high-level” discussions gives ample room, both in the Liberal Party and the NDP, for discussions about a coalition or some sort of electoral alliance.

It appears that NDP deputy leader Libby Davies has been ambushed. After being set up in an interview clearly designed to entrap her, the country’s right wing has initiated a witch-hunt. They have seized upon a series of comments she made about Israel and Palestine to smear her personally, the NDP left, and the opposition to Israeli imperialism and the struggle against the occupation in general. Disgustingly, the initiator of this tirade was none other than the NDP’s other deputy party leader, Thomas Mulcair.

The recent by-election in the Toronto-Centre riding offered the NDP an excellent opportunity to begin the provincial fight back against the cuts and attacks that Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals are promising. As we have written over the past couple of issues, the Liberals are vowing to attack public sector jobs and services in order to balance the massive $25-billion Ontario deficit. Although the NDP did not win the by-election, there were some positive signs that if the party adopts the correct slogans and platform, it can play a major role in organizing resistance to the bosses’ attacks.

On 9th November 2009, a federal by-election was held in the Montreal riding of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. The results show important gains for the NDP and that Quebecois workers are searching for an alternative to the traditional bourgeois parties. This includes the bourgeois-nationalist Bloc Quebecois, which has dominated this working-class area since 1993. In Quebec, these developments are important because the national question has historically been used to cut across the class struggle, preventing the formation of a genuine labour party.

This coming Friday (29th Jan. 2010), the Toronto Young New Democrats will be launched.  Fightback welcomes the launch of this new city-wide youth club that will help to inject some much needed activism into the NDP.  For far too long, there hasn't been enough activity to attract young militants into the party; the TYND will be a great way to get young workers active and involved.

For 30 years, the NDP has been swinging to the right. If this process were to continue it would put at risk the very position of the party as the expression of the Canadian working class. Now, as the effects of the world crisis are weighing heavily on Canadian society, within the NDP there is an attempt to take the party back to the values it was originally built on.

Fightback has long warned that the right-ward drift of the NDP leadership in British Columbia would hurt the party in the polls. The argument is often made that in order to win over “middle of the road voters,” you have to moderate your demands and program. In fact, history has proven that this moderation only leads to disaster. What is needed is a strong socialist program to inspire the mass of the population.