Electoral reform and bottom-up transformation

To reverse galloping inequality and ecological ruin requires bottom-up transformation. That necessitates a party rooted in grassroots activism.

My first goal as NDP leader would be to create a party with engaged constituency associations working with unions, community and other organizations to spread our ideas and influence. The resulting grassroots structure would shape party policy. If we are to be a party that stands for real democracy in both the political and economic spheres we must demonstrate our commitment to internal democracy. To that end a policy conference would be organized as the culmination of a process energizing our party structure.

At that policy conference, I would argue for the following:

• That the party constitution be amended to state the NDP stands for economic democracy, which would be defined as including the principle of one person, one vote decision making in all parts of the economy that rely on social labour.
• That the party constitution be amended to state the NDP is committed to ongoing education about economic democracy as part of returning to our activist roots.
• That the party constitution be amended to state the NDP stands for Land Back, reconciliation and an expansion of indigenous jurisdiction.
• That the party constitution be amended to state the NDP stands for demilitarization, non-interference and international law.
• That the party constitution be amended to state the NDP stands for ecological sustainability and against fossil fuels and endless consumption.

I would further argue for an election platform that included the following promises:

• An NDP government’s first priority would be to design and implement a proportional representation electoral system that ensured equality of voice, vote and power for all citizens. This would include implementing a tax on all advertising and “public relations” to be directed towards news and other democratically run cultural/media cooperatives independent of government, corporations and wealthy ‘owners’. Once this electoral and media system was designed and implemented the government would quickly call an election.

To have the legitimacy to undertake more substantive change, we must be empowered by the will of Canadians in a truly democratic election and take the time for party activists to explain what they want to accomplish and why. Limiting our initial election promise to electoral/media reform, together with some minimal initial economic and social promises, would broaden our appeal to the many who distrust politicians and our current electoral system. Then, if we did what was promised once elected, followed by immediately calling another election, the NDP would be seen as committed to democracy and not the same old Liberals and Conservatives.

The fact I’m not and have never been a politician might help ordinary Canadians believe in our sincerity.

NDP memberships can be had for as little as $5 on the party’s website