Welcome to rabble.ca's extended series on the Canadian left -- Reinventing democracy, reclaiming the commons: A progressive dialogue on the future of Canada -- a look at where it stands after the 2011 federal election, and what the future can hold. The series will run in this, rabble.ca's 10th year, and is curated by journalist Murray Dobbin.
Three years ago, I followed my heart to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the first U.S. Social Forum. I had attended several World Social Forums and was convinced that this new way of organizing was building social movements in a more democratic and inclusive way.
I was also part of a failed attempt to organize a social forum in Canada that hit against the shoals of national conflicts. So when I heard there was to be a U.S. Social Forum, I knew I had to go.
When I told my brother that we were at the 10th anniversary of the New Politics Initiative, he replied, "Really only 10 years ago? It seems much longer." When the co-founder of the NPI Jim Stanford suggested to me that we write a look back at the NPI, my first reaction was not overly positive. It seems like another era when he and I were so enthusiastic about the anti-globalization movement that we thought it was worth a try to convince the NDP to open its arms not only to that movement but to other forces on the Left and start a new united party based on different principles.