NDP purges Toronto Young New Democrats

Why would the ONDY be so implacably hostile to Fightback?  What does Fightback group do that the ONDY considers to be evil or whatever?

If they DID break with Fightback, would the TYND still be distinguishable from the youth wing of the Liberals?

Having had a look at the Fightback web site, I think the question is whether they would be distinguishable from the CPC(ML) or some similar organization.

I am inclined to object to the ONDY action on democracy grounds, but I would certainly like some details from the other side before passing judgement.

Ken Burch wrote:

And, of course, the SAME thing will inevitably happen in the "pure" independent Left party(or vanguardist cadre) that genstrike dreams of.  Always does.

And where, pray tell, did I say we need a '"pure" independent Left party' or 'vanguardist cadre'?

The NDP doesn't represent my views and often acts contrary to my interests and views, even going so far as to try to infiltrate and in some cases elected NDP politicians even denounce activist projects that I'm involved in and have gone as far as calling for them to be banned.  Also, I don't think entryism is a good tactic for serious radicals, so I'm not in the NDP (anymore), and that also means I'm not a big fan of the IMT either.

Also, I do think that things like this can be avoided with a differently structured movement, party, or whatever.  I'm not an expert on the internal structure of Quebec Solidaire, but I am under the impression that they allow factions and caucuses to operate openly and even grant them an official status - including an IMT caucus (that is not an endorsement of QS or the IMT, simply one example of a party which doesn't do this sort of thing to the best of my knowledge).

Nicko wrote:

Quote:

Comrades and Friends,

Since it was founded less than a year ago, the Toronto Young New Democrats (TYND) have become the single most successful NDP youth club to exist in Ontario for the last ten years. By reaching out to community groups and providing a democratic forum for the inclusion of all, we have gained a sizable base in areas that normally never see a political party outside of an election. The Esplanade, St. James Town, Lawrence Heights, just to name a few. Everyone who has become involved in the TYND, and all our supporters, should be extremely proud of building the base of the NDP amongst those who need a voice the most.

But, I am sad to say, this work, this great club, is under attack. Last night, at a secret "In Camera" executive meeting of the Ontario New Democratic Youth (ONDY), a resolution (included below) was passed that de-chartered the TYND club. Our club was vaguely charged with violating Article XIV, Section 1(a), intentionally misrepresenting policies of the NDP or ONDY. We were not allowed to know the specifics of the charges, see the evidence or face our accusers, despite repeatedly demanding our rights and protesting against the secrecy. The meeting was held "In Camera" meaning that it is technically prohibited for me to even tell the members of the very club that now, as far as the ONDY co-chairs are concerned, no longer exists, why it is that our charter has been removed!

A more blatant attack on democracy is hard to imagine. The co-chairs of the TYND arrived at the meeting with absolutely no information, the evidence presented was one sided and slanderous, and because it was kept hidden from us, because our basic freedoms were denied us, we lacked the ability to produce evidence of our own or prepare a defence. This is a total abrogation of our rights as defined in the ONDY constitution, the ONDP constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We in no way recognize or validate this illegal decision or the cowardly and secretive way it was made. After making statements against this disgusting process, Jennie Ernewein and myself, co-chairs of the TYND, walked out of the meeting. It should be noted that including our rejection of this process and the resolution that came out of it, the final vote was 5 in favour, 4 against with 1 abstention. This does not meet the 2/3 requirement of the ONDY constitution for de-chartering a club. Yet another breach of the rights of TYND members done by these bureaucrats.

We are accused of having an "allegiance to Fightback" and we are told in the resolution that the TYND must "demonstrably separate itself from Fightback." Fightback is a magazine made up entirely of NDP members. Several TYND members have been published in its pages and it has been an excellent organizing tool for the TYND. NDP members have also been published in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, The National Post, Rabble, Now Magazine and a host of other publications and also the Party has a vast network of bloggers who make up a healthy grassroots level of opinion and expression. Is the ONDY going to start to suppress all forms of expression because the opinions expressed may differ from those of the ONDY Co-chairs? Is this what the ONDY is becoming, that exercising free speech is considered a crime?

We defend the inalienable democratic right of members of our Party to be free to advocate their beliefs, and we reject any kind of thought police that seeks to instigate witch hunts against honest activists. If the ONDY Co-chairs disagree with the policies that our club has democratically adopted through our membership meetings, then they are welcome to attend and put forward their own views. That is the tradition of our Party and of the Labour movement. We believe in the right to openly and honestly defend your views and then to take a vote to decide the direction of our Party organizations.

The TYND has worked with a great many community groups, the Canadian Peace Alliance, the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, The Esplanade Community Group, the Latin American Peace Initiative, and many more. All these groups contain NDP members, and no community group is 100% in line with Party talking points. Should Party members in these groups be subject to secret tribunals as well? The TYND believes that it is good for the Party to reach out to, and to include, outside community groups in our Party by allowing them to take part in shaping our policies through an open democratic process. This is how we build and how we bring others into the NDP.

Instead, we are met with secrecy, the violation of our democratic rights and slanders and attacks on freedom of speech and freedom of the press. This is not the kind of ONDY we want.

We want an ONDY built on reaching out to different community groups and bringing them into our Party. We believe in building an organization that can be the democratic forum that progressive forces need to honestly share their views, and form common goals. We believe it is through democracy and activism that new layers of youth can be brought into the NDP at a time when we need change more than ever.

The ONDY Co-chairs want to sabotage this work from the dark. They wish to destroy the most successful youth club because they are too afraid to fight us in the realm of ideas and open democracy. We will not allow our Party to be disgraced by such people.

We call on all honest youth activists to help fight against this secret and anti-democratic attack. Moreover, we encourage all young workers and students who want the opportunity to have their voices heard in their own Party, to get involved and to fight for a better future for all of us.

The TYND will be holding an Emergency meeting this Friday at the Imperial Pub (at Dundas and Yonge) at 7pm to discuss this situation and the upcoming ONDY Convention. Real change, change that really matters, never comes easy or without a fight, but the TYND and those who support real activism in the NDP youth can make such a change for the better.

For an activist and democratic ONDY!

In Solidarity,
Julian Benson and Jennie Ernewein
TYND Co-chairs

Whereas the Toronto Young New Democrats (TYND) have a duty, as a chartered Ontario New Democratic Youth (ONDY) club, to uphold and promote the policies, program, and principles of Ontario's and Canada's New Democrats; and

Whereas all members of the Party have ample opportunity to voice their individual opinions on policies, programs, and principles through such methods as ONDY's Convention, Provincial Councils, and the Conventions of Ontario's and Canada's New Democrats; and

Whereas an individual's or group's demonstrable membership in or allegiance with a group that promotes policies, programs, or principles that are contrary to those of Ontario's and Canada's New Democrats is in violation of a member's or group's duty to the Party; and

Whereas TYND has aligned itself, both as a club and via individual actions of the club's leadership, with the organization known as Fightback; and

Whereas Fightback promotes policies, programs, and principles that, though connected to, are fundamentally at odds with those of Ontario's and Canada's New Democrats; and

Whereas TYND's allegiance with Fightback reflects poorly on Ontario's and Canada's New Democrats, their elected representatives in the Greater Toronto Area, and those seeking election in the Greater

Toronto Area, by way of promoting policies, programs, and principles under the New Democratic banner that are not necessarily those held by Ontario's or Canada's New Democrats; and

Whereas the actions of some members, and specifically the leaders, of TYND within Fightback are a demonstrable conflict of interest between the policies, program, and principles of Ontario's and Canada's New Democrats and those of Fightback;

Be it resolved that TYND's allegiance with Fightback presents a violation of Article XIV, Section 1(a) of the Constitution of the Ontario New Democratic Youth, which establishes the requirement to de-charter any club which "Intentionally misrepresent[s] the policies, program, or principles of the NDP or the ONDY"; and

Be it further resolved that ONDY revokes the charter granted to TYND in the 2009-10 period, and further withholds re-chartering from TYND until such a time as the club demonstrably separates itself from Fightback.

Fuck the NDP. If you have the email addressess and phone numbers just call your organization something else. Formally resign from the NDP en masse and keep going forward!

Cueball wrote:

If you are going to engage in sectarian leftist mudslinging at least learn something about the ideological foundations of the different factions. Fightback is a Trotskyiest organization. That fellow pictured at the top of the web site with the spectacles is Leon Trotsky. He pre-dates Stephen Lewis by two generations at least. Anyway, the CPC(M-L) is a Leninist organization that is an opponent of the Trotskyiest factions, such as Fightback.

To be a bit more specific, the CPC-ML has their roots in Maoism, later siding with Hoxha's Albania during the Sino-Soviet split.  The figure they probably revere the most is Hardial Bains (also known as "Hardly No-Brains" to some)

I remember, many years ago now, when the YND had a Convention in Winnipeg. The most interesting activists present were from Quebec who, naturally enough, had a mixture of nationalistic, separatist and similar views. They were very much to the left of the NDP itself, of course.Youth political organizations are often like this.

What was amusing to me was the pretense and bullshit around the National Question. The Quebec delegates/guests/whatever they were/ were crystal clear on an issue that the (parent) party lagged hopelessly behind on. So, when the national media arrived a brave, but totally bullshit, front went up around this issue.

Anyway, I've been sympathetic to such activists ever since ... and the bull they often have to put up with. As Cueball noted, screw the NDP and simply move on with a new name, whatever. Keep the activism going and good luck to you. Don't bother looking behind you. That would be a waste of time.

As long as they remain political activists on the left then the NDPers here will wish them well, right?

lol.

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's what Marx said. Socialism in one province!! And overthrow the fourth party in Ottawa!! Let's do a job for Bay Street and the bullshit "Liberal" Party, those lying phony bastards.

I am more than uncomfortable what the ONDY did.

But if genstrike is right that this was classic entryism, its a conundrum.

I dont know how many of you have been around for entryist takeover or paralyzation of meetings, but its not something conducive to the organization in question doing anything.

Its not only political parties that have resorted to expelling groups of entryists. I remember coming into a group in the Nineties, and being surprised then that there are still people doing this. This was a large group composed almost entirely of young activists and my first thought as I watched was "do they know what these people are doing?" But they already had plenty of exposure and knew.

Thanks for the amendment, Ken Burch. Other than that, I agree with you. Splitting the left up into "parties" for whom organizational integrity and unquestioning loyalty is more important than debate, discussion, and united action is quite the curse. Young people should tell the NDP, and all the others for that matter, that if they can't encompass the broad scope of ideas and action that the youth are up for, then it's the party's loss.

I just don't understand why the Ontario NDP can't get any traction with voters. My first convention was an Ont. NDP convention.  I ripped up my card on Sunday morning and threw it on the table and didn't have anything to do with the NDP for over a decade.  

Democracy instead of back room operators is the problem.  At my convention in '72 we young activists and lefties managed on the Saturday to get a resolution passed that said the Ont. NDP would only sit members of the party as delegates no non-members allowed.  Those rules were in effect in most provincial NDP parties at the time.  After a close hard fought floor vote on Saturday on Sunday every single union delegate was there at the first opening of business (many of you understand how unusual this is on a Sunday) and Stephen lewis got up and explained there had been a procedural error made the day before and the vote had to be redone t=right then and there. So you understand the context the heads of the UAW and the Steelworkers who were at the convention were members of the Liberal party and they were directing the votes of their delegates. 

The NDP has not ben a democratic party in its provincial wings for a very very long time.  I still vote for them because they are still better than the Libs but they excite no one because no one believes they have any internal democracy.  The Ont. NDP has the same type of democracy that CLAC has. If you can't tell the difference between a facade and a real structural feature you aren't looking very close.

Moving to Central Canada

George Victor wrote:

Heck, the CCF had to take similar action in the 40s and 50s when it still advocated nationalization of industry. 

And so it goes.

Yes and it has led to such great success electorally for the federal CCF/NDP.  

Doing things that don't work over and over while expecting a different outcome is a definition of insanity IMO.

According to post # 19, it is a damn good thing IMV that the ONNDY got rid of what appears to be a whacked out cult trying to take it over. A leader of a youth group that is in his middle years is just damn creepy. The comments about him make it even more creepy.

siamdave, the left has always been weak when it comes to 'helpful' whispers that divide and conquer. I have watched/heard it for  decades now. Kinda like that segment in Lord of the Rings, where that evil wizard 'advisor' whispers self destructive hate into the King's ear.

And Remind that is why I used the story I did.  Democracy in Canada seems to mean join a party and accept what the back room operators present and work your butt off to have THEIR views implemented. The Ont. NDP fought to keep liberals in its conventions but kicks out socialists who want a more left party.   How's that working for the NDP?  Many election wins federally since they threw out the Waffle and periodically every other socialist who presents left ideas?

Imagine the nerve of those young leftists to try and influence the party. They likely made the mistake of thinking the constitution in its Article 2 Principles was serious.  

"To this end we will invite the co-operation of all persons who are dedicated to the extension of freedom, the abolition of poverty and the elimination of exploitation."

At least the Ont. NDP unlike the BC NDP has dropped any reference to socialism in its constitution.  So yes I guess if are not a democratic socialist party then they wouldn't want young lefties trying to turn the discourse into one based on those old non-capitalist ideas.

I might agree with you Kropotkin, in other instances, but this group, from what has appeared here about them, is very creepy and cultish, and is what appears to be just a manifestation of a middle aged white man's ego.

As to the Waffle, living in memories from 4 decades ago, is not something I want to do, it serves no purpose.

remind wrote:

I might agree with you Kropotkin, in other instances, but this group, from what has appeared here about them, is very creepy and cultish, and is what appears to be just a manifestation of a middle aged white man's ego.

As to the Waffle, living in memories from 4 decades ago, is not something I want to do, it serves no purpose.

I have not met any of these people and only know what I have read on line. I personally give the young people in this group more credit than to think a middle aged white guys ego trip is the only reason they are deeply invested in left wing politics.  You may be right all these sincere young people trying to make change might just be dupes of a middle aged white guy but do you really think purging them in an undemocratic process helps?  

Given the lack of process when there is a due process supposedly in place screams to other young left activists that the NDP is not a party for any serious change actor and they better look elsewhere. The powers that be in the NDP think its better the young volunteers learn it's the phone bank for them reading a scripted message sanitized by party rulers that appeals to middle class voters.  Imagine trying to influence the parties direction. The nerve of those young people.

@ edmund occonor:

Well said.

Seems to be an unparalleled talent the ONDP has.

Though I will say that entryism is so pervasive, and uses meeeting/organization process so skillfully and with scorched earth that nothing but their agenda matters, that they leave the unwilling host with no feasible choice other than expelling them.

kropotkin1951 wrote:

And Remind that is why I used the story I did.  Democracy in Canada seems to mean join a party and accept what the back room operators present and work your butt off to have THEIR views implemented. The Ont. NDP fought to keep liberals in its conventions but kicks out socialists who want a more left party.   How's that working for the NDP?  Many election wins federally since they threw out the Waffle and periodically every other socialist who presents left ideas?

Imagine the nerve of those young leftists to try and influence the party. They likely made the mistake of thinking the constitution in its Article 2 Principles was serious.  

"To this end we will invite the co-operation of all persons who are dedicated to the extension of freedom, the abolition of poverty and the elimination of exploitation."

At least the Ont. NDP unlike the BC NDP has dropped any reference to socialism in its constitution.  So yes I guess if are not a democratic socialist party then they wouldn't want young lefties trying to turn the discourse into one based on those old non-capitalist ideas.

I was at the gathering when the NDP union membership threw out the Waffle.  It was mortally hard to get back into action again, particularly since that same union element rejected any environmental initiatives within the NDP.  But after a bit of a sulk and participoating in the formation of the Ontario Greens (that was a mistake), I returned to the fold.

Unfortunately, some of the working people came to be supporters of the Liberal and (Great Gaia) Conservative parties, making re-election easy for the Jim Flahertys of General Motors City and elsewhere, following their union leadership...that, too, was clearly a mistake on the part of NDP leadership.  They clearly should have out-conserved what Tommy called Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Mind you, they did not have to go so far as go along with knocking 21 per cent off the income of people on welfare in Ontario in pursuit of big Mike's Common Sense Revolution.

But the revolutionary spirit has lagged often, in this fashion...again, no doubt because the NDP messages in defence of a welfare state were unheard during the general economic collapse of the early 90s, and the bitterness of those union people determined to pay off those bastards who put them on a Rae Days' regimen.

The degree to which so many ignore such historical economic facts when given their ideological head in threads such as this, confirm for me that the left is living on borrowed time.

When the ideologues, hereabouts, can actually begin to empathize with the threatened wage earners in a private world that is next to economic collapse, and talk about realizeable remedies to the threats they face in the real world , we can all take hope.

George Victor wrote:

When the ideologues, hereabouts, can actually begin to empathize with the threatened wage earners in a private world that is next to economic collapse, and talk about realizeable remedies to the threats they face in the real world , we can all take hope.

First, I'm not a fan of the word "ideologue".  Everyone has an ideology, whether they know it or not.

Second, when will the soft, fuzzy, "non-ideological" social democrats start empathizing and talking about these threats or realizable remedies to them?  I see more serious solutions coming out of activist groups and little far-left groups than I see coming out of the Manitoba NDP.

edmundoconnor wrote:

The ONDP has a talent of doing the right thing, but screwing itself up so much over how the process is done, that it creates a new host of un-needed enemies.

Doing the right (or at least necessary) thing incompetently.

In Saskatchewan, we dealt with the Waffle by defeating them on the convention floor on a series of policy votes.  They walked out - with Allan Blakeney standing at a mic and pleading with them to stay.

A few years ago, the Socialist Causus was still peddling the line that "the Waffle was expelled" which, while true in SOME parts of the party, was NOT true across the board.  (Of course, the SC is even more Torontocentric than the Toronto Star.

I have no doubt that the ONDY completely screwed up the process here.  The evidence available suggests (though not conclusively) that this may have been the correct outcome.

In some places, the NDP has run candidates municipally, though I'm not aware of anywhere this has been a consistent practice.

Remember, also, that the battle to drive the Waffle out occurred in the same era when, to the party's eternal shame, David Lewis AND Tommy Douglas were working the floor of the NDP convention to stop the party electing a black woman, Rosemary Brown, as leader.

Fat lot of good that victory for the Caucasian phallocracy did, since all the party gained by electing the bland white guy instead was a trivial increase in votes from 15% to 20%.  There's no way the NDP would have done worse with Rosemary, since nobody who would even have thought of voting for the party would have insisted that its leader be white and male.  And as a result of that choice, people of color stayed away from the NDP for another generation.

Those were TWO chances the NDP had to matter, and both times, it chose to be irrelevant and meaningless instead.

Evening Star wrote:

Ken Burch wrote:

Fat lot of good that victory for the Caucasian phallocracy did, since all the party gained by electing the bland white guy instead was a trivial increase in votes from 15% to 20%.  There's no way the NDP would have done worse with Rosemary, since nobody who would even have thought of voting for the party would have insisted that its leader be white and male.

I'm too young to have been around but was this necessarily true of all the NDP's working-class or rural Western base?  (Sincere question.  I honestly have no idea.)  Also, that "trivial increase" under Broadbent was the best the party ever did, wasn't it?

No, it is not true Evening Star, as it is not even true today, let alone way back when....and yes it was.