I imagine lots. Back when I was a little younger in the late 1970's and early 1980's Dipper conventions as I recall were typically about twice the size of the event this weekend.
There were over 1200 registered delegates and apparently that was the largest convention in 20 years.
Some food for thought for the 23% of delegates who wanted a leadership review. In the last provincial election, Horwath pledged to [url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ontario-ndp-would-hike-corporate-taxes-ho... corporate taxes.[/url] In Manitoba, Greg Selinger not only lowered corporate taxes as Finance Minister under Gary Doer, but burned his political capital by breaking a promise to not raise taxes, and he did so by raising the regressive PST. So if you really don't like Horwath? Please, send her out this way. I'd take Andrea Horwath over Greg Selinger any day of the week.
Now that Andrea has won a vote of confidence, she and her new leadership team have two years to demonstrate to the membership that they have taken the criticism of the campaign and the party seriously, and have at least begun to change the political culture and direction of the party.
Then, at the next convention, in 2016, delegates will decide whether or not to hold another leadership vote, as per Article 8, Section 1, Sub-article 1.5 of the Constitution. What we now need is a process to ensure that the dialogue between the party leadership and the membership continues and that the views of the membership are heard in a meaningful way. Let's hope that's what happens, because, if it doesn't, 2016 could be an interesting year for the ONDP.
I have to agree! I gave up my membership too.
Moi aussi. I am open to the idea of rejoining sometime in the future if there is a clear change of direction, but I'm not expecting that to happen. On reflection I realized membership input, other than $$$$, was not valued at all. If I want to contribute to making ours a better society, there are more efficacious means of doing so than participating in the Ontario NDP. Sadly.
There's too much of Tweedledum and Tweedledee out there. I hardly recognized the NDP of the last campaign, and I don't see it at the federal level either.
Time for guerilla social activism.
