Three years ago, as envisioned by some of Canada’s leading leftist activists and thinkers — among them Judy Rebick, Naomi Klein and Jim Stanford — the New Politics Initiative was born with an ambitious agenda to create a new political party in partnership with the NDP. It would unite both the parliamentary and social movement components of Canada’s left under a new activist party, while opening up to participatory democracy and more radical ideas. The NPI is now part of history and earlier this week, founders and supporters gathered for a wrap-up conference.

With 30 minutes to go before the scheduled start of the meeting, the hall was peppered with what had become the usual crowd at gatherings of the NPI: a mix of party folk, social activists, and some of the most active from Toronto’s hard-left, plus some (strangely enough, for a wrap-up conference) new faces. The Socialist Caucus of the NDP was setting up a table near one of the exits, while others conversed with friends they hadn’t seen in some time, or filed by the cake and coffee table. The people who’d already gathered were in a visibly positive, if a bit nostalgic, space.

Stories abounded of how the New Politics Initiative had begun three years ago in the summer of 2001 as a result of frustration with the NDP during a time of opportunity for the left in Canada. It seemed to be just the beginning of the anti-globalization movement, and people across the world were growing angry with U.S. President George Bush’s regressive foreign policy. But still the NDP in Canada seemed both unable and unwilling to capitalize on this momentum.

The NPI attracted wide-ranging support from leftists young and old from both inside the NDP and among the social movements, but could not sustain itself much longer after the defeat of its resolution at the NDP’s 2001 Winnipeg Convention, where it garnered the support of nearly 40 per cent of delegates.

The Initiative later tried to refocus to continue working on other projects, such as creating a dialogue between the left in Québec and the rest of Canada, advancing participatory democracy, and creating new, non-patriarchal ways for participation and inclusion in politics, with varying degrees of success. But the project began to unravel soon after its national conference in Ottawa, in October 2002, culminating in last Sunday’s final public meeting of the NPI.

The gathering managed to start on time, a feat that would put even the sternest of riding associations into a fit of envy. The evaluation of the NPI’s success and failure, facilitated by publisher and social activist, Judy Rebick, began with a quick history of the Initiative, dating back to a discussion between Rebick and CAW economist, Jim Stanford. The evaluation moved from the first stages of the concept through debates over how best to organize, the reaction from the party brass (“NDP! NDP!”), to the night before the vote at Winnipeg (a defining moment in the history of the NPI, characterizing its hopefulness and enthusiasm for the rest of its time) and beyond. The discussion then broke up into table discussions about whether the NPI had achieved its goals or made a difference.

Common themes popped up around the room: No, we didn’t form a new party, so obviously we hadn’t fulfilled all of our goals. But the NPI did act as an abrupt kick-start for a party that had become stagnant and confused. The NPI had also opened a dialogue with the left in Québec, and provided an open space for ideas, debate and thought on capacity building.

“The NPI seems to express hope,” said NDP stalwart, Dan Heap. “It was hope that was scarce.”

The end of the break cut off conversations as people rediscovered their attention spans to listen to NDP leader, Jack Layton, address the crowd on the question, “Is New Politics possible?” and a panel facilitated by Toronto activist, Louise James. Addressing concerns about the party’s attitude towards social movements, Layton said, “You will never hear me complaining about social movements pushing too hard. If anything, you’ll hear me say ‘Why aren’t you pushing us harder?’” The NDP leader went on to comment about how the party has changed and adapted in an effort to be more activist and inclusive, with the creation of advocacy teams, and various campaigns from proportional representation, to opposition to “Star Wars.”

Panellist Mick Panesar of the Communist Party (and an avid birder), responded first, addressing instead the question “Do elections matter?”

Saskatchewan social activist, Merran Proctor then responded, detailing why New Politics is certainly possible, and why it’s necessary in a world where the vast majority of people, regardless of whether or not they vote, feel that elections do matter. Proctor went on to list the number of ways the Palliser riding association has become more activist, mounted campaigns on both local and national issues, making an impact on Regina and Moose Jaw.

When Jim Stanford’s turn rolled around, the veteran NPIer busted into a rap about the goals and influence of the New Politics Initiative, and met with the intended mix of cringes and guffaws from the onlooking crowd.

Jim’s rap

Yo’
If you’re sitting on the left,
and you don’t know where to go,
get your butt into the street,
with a “hey” and a “ho.”
You got to fight for social justice,
hurry don’t be late,
but don’t forget to take a stand
against the bourgeois state.
Yes we need a mass party,
that much is surely true,
but we also need to struggle
on a daily basis too.
Once we get our ducks in order,
we can set our sights so high.
Then we’ll stop and say a thank you
to the NPI.
Yeah.

Stanford went on to say that while the NDP had made some significant changes, there were still fundamental internal problems: most riding associations were pretty much the same (save Palliser), Federal Council was pretty much the same and the electoral focus of the party was pretty much the same.

Our high expectations for the NDP, he argued, cannot be met without five crucial changes:

  • a new partnership with Québec;
  • a new partnership with the labour movement;
  • an educated and mobilized mass membership;
  • finding new ways to talk to and reach people;
  • and above all else, building activism.

“Is New Politics Possible? It has to be possible. And indeed it is.” Stanford said, recalling the NPI meeting the night before the vote in Winnipeg “If we can one day reproduce that night in a whole party, a whole movement, we won’t just have new politics, we’ll have a new world.”

As the panel wrapped up, and the cash bar opened, the activists drank a toast to the NPI.

“C’est tellement triste les gens qui ne connaissent pas l’enthusiasm,” said Judy Rebick, recalling the memorial to feminist and trade organizer Léa Roback. “’Unfounded hope, like unconditional love, is the only kind worth having,’” recalling the words of a friend. “So here is a toast to the NPI. To our enthusiasm, our hope, and our courage.”