More than 1500 delegates and observers spent the last weekend debating, strategizing, networking and celebrating 50 years of the NDP at Vancouver’s new convention center.
This showcase convention highlighted new Members of Parliament to the NDP membership and the public, and, with a nod to its past on this 50th anniversary, arguing that this Official Opposition is ready to move forward and is indeed the “government in waiting”, ready to represent both Quebec and the whole of the country.
Here are few photos and highlights of the convention.
Showcase
It was indeed a showcase convention, and without doubt the opportunity to hear from and learn about many of the new MPs was a major highlight of the weekend. The convention had been billed as a celebration – and so it was, beginning with a roaring welcome to the 103 MPs, and party leader Jack Layton (who left the convention with 97.9% approval rating) and a spectacular dance party with up and coming Vancouver band Said the Whale on the Saturday night.
Much convention time was also given to sophisticated multi-media displays celebrating electoral successes and party history.
On the other hand, this meant less time for what many delegates came for: plenary resolution debate and discussion on directions for the party. Despite repeated pleas from the floor, there was very little plenary time for the discussion and debate of the many resolutions developed by riding associations across the country, including a much anticipated discussion on Libya.
The wisdom of elders
Major high points of the weekend were both keynote addresses by Ed Broadbent and Stephen Lewis. These, combined with the moving tribute to the party’s past, and the announcement of the launch of the Broadbent Institute, gave the convention a sense of stature and momentum.
A disappointment to some was the merging of the stories of Audrey McLaughlin and Alexa McDonough in the tributes to past leaders. McDonough was in the audience. It would have been nice for party organizers to created an opportunity to permit the convention floor to hear from one of the few female leaders of the party. (Many delegates didn’t even realize she was in the room.)
The grassroots
From the convention floor, the adoption of the resolution in support of InSite and drug policy reform on Sunday was a highlight. Convention chairs had repeatedly stopped attempts to have the resolution debated, yet the persistent efforts of delegates and the overwhelming support of the floor, led to a suspension of the agenda to the allow the resolution to be debated.
It was a moment where the delegates demanded to be heard and were successful.
This win by the floor was all the more important after – as reported by the likes of Sun Media’s David Akin and the Toronto Star’s Joanna Smith – convention organizers effectively blocked a resolution in support of the Canadian Boat to Gaza from seeing the light of day on the convention floor.
Socialism isn’t what it used to be. Or is it?
The potential for division on the resolution to remove socialism from the constitution was palpable on the convention floor – both in its content and by the means by which it came to be at the top of the resolutions lists. This division was no doubt epitomized by Barry Weisleder’s impassioned plea to maintain the party’s roots on the one hand, and MP Pat Martin’s evocative and controversial metaphor of a boat held back by its anchor – these same party roots, on the other.
But this moment was transformed into a highlight by newly elected party president Brian Topp’s eloquent intervention reminding delegates that we are no longer in election mode, that we have time to consult with members across the country, as well as with artists, poets and musicians to make any updating of the constitution a thing of “beauty” and of “vision”. The decision was thus left to another time.
Delegates and rabbler rousers
The delegates themselves were a highlight: The strong presence from Quebec, the mostly bilingual functioning of the convention, the regional, ethnic, cultural and age diversity of the delegates, and the presence in the room of so many past MPs – including Svend Robinson, Bill Blaikie, Judy W-L, Margaret Mitchell, Dick Proctor and more, were without doubt highlights of this convention.
And, from a rabble perspective, it was terrific to connect with such a strong contingent of rabble bloggers, contributors and babblers as we crossed paths on the convention floor, observation areas and hallways – in addition, of course, to the discussion board threads on convention.
Social media
Although perhaps not enough lauded at convention, party staff have done innovative work over the past few years in developing social and new media tools for membership engagement.
Not only with facebook, twitter and YouTube – all of which were very present at convention, but also including telephone townhalls, video livestreams, and the party’s robust election iPad app (which was transformed, post election, to share convention updates).
The NDP’s membership is profoundly interested in being engaged in setting party direction. Convention only happens every couple of years however these new media tools offer possibilities for the party to connect with membership as never before. They’ll need to chose whether these will be in ways that are top-down driven, or interactive…
More images on Flickr.com.
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