We'll be tweeting occasionally from the federal #NDP convention, which we are attending as media.

Why are we at this convention?

Unlike Canada's two main political parties, the Liberals and Conservatives, the NDP has at least a history of opposition to capitalism (though it has distanced itself from that history in recent years), and has close ties to the labour movement.

The party was, after all, created as an alliance between its predecessor the nominally socialist Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) as well as the Canadian Labour Congress.

The CCF originated in the 1930s as a project of socialists, farmers, labour groups and others.

The CCF's founding doc, the Regina Manifesto of 1933, stated, "No CCF Government will rest content until it has eradicated capitalism and put into operation the full programme of socialized planning which will lead to the establishment in Canada of the Cooperative Commonwealth."

The Communist Party of Canada (CPC) had been a major force on the left since the end of the First World War. By the time of the CCF's founding the CPC was falling in line with Stalin.

The two parties cooperated for a time in the '30s, but the CCF drifted right and the CPC followed Stalin. By the 1950s, in the height of red scare, the CCF adopted its Winnipeg Declaration, distancing itself from socialism and aligning with social democracy (aka capitalism lite).

The CCF had passed substantial legislation in its time in the direction of public ownership, removing important social functions from capitalist control. For example, pushed by left movements, the SK CCF of Tommy Douglas enacted medicare, then the CCF pushed for it nationally.

By 1961, the CCF and CLC allied and rebranded the party as the New Democratic Part. By then, and especially moving through the 1970s coinciding with the ascendance of neoliberal capitalism (as opposed to Keynesian), the NDP moved further and further right.

Notably, as the NDP governed at provincial levels (BC, SK, MB, ON, and later NS and AB), it became clear decolonization was not part of their program. The party facilitated the theft of Indigenous lands, mainly for capitalist interests, and enacted racist policy (eg. prisons).

At many points along the way, left currents inside and outside the party attempted to pull the party left. The Waffle of the 1970s, New Politics Initiative of early 2000s, and many more. More recently, this has shown up in groups like Socialist Caucus, Courage, and others.

These efforts have, at times, brought some amount of left policy into the party, but by and large they have been rejected (eg. the Waffle being expelled) or co-opted (eg. Jack Layton co-opting the NPI and leading to the right).

The party has long been criticized from the left and social movements for being too focused on electoral success, chasing centrist voters, abandoning principles, closing political horizons, and co-opting movements, rather than supporting movements and pushing bold left policy.

Since the early 2000s, the staff of the NDP has grown and the governance of the party has centralized and professionalized. This has led left groups like @Courage_CA to push for increased democracy and transparency in the party, in addition to left policy.

As we reported in advance of this convention, the party did not integrate resolutions passed last convention (2018) into its policy book. https://www.mediacoop.ca/story/federal-ndp-fails-live-its-constitution-courage-co/37107

The party also did not implement a process passed last convention to democratize how resolutions are prioritized before convention. https://mediacoop.ca/story/federal-ndp-will-not-meet-2018-resolution-timeline/37115

Resolutions for this convention have been prioritized and the event started this afternoon.

Only a small number of resolutions are expected to be debated and voted on, and many with the highest prioritization are relatively non-controversial (eg. $15 min wage).

At this convention it will be interesting seeing what if any resolutions are passed to increase democracy in the party and push it to be a force fighting for fundamental changes at the scales needed to address the crises we face (colonialism, climate, inequality, etc).

If the answer is no, that the party will not be moved left and not made more democratic, where will left activists go?

We will follow the convention this weekend, and try to asses the implications of what happens.

There are seventeen guest speakers scheduled, including several heads of provincial parties (eg. Notley, Horgan).

A delegate hoping to pass an amendment limiting these speakers' talks to 5 minutes each so there is more time to debate resolutions was voted down by a wide margin.

Several speeches have been made, and now there are reports from commissions.

Nothing very controversial, aside from a Canadian Labour Congress representative praising the NDP's pandemic response, including the wage subsidy which has been used in many instances to pay investors.

Also: https://twitter.com/matt_fodor/status/1380609011754668036

Wab Kinew (MB NDP leader) speaking now.

Says a line that drives anti-poverty advocates up the wall: "No one who works a full time job should live in poverty." Anti-poverty activists stress that *no one* should live in poverty.

Also calls for a crown corporation for vaccines.

Panel now on campaigning in a pandemic, mainly staffers talking.

Two hours into convention, less than two hours left in the day. No discussion on resolutions yet.

Now onto resolutions in SECTION 1: INNOVATING AND PROSPERING IN A NEW ENERGY ECONOMY

# #NDPConvention2021

First motion "01-16 -20 Ensuring the Wealthy Pay Their Share"

Would increase taxes on the wealthy (80% marginal rate on income over $1 million, 1% tax on wealth over a $20 million), close / crackdown on tax loopholes and havens, excess profits tax, ending some tax credits.

Jagmeet Singh speaks first, is for. Repeats "pay their fair share" phrase several times.

Delegate speaks against saying this motion doesn't go far enough.

Delegate (a USW member) speaks for.

Another "con" who is in favour of the spirit of the resolution but not the details.

Another "pro" speaker. Like the last "pro" speaker, also from USW, and also reading from a script.

Resolution moving to a vote. Not sure if the vote happened or will happen later.

Next resolution: 01-03-20 $15 MINIMUM WAGE AND ADEQUATE CANADA WORKERS BENEFIT

Calls for $15 federal min wage, plus increase in Canada Workers Benefit.

Would be surprised if $15 min wage isn't already NDP policy.

Motion to amend motion from $15 to $20 per hour min wage. Debating the amendment.

Amendment carries by 2/3rds.

Debate continues on the resolution. #NDPConvention2021

"Con" speaker from Toronto saying a $20 min wage is a "great idea" but it "puts a target on the party's back," opens party up to attack from Libs, Cons, media.

Votes on the resolutions seem to be happening now (increasing taxes on wealthy and $20 min wage). #NDPConvention2021

There were 40 minutes today to debate resolutions (a day with 3h45 of convention time), and now 20 minutes to vote on the two resolutions that were debated in that time. Seems the other eighteen resolutions in this policy section will not get debated and voted on.

Votes on the two resolutions will not be announced until tomorrow morning.

#NDPConvention2021 convention is done for the day. We'll be back tomorrow.

You can follow along with us at the #NDPConvention2021 today (Saturday) on this thread: https://twitter.com/mediacoop/status/1380907502359998467