Remember the New Politics Initiative, founded back in 2001?
The New Politics Initiative (or NPI) was a faction of Canada's New Democratic Party. It was generally viewed to be further left then Alexa McDonough's leadership, but not as far left as the Socialist Caucus.
The NPI believed that the NDP was moving too close to the right, and was dangerously close to becoming another Liberal Party. It believed in uniting Canada's left to combat this. The NPI viewed Canada's left as being more than just the labour unions, but rather as appealing to a staunch left wing who believe in anti-globalization, feminism, gay rights, and environmentalism. The NPI attributed the poor showing of the NDP in recent years to having alienated its leftwing base by moving towards the centre, and wished to bring these activists into the NDP by adopting their views.
The NPI folded in 2004, but not before counting such NDP luminaries as Libby Davis, Svend Robinson, and Judy Rebick as members. What of current leader, Jack Layton?
When Jack Layton won the NDP leadership in January 2003, it was taken as a victory by the NPI, with whom Jack Layton had sympathized, but never joined. Key NPI leaders such as Robinson, Davies and Rebick supported Layton's campaign for leader. During the 2004 federal election, Layton adopted unequivocally left-wing policies; accordingly, since Layton took over the reins of the party, the NPI became less vocal and formally dissolved in early 2004.
Another important NPI figure was Corvin Russell:
Corvin Russell is an experienced activist, political organizer, and popuar educator who has worked on a wide range of issues including participatory democracy, anti-war and global justice. He was also on the steering committee of the New Politics Initiative.
So what does Corvin Russell think of Jack Layton, the NPI's "victory"? Here is Russell's report from the NDP convention:
Like a jovial, latter-day Lenin, a giant Jack Layton stares at me from a banner hanging over the front doors of the Quebec City Convention Centre, where NDP activists are gathering for their convention. Layton's image and name are ubiquitous here, at the first biennial party convention in nearly four years. The cover of the convention guide features five photos: four of Layton, and one of a woman holding a “Jack Layton” sign. Above the registration desk, Layton's name dwarfs the party's.
The passing of so much time has thrown into relief how much Layton has changed the tone and style of the party's politics. On the convention floor, the delegates are militant, passionate, and in many cases, quite articulate. The convention's organization, however, is a triumph of appearance over substance. The objective of party managers seems to be a display of peppy unity that effaces all sense of political life inside the party.
Sounds like the NPI's dream leader has turned into a nightmare. That's not an exaggeration:
Convention winds up with a long speech by Layton. The speech is introduced by a slick video of various party activists showering praise on Layton, and Layton's long, sound-tracked procession to the stage. (At the last minute, after a protest by the youth caucus, it is decided not to invite youth to stand behind Layton as props on stage.)
The attempt to create a personality cult around Layton is faintly creepy and exhausting. Not least because Layton's substance and style can't support the hype. One delegate describes Layton appearing at a meeting of farmers in Saskatchewan wearing a plaid shirt and wranglers. Layton seems to want to fit in and be liked wherever he goes — a dangerous flaw in a politician. What's missing in Layton is a clear sense of where his bedrock is.
Personality cults? Comparisons to Lenin? Creepy?
Read the whole piece. It depicts a convention that was utterly devoid of grassroots democracy. Instead it was all a party show, starring Jack Layton, put on for a carefully managed press corps.
I wonder just how deep the discontent with Jack Layton runs.
One clue. This piece was published at rabble.ca, the radical website run by former leading NPI figure Judy Rebick.
