Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Socialist in name, for now

by Aaron Wherry on Monday, June 20, 2011 9:54am - 21 Comments

New Democrats voted this weekend to defer a change to their constitutional preamble.

The lineups at the microphones when the constitutional resolution came up for debate was long and NDP MP Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre) led the charge in favour of the new wording, saying the socialist language in the constitution was an anchor holding the party back — and scaring voters away — at a time when it is closer to forming government than every before.

“Socialism is not an anchor, it’s a rocket,” Barry Weisleder, who chairs the unofficial socialist caucus that meets in its own room at NDP conventions, shot back. “You can take socialism out of the preamble, but you can’t take socialism out of the NDP.”

Tags: Barry Weisleder, convention, NDP, NDP convention, Pat Martin, Socialism, socialist

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Anonymous

Haven’t Dippers been using the term “social democrat” for decades now? I can remember a debate involving then Dipper Bob Rae and famous U.S. conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr., and Buckley called Rae a socialist, and Rae was very quick to correct him by using the term “social democrat.” Dippers I debate with correct me in the same way, too, so I’m not sure what all the fuss is about, or why they didn’t change the term a long time ago.
Anonymous

Well they had their chance and they blew it. That’s a major problem with these conventions, they need to be run over a week, and not televised so people can honestly talk and ‘thrash things out’.

Anonymous

So….what happened to “transparency?”
What’s sauce for the goose is the same for the gander.

Anonymous

The govt should have transparency….since Canadians elected it, and pay for it….but even they have private cabinet and caucus meetings so people can speak freely.

However determining the direction of a political party is not the same thing as running the country.
Anonymous

The govt should have transparency….since Canadians elected it, and pay for it….but even they have private cabinet and caucus meetings so people can speak freely.

However determining the direction of a political party is not the same thing as running the country.

Anonymous

That may very well be the way tin pot dictatorships work, but the selection of a political body, who made it quite clear their objectives are “running the country” is hardly the way real democracy works. Your selective transparency just doesn’t fly.

Anonymous

If you want to argue on here, then pick a sensible topic.
AVR

He did, and you, as ever, transparently try to change the topic when you’re losing.
AVR

He did, and you, as ever, transparently try to change the topic when you’re losing.
Anonymous

@TheAVR:disqus

Not much point arguing with someone who doesn’t know the difference between public and private meetings….or the govt and a political party. You guys just like to argue for the sake of arguing.
Anonymous

@TheAVR:disqus

Not much point arguing with someone who doesn’t know the difference between public and private meetings….or the govt and a political party. You guys just like to argue for the sake of arguing.
Anonymous

@TheAVR:disqus

Not much point arguing with someone who doesn’t know the difference between public and private meetings….or the govt and a political party. You guys just like to argue for the sake of arguing.
Anonymous

Well Emily, you’ve clearly lost. The topic was sensible, the responsible, you’ve painted yourself into a corner.
Anonymous

@Apollo8:disqus

Yup, go look in the mirror and recite that a few times….click your heels together while you’re at it, and say ‘I believe, I believe’ while sprinkling fariy dust.

Then don’t come back. LOL
Anonymous

If you want to argue on here, then pick a sensible topic.

Anonymous

That may very well be the way tin pot dictatorships work, but the selection of a political body, who made it quite clear their objectives are “running the country” is hardly the way real democracy works. Your selective transparency just doesn’t fly.

Anonymous

So….what happened to “transparency?”
What’s sauce for the goose is the same for the gander.

TonyAdams

“Standing ovation for Topp. Hurray for putting off decisions!”

Kady’s tweet said it best.
Richard Greer

“He
would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves.

But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then
where should we be?”

- George Orwell, Animal Farm
Richard Greer

“He
would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves.

But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then
where should we be?”

- George Orwell, Animal Farm

Anonymous

Perfect. And the NDP brass are learning to walk on two legs, because they’ve now come to the conclusion that 4 legs are in fact bad, and that two legs are good.