While Alex Atamanenko has made the decision not to run for the NDP in the next federal election there are many NDP voters who have an even larger decision to make — who, if anyone to vote in favour of.
With the NDP’s major shift to the centre or beyond on the political spectrum under Tom Mulcair’s “new labour” stylings, many on the ideological “left” are now without a political home.
This shift can be seen in Mulcair and the NDP’s backing of the venal Conservative Canada-EU rights for corporations deal encompassed in the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA), all the while rejecting the call from the International Monetary Fund Bank for the adoption of a more progressive tax code.
It doesn’t get much plainer than this.
In the past, most of those who voted on the “left” realized that forming government was out of the question but were content knowing their viewpoint would be represented and act as a modifier on the more radical “right wing” ideologies and actions.
There were even some victories when “leftist” platform planks were adopted by the “right” (lest the people vote “left”) and put into practice such as our national universal health care and unemployment programs to name but two.
Without the “left” putting forth such ideas, they would never have come about.
Now Parliament is composed of three major political parties, all centre to right of centre. The modifying effect of the “left” is now lost. Without a “left wing” the people have no recourse to vote for a political platform in opposition to “right wing” agendas which can now sweep Canada unopposed.
The Greens are basically Conservatives with a pro environmental position. The Canadian Action Party, while a natural fit for many on the “left” is a fringe group that runs few candidates. In general, a sad situation for Canada to be without any viable political voice for the working classes.
Brad Fuller