Pat Martin is right on one count. The NDP is set to spend upwards of $15 million in the next federal election and says that is too much money to simply elect 29 MPs, who hold very little power in Parliament. We agree. The NDP must be more than just a parliamentary party, relying on parliamentary manoeuvres and shenanigans. As we have stated before, the NDP must be the parliamentary voice of the workers’ movement – reflecting the demands and needs of Canada’s working class.

Contrary to what Pat Martin or Buzz Hargrove may think, there is absolutely nothing “left” or progressive about the Liberals. During the recent CN strike, the Liberals were openly supporting the Conservatives’ back-to-work legislation. More recently, after a great deal of lobbying by business groups, the Liberals announced that they will oppose the anti-scab bill that is to be voted on later this month. Bill C-257 would ban companies from bussing in scabs during strikes.

There is no appetite within the NDP rank-and-file for these sorts of policies. At the most recent federal convention, delegates were clearly in a fighting mood and fought the NDP bureaucracy’s attempts to water down resolutions, especially an attempt to dilute a resolution calling for all troops out of Afghanistan. (See “Eyewitness report from NDP Federal Convention: Rank-and-file push leadership leftwards”) In February, the Ontario NDP was able to win a provincial by-election in York-South Weston (a riding that has normally voted Liberal), mainly by campaigning on raising the minimum wage to $10/hr. This was just the latest in a string of by-election victories by the Ontario NDP – and these victories have been due to the fact that the NDP is presenting reforms that will improve the lives of ordinary workers. A consistent socialist programme is what would lead the NDP to victory.

The real reason for the NDP’s failures is because they fail to present a platform that addresses the demands and needs of the working class. At the moment, there is no reason for workers and youth to bother voting for the NDP. When the NDP came out with a strong anti-war message from the federal convention, NDP support approached 25% in the polls. Since they have started to water down their message, their support has plummeted to as low as 10%, and some polls have them tied with the Greens.

We must fight any attempts by the NDP leadership to ally themselves with the bosses and their political representatives – the Liberals and Conservatives. The NDP must become the parliamentary voice of the workers and youth movement. Layton must not capitulate to the right wing of the party like he did on the Clarity Act and Afghanistan.

No parliamentary deals with the bosses’ parties! For a socialist programme!

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