[mobglob-discuss] Why would the Executive cancel our NDP Convention?

[Tom Coldwell]

Like the scares and "orange alerts" of the US administration and media
that encroach on freedom, the threat of the budget bill is used to
justify a war against democracy in the NDP, led by the NDP Executive.

Even though the Liberals have proven to be successful over and over
again in the voting, and despite promises of the Executive "to only
cancel if the budget vote is defeated", the convention is cancelled,
unconstitutionally, anyway.

So why would the Executive want to cancel convention? 

1. Conventions are where elections occur that install people onto the
Executive. Sometimes, the convention votes against incumbents. By not
calling a convention, the Executive insures that it continues to rule,
with all the perks of free flights, hotels, food etc that our
membership dues offer.

2. Conventions are where final decisions are made by citizens and
their delegates, not elites. The Executive is content with making the
important decisions without involving the rest of the party. Our role
is to provide money and votes, or cooking, cleaning and providing
babies, if we were patronized women. It is not to participate in the
party.

3. Conventions involve some candidates making promises that they won't
follow-up on... like, "I believe in democracy in the party" or "We
need to give NDPers a greater say in how things work" or "I will
respect the constitution and the will of the party." It can be
confusing for members of the executive, especially the newer ones.
They can rid themselves of this pretension by cancelling convention
and re-scheduling it to next September, almost a year-and-a-half from
now. Who knows, maybe it will then be delayed again?

4. Conventions involve effort that elites can greater expend on things
of leisure, like boating, hiking, and maintaining a pesticide-free
lawn. And since conventions, for the reasons above, are more
bothersome for the Executive than not, why put the effort in? And
since no one will disagree, why not just cancel it and be done with
it? Why have them in the first place?

This is the best party of the best country in the world. This is a
party democracy that has been built for over seventy years by our
predecessors, that was formulated by J.S. Woodsworth, that was
elevated by Tommy Douglas. This is a party that, for some peculiar
reason, turned out much different than Blair's Labour Party in the UK,
the Liberals in Canada, or the Democrats in the US.

There has been strong support shown in the last week but it is not
enough. If you would like to help the campaign, email
ndpconvention1 at gmail.com Help make Convention 2005 happen, July 15-17
in Quebec City!

Tom Coldwell
Convention 2005 Campaign