Canadian Politics – New Democratic Party (NDP)
Social Justice, Change, and Environmental Sustainability
Sep 14, 2008
The New Democratic Party was formed in 1961 under the leadership of Tommy Douglas, whom has since been voted by citizens during a televised CBC event as "The Greatest Canadian" of all time - largely due to his role in implementing Canadian Medicare which would ensure that all Canadians would receive medical care regardless of their financial ability. It is a primarily social democratic party and as such fits within the Canadian political spectrum as a left-wing party.
Economic Policy
The New Democratic Party is most likely amongst the four major parties to adopt socialistic or mixed-market economic practices - up to and including party leader Jack Layton's recent stance on creating green-collar jobs in order to employ citizens for alternative energy production as well as to combat environmental waste and pollution. A primary plank of New Democrat policy is to wage war on increasing domestic poverty - the NDP actively petitions for an increase in the minimum wage to meet increasing costs of living, a rehaul of an antiquated social assistance and student loans system, and providing basic shelter and housing to the nation's homeless and unemployed.
Social Policy
The NDP mandate commits them to assisting working and middle class families - New Democrats typically support the labour movement as well as the realm of education and academia. Regarding tuition and post-secondary education, the NDP is the front runner in fighting for reductions in tuition fees for students and for better pay for educators. The party is also actively in support of putting an end to the United States styled "War on Drugs", and of the four major parties is the largest supporter for changes to the criminal code regarding marijuana as well as the largest supporter of Insite and other safe injection sites for suffering drug users.
The NDP is typically a staunch defender of minority rights in Canada as well, and as stated above, adopts a social justice programme / platform regularly.
Election Campaign 2008
The major planks of the NDP's platform for the election of October 14 include the following :
- End price gouging of consumers by large banking institutions and credit card companies via a ban on ATM fees, ending hidden usage fees, capping credit interest rates to prevent unreasonable usury, and to stop inflating gas taxation.
- Protect the environment by producing a $750 million green collar jobs fund targeted at employing Canadians to process waste and produce alternative energy as part of a sustainable economy.
- Build upon the Climate Change Accountability Act first introduced by New Democrats, setting the target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050.
- Stop the export of Canadian jobs internationally by focussing on internal manufacturing and trades that can be targeted towards new energy production mechanisms.
For more information on the New Democratic Party, visit http://www.ndp.ca
