High expectations confront new NDP gov’t in British Columbia
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Canada cease buying U.S. war planes. The SC advocated The premier announced he was “reviewing,” rather than an annual cost of living increase to keep pace with the mini VICTORIA, B.C.—After only 120 days in office, the opposing, the massive Site C power dam project in north- mum wage, and argued for free tuition for all post-second New Democratic Party government on Canada’s west coast east BC. The project is outrageously expensive, unneces had to face delegates elected by the membership of the mass sary and likely to serve primarily to power development of These ideas won substantial support, but none were for labour-based party at its provincial convention, Nov. 3-5. mally adopted. The reason is simple: amendments cannot Expectations were high on the major issues affecting work The NDP government could play a leadership role and be moved directly from the floor. Only motions of refer ing people, indigenous communities, women, visible mi counter-pose green public-energy projects, incorporating ral, with specific instructions to the resolutions committee, equity hiring policies for women, indigenous peoples and are accepted. Typically, referred motions never return to the After 16 years of harsh Liberal Party rule, public services visible minorities in a new green energy sector. In fact, the have been slashed, fees increased, the public infrastructure NDP government faces a huge opportunity to get profit- The convention did adopt resolutions for the reestablish neglected, the environment ravaged, climate change ig oriented capitalist businesses out of energy production and ment of a Human Rights Commission in B.C., measures to nored, labour rights attacked, and all restrictions on corpo distribution by simply expanding the scope of the govern fully restore union collective bargaining rights, for proper rate campaign financing removed—resulting in a Wild West ment-owned electricity distributor BC Hydro, and by taking funding of the infrastructure, for much improved public over private energy corporations and operating them solely transport. The gathering called for halting the seizure of in In the May 2017 election, the NDP won 44% of the vote, digenous children by the child welfare system and instead and the Green Party 16%. The parties won 41 and three The NDP leadership, however, is not socialist. It is so demanded efforts to help indigenous families deal with the seats respectively out of a total of 87. The two parties came cial democratic—committed to reforming capitalism, not issues of drug addition, poverty, and joblessness, and a plan to an agreement by which the NDP formed the government, replacing it. Even so, social democratic parties have under Party and candidate donations will be restricted to indi Almost 800 delegates came from labour unions and riding The convention delegates participated energetically in viduals only and to a maximum of $1200 annually. Unfor (electoral) associations, the party youth wing and the wom convention floor debates, although a mere five hours was tunately, this puts an equal sign between unions and private en’s rights standing committee. The delegation reflected the devoted to dealing with resolutions submitted by unions for-profit corporations, which mis-educates workers, limits true face of B.C., where over 30% of the population con the political intervention of workers’ organizations, while sists of visible minorities, 6% are members of indigenous Socialist Action supports the NDP Socialist Caucus, capitalists with enormous resources will always find a way nations, and about 30% of the labour force is unionized. which is open to all NDP members. The SC advocates around the rules. The NDP government pledges to intro While professionals and some small business operators social ownership and democratic workers’ control of the duce a system of proportional representation in B.C., and to were present, big business was not in the convention hall. principal means of production, distribution, transportation, increase training for child-care workers, expand child-care The NDP premier, John Horgan, and several cabinet min communication and finance. It advocates a dramatic reduc facilities and charge only $10 daily per child. The conven isters reported on early actions of the government. The list tion of work hours, with no loss of pay or benefits, to ensure tion demanded that the Trudeau federal government estab included increasing welfare by $100 monthly, increasing that the working class obtains the benefits of automation. lish a framework to add pharma care and dental care to ex the amount recipients can earn before social assistance The SC calls for nationalization of polluters, the right to reductions occur, cutting provincial Medicare fees in half self-determination for indigenous peoples, and for swiftly When the convention endorsed the $15/hour minimum and promising to eliminate the fee completely over time, putting an end to Canada’s participation in imperialist mili wage, B.C. Federation of Labour President Irene Lanzinger increasing the minimum wage (though it will take years to said labour is patient, but not too patient—insisting that the reach the goal of $15/hour), and announcing its opposition SC speakers ripped the federal Justin Trudeau govern measure be fully implemented before the end of 2018. The to the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline designed to carry ment’s tolerance of the utterly unfair tariffs on B.C. lum palpable tension between popular expectations and bureau bitumen from the Alberta Tar Sands to the fragile Pacific ber imposed by the Trump administration, proposing that cratic opportunism is a sign of things to come. n 10 SOCIALIST ACTION DECEMBER 2017 norities, and the impoverished in British Columbia.
show of bought-and-sold politicians.
with Green Party support on key issues. Coast—which would endanger the marine environment.
the tar sands in Alberta. to meet public need rather than private profit.
taken ambitious nationalization programs.
and local party associations. tary alliances such as NATO and NORAD. ary students. floor due to the lack of adequate time for policy debate. to build 1700 affordable public residential rental units. isting medical coverage for all.