Building a Progressive Canada

If we can co-operate after an election, surely we can democratically co-operate before one, too.

I am running to lead Canada's New Democrats because the challenges of our time require a new, more generous politics. The kind of politics that reflect Canada’s values in ways Stephen Harper doesn’t even try to, but which I’m convinced growing numbers of Canadians want.

Two weeks ago, I proposed holding joint nominations with other progressive, federalist parties in Conservative-held ridings . This would result in one candidate representing the party of her or his choice. I’m pleased to explain this proposal here, and also why now is the time to make it happen.

Representing a riding as far away from Ottawa as is possible gives me a unique and important perspective on what is truly important to Canadians about the way we govern ourselves. The people of northwestern BC, like other Canadians, care more about what we're getting done for them than they do about keeping score in Question Period.

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I’m the only NDP leadership candidate who entered the House of Commons by taking out a sitting Conservative. And shortly thereafter, my party re-wrote a federal budget, in 2005. I am also the only one of the leadership candidates who voted for that budget — at a time when the NDP could have cashed in on Liberal scandal, but instead chose to get things done for Canadians.

This is not new. By working with other parties, the NDP delivered public pensions, universal health care, and a national affordable housing program. These victories make me proud to be a New Democrat and eager to do more: to fight dangerous climate change, improve our democracy and narrow our country’s dangerous economic inequality.

The facing New Democrats, and, more broadly, progressive Canadians, is how will we create the politics that can take the next step?

My proposal for joint nomination meetings is currently the only idea on offer to help progressive Canadians work together before the next federal election.

It recognizes that over the last few elections, the platforms of progressive parties have come closer together. More importantly, it also recognizes that the hopes of people who might have voted NDP, Liberal or Green share some common ground.

My proposal embraces this commonality, and directs local members to select the candidate best-suited to take on the Conservatives. And it does so in a spirit of generosity, inviting progressive Canadians to focus on what unites us instead of keeping us apart.

In fact, it’s exactly the kind of politics we already see in many ridings where Conservative MPs lose. The difference between myself and the other NDP leadership candidates is I think the NDP is in the ideal position — for the first time in history — to lead the conversation about how to achieve this kind of progressive politics as fast as we can.

Some worry about the implications of my proposal. The root of many of these fears is a belief that my party can win on its own. I understand that sentiment. Indeed, I agree with it: We can out-organize another party in a joint nomination — resembling a U.S. primary — and go on from there to beat a sitting Conservative.

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Others say it’s not realistic, that parties would need common platforms to make it happen; or that vested interests wound not allow it.

In response, I ask them whether the differences among progressive Canadians are really so great that we can’t find ways to co-operate before the next election? They can’t be that large. If other candidates can imagine and plan to co-operate after an election, surely we can democratically co-operate before one, too.

Here, I invite New Democrats and other progressives to engage in the question that I believe will define this leadership race. The risk in not changing how we do politics, of staying stuck in the status quo, is a result progressives of every stripe would regret should less than 40 per cent of voters hand Mr. Harper another majority. We simply don't have time to lose.

I believe there is a sure way to defeat Mr. Harper and his kind of wedge politics in 2015. It starts with the NDP leadership race, and enough New Democrats saying we’re open to being a little less partisan and a lot more co-operative, thereby putting the ball firmly in the other parties’ court to agree.

We are faced with a unique moment in federal politics, delivered in no small part by Quebecers’ openness to Jack Layton’s brand of progressive federalism. It is up to us to seize this moment and co-operate — to deliver a government that reflects our country’s values instead of attacking them.

We won’t get there by being spectators, hoping party establishments change. We can only get there by being participants, and making party establishments change.

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