by Michele Murphy

Last month’s NDP national convention held in Edmonton made headlines in mainstream media outlets right across the country. Many outlets spoke of radical shifts in party ideology, an internal crisis, or conflict. One would think that the catalyst for such a response was the adoption of a major policy that marked a radical change in direction for the party.

In reality the impetus of the outpouring of shock and awe was the discussing, and passing, of a resolution that simply asks for ongoing debate. That’s it – debate.

As predicted the decidedly progressive paper entitled The Leap Manifesto was a hot topic at the Alberta-hosted convention. While more than a few local riding associations came to wild rose country with resolutions in hand calling for the manifesto’s full adoption by the party, it was in fact a rather mild-mannered resolution that made it to, and passed on, the convention floor.

The adopted NDP resolution 2-05-16 asks that:

“the New Democratic Party looks forward to meaningful opportunity to debate the Leap Manifesto in riding associations across the country;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT these discussions be part of a pre-convention policy process leading up to 2018.”

Let’s talk about it – that’s all.

What is The Leap Manifesto? Simply, it’s a short political document co-written by bestselling author Naomi Klein, her husband Avi Lewis, doc-filmmaker and son of Stephen Lewis, and a host of Indigenous rights, social and food justice, environmental, faith-based and labour movement people. The non-partisan initiative asks that Canada step up its actions to combat climate change and inequality by moving from small steps – to leaps.

To date it has been endorsed by more than 39,600 Canadians, including a who’s who list of environmental, First Nations, social and labour movement people and organizations.

“The time for this great transition is short. Climate scientists have told us this is the decade to take decisive action to prevent catastrophic global warming. That means small steps will no longer suffice. So we need to leap.”
~Sept. 15, 2015, declaration of The Leap Manifesto.

Is it radical? Saanich-Gulf Islands MP and Green Party leader Elizabeth May says, “No, not radical.” She says that much of the manifesto is already Green Party policy although the carbon tax being revenue neutral is an area on which Greens and The Leap Manifesto disagree.

So can South Vancouver Islanders look forward to hosted discussions around The Leap Manifesto? It’s unclear at this time. The president of the NDP Victoria Riding Association, James Coccola, says that they intend to put the policy on the back burner in his riding until after the provincial election in 2017.

“We have two years for discussion around the manifesto, so we’re not in any particular hurry at this time,” explains Coccola. He adds, “We want to make sure that people are giving the 2017 provincial election their full attention and aren’t distracted by federal policy discussions.”

May said, “The Green Party will be doing community engagement this year around proportional representation, climate action and the TPP – and not Leap.” That said, she added that it would likely be a significant conversation at their convention in Ottawa this summer.

Political parties aside, if The Leap Manifesto sounds like it is in line with your vision for the future, go to their website, read through it, join the thousands of Canadians that have signed the initiative already and check out the events and action that are being planned – or plan one yourself.

The Leap initiative invites you to organize a discussion in your living room or a town hall, host a speaker, or panel discussion – organize a screening of the movie This Changes Everything.

If you decide to organize around The Leap Manifesto, or you’re even thinking about it – be in touch. Saanich Voice Online may be interested in helping you promote your event.

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More on The Leap Manifesto:

From The Guardian:
Surprise, the pundits were wrong: poll shows huge support for Leap Manifesto
Canadians across the political spectrum want a bold challenge to the status quo—and it’s up to the NDP to provide it