NDP Mobilizes for Anti-Campbell Demonstration

Well, I have to give the NDP some credit. Yesterday I received a phone call from the Leader of the BC NDP, Carole James. As the recorded message from the leader of the opposition began to play in my left ear I thought, “Here we go again. Here comes the pitch… ‘Gordon Campbell is so bad and we need money to stop him.’” Of course, no NDPer would blame me for this assumption. After all, I can’t count the number of recorded messages and pieces of junk mail I’ve received in the last six months asking me to donate money to the party. Invitations to high-priced dinners, parties for the tasting of fine liqueurs, fundraising galas and plain old guilt trips, all have made it into my mailbox and then my trash can.

But the expected pitch never came. Instead, Carole James asked me to join her at a demonstration against government cuts being held at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Saturday April 10th at noon. I couldn’t believe my ears. After all, I have been relentlessly criticizing this exact leader for years for only going to the membership when she wanted some cash. I write snarky comments on facebook complaining that they only ask for my money and not my time. And throughout the anti-Campbell movement Carole was always lurking somewhere around the back of the demonstration trying not to be seen. Something has changed here.

Maybe Carole has finally realized that the real strength of this party is its grassroots and a real leader can win by mobilizing them. Maybe she has been browbeaten by the higher ups in the labour movement. Maybe she just woke up one morning and realized that the last seven years have been pretty dismal and it is time to try something new. Whatever the reason is, it is a breath of fresh air. And if this signals a new change in direction for the NDP, there might just be some hope for us yet

I’ll be there at the demonstration - and I might just send them a cheque.