Vancon2011 convention notes

Random notes taken while watching the convention unfold. Almost all motions passed without serious debate. A common "No" microphone starting point was, "While I support the intent of this motion, I am speaking against it because it doesn't go far enough!" However,  there were several motions that were contentious and difficult to resolve. (All links are to YouTube videos taken at the convention).

1. What political manoeuvrings it took to eventually get almost unanimous support for the 'Insite' motion! It took Friday to add a clause about the benefits of a harm reduction approach. Then on Saturday afternoon a notice of motion to amend Sunday's agenda. On Sunday, the chair tried to kill the amendment by defining a day as 24 hours. His decision was overruled by a challenge to the chair, and then finally a passionate speech from Libby Davies. There was no dissent to the motion, and therefore one was left wondering why the party felt the need to block it at every turn.

2. Stephen Lewis's inspirational speech opening the section on human rights and Canada's place in the world was everything I expected. Sensible, passionate, global, focused on larger issues than the petty problems facing our wealthy country.

3. A motion to support the Canada-to-Gaza ship was squashed by the party bureaucracy according to another local delegate. No explanation, so we delegates were left wondering why it is such a threat to the party. The motion did not rise high enough to make it to the convention floor and so was not debated or voted on.

4. A motion to (pro) change the preamble to the party's constitution, with the (con) removal of reference to 'socialist', received the most media attention. This wasn't just the changing of one word, but a complete rewrite of the purposes of the party. Not enough work had been put into circulating the proposal to the membership prior to the convention. Brian Topp's compromise motion to table it and have it reworked for the next convention with a reference to arts & culture added, and even reviewed by writers and poets to improve the language was a reasonable defusement of a divisive proposal.

5. The defeat of a motion to not allow the party to discuss a possible merger with the Liberal Party also received media attention. If the proponents of the motion had not taken advantage of the opportunity to take mean-spirited shots at the Liberals (and Stephane Dion, who was present as an observer) this might have passed.

6. Not a motion but a comment from Andrew Cash MP for Davenport, ON of the benefits of having a children's play area at the front of his campaign office made a lot of sense. Our Vernon office with its main street windows would have looked more inviting with some toys. (He also talked about door-knocking for 18 months prior to the election).

The highlight of the convention was the moment when all 103 NDP MPs were on the stage at the same time. Unbelievable celebration!