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As Canada’s labour party, the NDP has a duty to act in solidarity with the social justice struggles of working people, the racialized and those who suffer from injustice because of disAbility or sexual orientation or gender. The March 20, 2021 online event, “Building Solidarity”, features a conversation between NDP MP Niki Ashton and British Labour Party MP Jeremy Corbyn. The event is being held as a fundraiser in support of Progressive International, a global network of progressive thinkers and politicians of which Ashton is a Canadian member. The organization, co-founded by Sanders Institute, includes on its Council Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, Yanis Varoufakis, Cornel West, and others. Member groups include many social movements including, for example, the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025, Solidarity Party of Afghanistan and Chile’s Convergencia Social, and Code Pink. Such international collaboration provides a welcome and necessary opportunity for organizations of the left to work together.

The Ashton-Corbyn dialogue is meant to unite efforts against neoliberalism and capitalist oppression. It is also a welcome echo of the 2019 meeting during which NDP leader, Jagmeet Singh spoke in the same spirit of solidarity with then British Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

It is gratifying to those who struggle for social justice that a prominent representative of the NDP should join hands with a proven progressive and anti-militarist from the UK Labour Party. Jeremy Corbyn’s list of commendations includes: the fight against South African apartheid (in opposition to the British Conservative Party), opposition to Tony Blair’s support of George Bush’s imperialist assault against Iraq, and support for minority rights in his work as a Parliamentarian.

This inspiring meeting has been attacked by the conservative establishment in the media and apologists for Israel’s settler-colonialism who repeat false slurs against the reputation of brother Corbyn. One can find a very apt repudiation of the witchhunt against him and the tendentious nature of the report of anti-Semitism against him in this article by Jacobin Magazine.

What is much more disturbing, however, is the Broadbent Institute’s Rick Smith’s public tweet repeating the same calumny against Jeremy Corbyn. Mr. Smith is thus content to act as a mouthpiece for a vicious anti-justice right wing, but also, by implication of his ties to the NDP, positioning the NDP on the wrong side of social justice. It is up to the NDP to repudiate the criticism which is based on a relentless smear campaign carried out by an unprincipled combination of the Blairite wing of the BLP, the capitalist press, the racist Conservative Party, and well-funded right wing pro-Israel/anti-Palestinian organizations.

Corbyn has shown himself over many years to be a fighter against anti-Semitism and all forms of racism. Corbyn’s record is one of solidarity with victims of racism and classism. He has fought against neo-Nazis, against Holocaust deniers, and attacks against the Jewish community over his entire career. And still, within the BLP, the pro-Israel lobby has succeeded in sabotaging Corbyn’s leadership and producing a report replete with inaccuracies and innuendo to condemn him as compromising with anti-Semitism. He and his fellow socialists in the BLP have paid the price for being principled anti-imperialists. It should be noted that many of those whose memberships have been suspended are Jewish socialists, supporters of the Palestinian cause.

The attack by the right wing CIJA, a conservative Canadian lobby group for the Israeli government, purports to represent Jewish opinion in Canada. In fact, there are more than 40 Jewish groups in Canada and the UK who support Corbyn as an anti-racist and a friend of the Jewish people as well as of the oppressed Palestinian people. Independent Jewish Voices in Canada has expressed its solidarity with the Progressive International event and dismissed accusations of anti-Semitism against Corbyn.

We, of Courage Coalition enthusiastically support the Progressive International dialogue between Niki Ashton and Jeremy Corbyn. We call upon NDP leader Jagmeet Singh to support this international effort of solidarity and to refuse to  be bullied into accepting scurrilous attacks against Niki Ashton. The vision of the NDP must be to resist the forces of hate, inequality, militarism, and imperialism and to help build a just future by allying with the victims of injustice. 

In Solidarity,

Courage

Après de nombreuses échéances manquées, retards inexpliqués et faux départs, il est temps d’adresser les manquements du Nouveau Parti démocratique lors du congrès.

Les membres du congrès du NDP de 2018 à Ottawa ont adopté une résolution claire visant à moderniser et à démocratiser le processus de résolution du congrès. Elle demandait au Conseil fédéral d’ « effectuer des recherches sur les façons de moderniser et de démocratiser le processus de priorisation des résolutions. » La résolution exigeait que le parti « fasse circuler une proposition au moins 10 mois avant le prochain congrès… auprès des membres » et « que dans les 4 mois suivant ce congrès, le Directeur national [doit] instaurer un mécanisme en ligne permettant la présentation, la discussion et la priorisation de résolutions politiques. »

Il est inacceptable de voir qu’aucune des échéances ou étapes de la résolution n’a été respectée, et ce, même si la tenue du congrès a été repoussée d’une année civile complète.

En date d’aujourd’hui, il reste moins d’un mois avant le congrès d’orientation du parti de 2021 2021 du parti. Bien que nous comprenons que ce travail est en cours, il est inacceptable de voir qu’aucune des échéances ou étapes de la résolution n’a été respectée, et ce, même si la tenue du congrès a été repoussée d’une année civile complète. À ce jour, les membres n’ont toujours pas compris comment iels allaient participer au congrès de leur propre parti. Ne les laissez pas vous dire que ce n’est pas possible, car les délégué·e·s au congrès du Parti libéral priorisent et débattent de leurs résolutions depuis le 19 février et ont déjà publié les résultats.

Le passage au numérique du congrès peut sembler être une conséquence naturelle de la COVID-19, mais un processus politique plus démocratique est une demande pour laquelle d’innombrables associations de circonscriptions et organisations alliées (dont Courage) se sont battues. Cette résolution se voulait une étape attendue depuis longtemps pour mettre fin au système à huis clos des comités de priorisation inconnus et des panels de repriorisation panels à des heures peu commodes. Au 21^e siècle, nous pouvons nous défaire que ce système inaccessible et encourager la participation des membres du NPD à travers le pays afin de déterminer les priorités politiques de leur parti.

Nous sommes consterné·e·s que le NPD n’ait pas respecté les délais prescrits par cette résolution. Il est inacceptable que le NPD continue de laisser ses membres dans l’ignorance en ce qui concerne la façon dont ils participeront à ce processus démocratique essentiel. Nous devons faire entendre notre voix pour nous assurer que le NPD respecte la volonté de ses membres en mettant en œuvre immédiatement un système de priorisation démocratique.

Solidairement,

La Coalition Courage

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Rejoignez les rangs d’autres délégué·e·s qui luttent pour un changement transformateur au congrès

Courage sera active et présente au congrès de façon numérique, offrant un espace aux délégué·e·s  progressistes afin de réseauter et collaborer. Si vous désirez joindre les rangs d’autres délégué·e·s qui luttent pour un changement transformateur au congrès, veuillez vous inscrire à notre liste d’organisation en lien au congrès du NPD.

After many missed deadlines, unexplained delays, and false starts, it is time to address the New Democratic Party’s Convention failings. 

Members at the 2018 Convention in Ottawa passed a clear resolution to Modernize and Democratize the Convention Resolution Process (7-45-18). It directed the Federal Council to “conduct research into methods of modernizing and democratizing the resolution prioritization process.” The resolution required the party to “disseminate a proposal at least 10 months prior to the next convention… directly to members” and “within four months of that convention, the National Director [must] operationalize an online mechanism for presentation, discussion and prioritization of policy resolutions.” 

It is unacceptable to see that none of the resolution’s deadlines or milestones were met, despite postponing the Convention for a full calendar year.

Today, it is less than a month before the party’s 2021 Policy Convention. While we are aware work is in progress, it is unacceptable to see that none of the resolution’s deadlines or milestones were met, despite postponing the Convention for a full calendar year. Members to this day still have no understanding on how they will participate in their own party’s convention. Do not let them tell you it cannot be done because delegates to the Liberal Party convention have been prioritizing and debating their resolutions since February 19th and have already published the results.

Digitalization of Convention may simply look like the natural result of COVID-19, but a more democratic policy process has been a demand fought for by countless riding associations and allied organizations (Courage included). This resolution was meant to be a long overdue step to end the closed-door system of unknown prioritization committees and Convention re-prioritization panels at inaccessible times. In the 21^st century, we can move beyond this inaccessible system and encourage participation of NDP members across the country to set the policy priorities of their party.

We are dismayed that the NDP has failed to meet the deadlines set by this resolution. It is unacceptable that the NDP continues to leave its membership in the dark about how they will participate in this crucial democratic process. We must be vocal to ensure that the NDP adheres to the will of its membership by implementing a democratic prioritization system immediately.

In solidarity,

Courage Coalition 

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Join other delegates fighting for transformative change at convention

Courage will be active and digitally present at convention, offering a space for progressive delegates to connect and collaborate. If you would like to join other delegates fighting for transformative change, please sign up to join our NDP Convention Organizing List. 

11 mars, 2021, Tio’tia:ke/Montréal: Courage Montréal demande à Sue Montgomery de retirer immédiatement le nom et le logo «COURAGE» de son parti politique nouvellement fondé et de tous les documents associés.

Mme Montgomery n’a pas reçu la permission de Courage Montréal, ou Coalition Courage, d’utiliser son nom ou son logo. Courage Montréal et la coalition Courage n’appuient pas Mme Montgomery ou son organisation. Mme Montgomery n’est pas membre de Courage Montréal ou Coalition Courage.

Courage Montréal a été créée en 2019 en tant que section locale montréalaise de la Coalition Courage, une organisation nationale non partisane créée en 2017. L’organisation est dévouée aux enjeux tels que le contrôle démocratique de l’économie, la décolonisation et l’autodétermination, une société anti-raciste et inclusive, la justice environnementale et climatique, la solidarité internationale et  un fédéralisme inclusif et asymétrique.

Courage Montréal compte soixante-cinq membres locaux et Coalition Courage compte plus de cinq cents membres à travers le Canada.

Les campagnes récentes et en cours de Coalition Courage comprennent des appels pour le retour des territoires autochtones non-cédées ainsi que l’auto-détermination des peuples autochtones et l’autogestion des ressources, une garantie d’emploi fédérale comme pierre angulaire d’une relance économique zéro carbone post-pandémie, une stratégie nationale de transport en commun et des déclarations de solidarité avec la Déclaration de Montréal-Nord, Black Lives Matter et les mouvements pour la justice en Palestine, en Iran, en Inde et au Venezuela.

La plateforme politique de Mme Montgomery et de son organisation ne correspond pas à celles de Courage Montréal ni Coalition Courage.

« Mme. Montgomery essaie d’associer son parti, et de s’associer elle-même, aux mouvements de justice sociale avec lesquels Courage Montréal et Coalition Courage travaillent depuis des années, a déclaré Laura Dunn, membre fondatrice de Courage Montréal. S’approprier le nom et le logo d’une autre organisation sans autorisation n’est pas le meilleur moyen de renforcer la crédibilité et les relations avec ces mouvements. Ce n’est pas très courageux. »

Contact:

Kalden Dhatsenpa (English): kalden95@hotmail.com

Christian Favreau (français):  christianpfavreau@gmail.com

11 March 2021, Tio’tia:ke/Montreal: Courage Montreal calls upon Sue Montgomery to immediately remove the name and logo “COURAGE” from her newly founded political party and all associated materials.

Ms. Montgomery has not received permission from Courage Montreal, or Courage Coalition to use its name or logo. Courage Montreal and Courage Coalition do not endorse or support Ms. Montgomery or her organization. Ms. Montgomery is not a member of Courage Coalition.

Courage Montreal was established in 2019 as a Montreal branch of Courage Coalition, a national, non-partisan organization established in 2017. The organization is committed to democratic control of the economy, decolonization and self-determination, an inclusive society, environmental and climate justice, international solidarity and inclusive and asymmetrical federalism.

Courage Montreal has sixty-five local members, and Courage Coalition has over five-hundred members across Canada.

Recent and ongoing Courage campaigns include calls for the return of Indigenous lands, jurisdiction and resources, a federal jobs guarantee as the cornerstone of a zero-carbon, post-pandemic economic recovery, a national public transportation strategy, and solidarity with the Déclaration de Montréal-Nord, Black Lives Matter, and movements for justice in Palestine, Iran, India and Venezuela. 

The political platform of Ms. Montgomery and her organization are not aligned with those of Courage Montreal and Courage Coalition.

“Ms. Montgomery is trying to associate herself and her party with social justice movements that Courage Montreal and Courage Coalition have been working with for years,” said Laura Dunn, a founding member of Courage Montreal. “Appropriating another organization’s name and logo without permission is not the best way to build credibility and relationships with these movements. That is basically the opposite of courage.”

Contact:

Kalden Dhatsenpa (English): kalden95@hotmail.com

Christian Favreau (français): christianpfavreau@gmail.com

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