Senior NDP members propose less ideological, more centrist guiding statement

OTTAWA – A committee of senior NDP members is recommending that the party soften up its guiding statement by making it less ideological and dropping most of its many references to socialism.

A proposed rewrite of the opening lines of the NDP constitution is being sent to party members as they prepare for next week’s policy convention in Montreal.

At the last convention, members couldn’t agree on updating the preamble, even though the idea was endorsed by former leader Jack Layton.

A committee that includes former Manitoba MP Bill Blaikie, former leader Alexa McDonough and former leadership candidate Brian Topp has came up with a proposed compromise.

Their alternative makes just one mention of the party’s social democratic and democratic socialist traditions.

The existing preamble says progress can only be assured through the application of democratic socialist principles, and that social and individual needs should come before profits.