NDP should focus on bold policies

Re Angus counting on party roots to beat Singh, Harper, Sept. 6

Originally an occasion for soul-searching, the federal NDP’s leadership contest risks devolving into a question of who is likeliest to snatch a narrow victory in 2019. It would be more interesting, and ambitious, to stay focused on what the NDP can uniquely offer Canada.

Part of the offering should be a bold, hopeful platform and maybe some fresh charisma. The NDP’s disused advantage is that its favoured policies tend toward the results of free thinking, such as the recommendations of public inquiries, independent tribunals and scientific research.

Let the Liberals burn energy convincing Canada that it can have its progressive cake and eat it, too. Let the Conservatives spin the divisions of the day into fundamental questions of identity. The NDP can afford to forsake spin and focus on organizing.

An open-ended, participatory connection to its base could be the NDP’s unique offering. Of the four leadership candidates, only Charlie Angus has explicitly called out this neglected connection.

A bold platform is also important and charisma lends advantage. But Justin Trudeau’s government has discovered that even a majority can be a weak foundation for keeping progressive promises, if earned by such superficial means. Linus Rachlis, Toronto