Craven and Cowardly

The New Democratic Party at one time represented a political party with a fair and just view of society, held by a balanced and trustworthy aggregation of individuals who broadly supported a wide range of social-justice issues. In earlier times the party had a good measure of political influence in the country that went far beyond its electoral numbers. People had good reason to respect the party and its leaders, whether or not they would vote for them.

Something quite sad appears to have occurred to the NDP over the course of the last decade or so. Some of its very vocal members have seen themselves as the conscience of the world at large - but selectively - Canada not representing a large enough constituency for them. MP Svend Robinson was one such NDP member who loved going off on a tangent, and there was one country that seemed to him deserving of his contempt; the State of Israel.

After having lost his way in the moral-ethical wilderness he was so fond of inhabiting, (purloining gifts for presentation to loved ones an innocent past time) he passed the torch of Israel-bashing to Libby Davies, who felt it her duty to go jaunting around the Middle East metaphorically teaching Parliament a lesson in obedience to United Nations rules and regulations and finding both Israel and the United States badly wanting, yet finding in her heart a soft spot for Saddam Hussein.

In terms of the situation in Israel, I have to ask the member if he considers it to be the act of a civilized democracy whereby a state would use its military apparatus to forcibly put people under occupation when that occupation is illegal? Is it the move of a civilized democracy when the state can use its apparatus to put a democratically elected leader under siege? I do not think so and we should be speaking out against that as well.

They are clearly different situations in Iraq and Israel. However the point I have made, which I think is relevant, is that it is hypocritical for the United States to focus on the one issue of what is going on in Iraq and escalate this to a war situation, while at the same time completely disregarding what has taken place in terms of an illegal occupation and a whole set of other people who have suffered as a result of that.

And when Conservative MP Tim Uppal introduced in the House of Commons a motion to condemn Israeli Apartheid Week taking place in Canadian universities, some NDP members refused to make that a unanimous passage. Libby Davies in particular opposed, vehemently, two motions denouncing the slander against Israel, insisting that "legitimate debate on the issue of Israel's policies as well as to specifically target activist who are engaged in debate" was divisive in nature.

How's that for an Alice-through-the-looking-glass analysis? From moderate leftists, reasonable in their outlook and dependable in their sturdy defence of justice and democracy, part of the NDP caucus has descended into raving radicalism seeing common cause with those espousing violence and slander because they deem it to be in a good cause; the supposed defence of helpless victims who have done nothing to deserve their unjust condition.

There are indeed some fair-minded and courageous NDP members who find Ms. Davies' extreme and caustic views unpalatable: "I have always taken the position that the use of the word 'apartheid' in the context of Israel is hateful and hurtful", responded Judy Wasylycia-Leis, who with Pat Martin and Peter Stoffer, prefer moderation in responding to a complex and intractable conflict in the Middle East.

The estimable leader of the New Democratic Party? Well, he is discreet in his consideration of the conflict abroad and as it is expressed on his home turf. He simply overlooks verbal and intellectual indiscretions as to do so is so much easier on one's emotional state and status as a Parliamentarian. And there the party is, split and slightly dysfunctional; balanced between reason and the politics of sour division.

While their dissembling, disingenuous leader, the ordinarily garrulous Jack Layton carries on, taking his cues where he may.