06) LAYTON FLUNKS FIRST TEST

People's Voice Editorial

Many Canadians had hoped that the New Democratic Party's status as Official Opposition might blunt the far‑right agenda of the Harper Tory majority. This was particularly the case around war and militarism, since the majority of the new 103‑member NDP caucus are from Quebec, where national sentiments are strongly anti‑war. Overall, sixty percent of Canadians cast their ballots for the NDP, Liberals, Bloc Québecois and Greens, parties which in varying degrees questioned the increasingly aggressive Tory foreign policy.

            Unfortunately, Jack Layton has flunked his first major foreign policy test ‑ the June 14 parliamentary debate around Libya. In a nod to anti‑war sentiments among Canadians, the NDP moved amendments to the government resolution to extend the war, calling for increased foreign aid to Libya, and prevention of war rapes allegedly committed by the Gadaffi forces. PM Harper happily seized on these amendments to win a 294‑1 vote. Layton's feeble argument that the NDP will only support one extension amounts to an offer to back future "regime change" wars on a six‑month basis. Similarly, his opposition to ground troops in Libya will simply be ignored if NATO intervenes directly to capture and kill the Libyan leader.

            The NDP made a serious error by backing this war. Allowing the U.S. and its allies to carry out the so‑called "responsibility to protect" doctrine gives carte blanche to the western imperialist powers to attack other countries at will. The NDP cannot pretend to be an anti‑war party while voting in favour of war. Jack Layton is looking less like some former leaders of his party, and more like Tony Blair. This is a betrayal of Canadians who want the NDP to oppose Harper's dangerous foreign policy.

            Fortunately, Green Party leader Elizabeth May refused to give "a blank cheque to a mission that doesn't have an exit strategy." She voted "No", braving enormous pressure to join the chorus of unanimous support for the war. Congratulations to May for voicing the concerns of millions of Canadians.

(The above article is from the July 1-31, 2011, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)