Popularity and Principle: Mutually Exclusive?

Once again, Jack Layton is on the campaign trail. As in past elections, he must remind all Canadians that he is “running for prime minister.” Contrary to what Ignatieff says about a blue door and a red door, there’s an orange door too.

Whatever one thinks about Layton’s ideas and policies, the man deserves a level of respect for his years of political action on the federal scene in Canada. He’s been hardworking and relentless. He’s congenial and often good-natured. He’s a man of principle, and remains faithful to the core ideals of his party.

Despite these legitimate accolades, Layton must continue to deal with the reality that his federal party remains the smallest represented in the House of Commons. He’s far from ruling; in fact, he’s far from being the Official Opposition. Whatever his ideas, proposals, or criticisms of the ruling government, his number one challenge is simply to be heard at all. This reality has more to do with the political climate of this country than the quality of the work of the party itself, but it is nevertheless how things currently stand for the New Democratic Party.

Of course, Jack and the NDP could choose to steer a course that is more palatable to the voting public. He could call for lower taxes, lower social spending, expanded prisons, and more aggressive foreign policies. In effect, he could send the party’s values to the trash bin of irrelevance and swing a big right at the next intersection of opportunity. But he doesn’t, presumably because to do so would be a betrayal of everything he and the party have worked toward since the NDP’s formation.

The good news for Jack is that although he may never get a sniff of real power in Ottawa, he is in good company. As long as he continues to honour principle over popularity and conviction over political expediency, he continues the mandate envisioned by the party’s respected founder, Tommy Douglas:

“The growth and development of the New Democratic Party must never allow us to forget our roots. Don’t sacrifice conviction for success. Don’t ever give up quality for quantity. In a movement like ours, as socialist movements around the world have demonstrated, we’re not just interested in getting votes. We are seeking to get people who are willing to dedicate their lives to build a different kind of society, a society founded on the principles of concern for human well-being and human welfare.”

- Walter Stewart [from The Life and Political Times of Tommy Douglas, 2003]