Who wants to abolish billionaires? A look at the resolutions of the federal NDP convention

By John M. Fabela Last updated Jun 30, 2021

Federal NDP delegates to convention sift through more than 500 resolutions over the long weekend to decide how to chart the course for the party.

Delegates will have 24 hours to prioritize resolutions on April 6 – just three days before the start of the virtual convention.

While there is talk of early federal elections, party insiders say the convention offers the party an early opportunity to prepare for the campaign. CBC News has combed through the resolutions and presents some of the highlights below.

Tax the rich

Resolutions contemplated for debate at Congress include proposals to:

Abolish billionaires by taxing 100% all gross wealth over $ 1 billion.
Create a wealth tax for the personal income of the rich.
Campaign for tough penalties against tax evasion, including confiscation of untaxed profits, seizure of assets and prison terms.

Health

The party could end up debating several resolutions that would call for changes in the way health services are funded and delivered. Among other things, they ask the federal government to:

Work with provincial and territorial governments to implement high quality long-term care and ensure that all facilities are built on a not-for-profit model.
Pass legislation requiring the maintenance of an adequate stock of personal protective equipment at all times and establish a public agency for manufacture and distribution.
Create a state corporation to produce vaccines, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Negotiate a new Canada Health Accord with provinces and territories to provide coverage for vision care, dental care, hearing, mental health, podiatry, physiotherapy, chiropractic and seniors.
Decriminalize all illegal drugs.
Update the NDP policy book to state that all Canadians have the right to access abortion and reproductive health services, regardless of their geographic location. The resolution says that no one should have to travel more than 200 kilometers to get such care.

Several resolutions call for changes in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press)

Labor and workers

New Democrats could agree to urge the federal government to:

Create a guaranteed basic income.
Implement a federal minimum wage of $ 15 or $ 20 an hour.
Legislate at least seven employer-paid sick days for all federally regulated workers and an additional 14 days during public health outbreaks.

Legislate the right to strike for all workers.
Make it a crime for employers to use replacement workers during a strike or lockout.
Nationalize the big car manufacturers and move on to building environmentally friendly cars.
Reduce the work week to 32 hours without loss of pay or benefits and ban compulsory overtime.

Environment and transport

New Democrats could debate resolutions calling on Ottawa to:

Achieve 55% emission reduction by 2030 from 1990 levels.
Develop a net zero building code for all new buildings by 2025.
Actively campaign against all new pipelines.
Support the removal of subsidies to the fossil fuel industries and support incentives to develop renewable energy in Canada.
Support legislation that imposes a green tariff on foreign goods and services from countries that do not have a comparable carbon pricing system.
Establish free public transportation within one year of government formation.

Another resolution calls for indigenous lands to be returned to indigenous communities. (SRC)

Indigenous politics

A motion calls for “the end of the heroic commemoration” of the first Prime Minister of Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald, and the removal of his statues from public places.
Another calls for the return of Crown lands and the restoration of Indigenous jurisdiction to Indigenous nations, commonly referred to as “Land Back”.
A resolution calls for the incorporation of Indigenous symbols into the Canadian flag, with all-party consensus and consultation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists.

Palestinian rights and foreign relations

Several resolutions concern Israel and the Palestinian Territories. One specifically calls for an end to all “trade and economic cooperation with illegal settlements in Israel-Palestine” and a suspension of arms sales to Israel until “Palestinian rights are respected.”
Another calls on the NDP to oppose the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism, arguing that it has “been used to try to silence those who denounce serious rights violations human rights of the Palestinian people ”.
As the Indian farmers’ protest continues, a resolution calls on the party to push the Canadian government to condemn the Indian government’s response and stand up for the farmers.

Social problems

A resolution calls for a review of the RCMP’s $ 10 billion budget and major investments in mental health, de-escalation and harm reduction in addiction cases.
Others are calling for the full or partial definancing, disarmament and dismantling of police forces in Canada.
One resolution in particular calls on the government to freeze military spending, while another proposes “the phasing out of the Canadian Armed Forces”.
And another resolution calls on an NDP government to ban the use of pepper spray by law enforcement due to the long-term adverse health effects.

Other resolutions call for full or partial funding for police forces in Canada – a key request made during the Black Lives Matter protests. (Cole Burston / Getty Images)

Internet and affordable price

The resolutions being considered for the convention include calls for Canada to:

Forcing web giants to pay taxes in Canada.
Place the telecommunications industry under public ownership.
Create a public telecommunications company, like SaskTel in Saskatchewan.
Propose a national strategy for broadband Internet services.

Housing

Housing resolutions include demands for:

A moratorium on evictions, mortgage foreclosures and cuts to public services due to unemployment.
A national housing strategy to ensure that every Canadian has access to safe, adequate and accessible housing.
Building affordable housing on vacant federal land.

Students

New Democrats could debate by asking the federal government:

Cancel student debt for all post-secondary students and alumni.
Support a universal pass for students.
Integrate student housing into the national housing policy.

These are just a few of the highlights. You can read all the policies here: