NDP faces ‘Parliament from hell’ without official party status, says former MP
The New Democratic Party (NDP) will be returning to the House of Commons without official party status at the end of May. This is a situation that has not occurred since the aftermath of the 1993 election, which former MP Svend Robinson describes as “the Parliament from hell.”
Robinson, who represented Burnaby, B.C., in the House of Commons from 1979 to 2004, recalls the challenges faced by the NDP following their devastating loss in 1993. With only nine MPs elected, the party struggled to have any significant influence on federal government policy for the next four years. Robinson remembers the difficulty of trying to get recognized by the Speaker from the back corner of the House and the limited opportunities for participation in committees.
In the upcoming Parliament, the NDP will not have the privileges they enjoyed in the last session, such as daily questions in question period and seats on House of Commons committees. With only seven MPs elected this time, the party falls short of the 12-member threshold required for recognized party status.
Despite the challenges, Robinson believes that the NDP can still have an impact, especially in a minority government situation where the next election may come sooner. The party has outlined priorities such as advocating for affordable housing, expanding health care, and fighting for better wages. While Prime Minister Mark Carney has ruled out a formal working arrangement, political science professor Jonathan Malloy believes the NDP will have some bargaining power.
The loss of official party status also means a reduction in financial resources for the NDP. They will miss out on millions of dollars in funding available to parties with more than 12 members in the House of Commons. This lack of institutional funding will make it difficult for the party to operate cohesively and perform beyond the bare minimum.
Interim NDP leader Don Davies has committed to a grassroots review of the election result to guide the party’s future direction. Robinson emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with the party’s traditional bases of support in the labour movement and progressive organizations.
In this new reality, Robinson advises New Democrats to remember that much of an MP’s work takes place outside of Parliament. While the challenges are significant, rebuilding the party will require a community-by-community approach and a focus on strengthening the grassroots.
