Milton NDP Blog

  Have you been watching the Olympics in Japan? It’s a real joy to watch these young athletes compete to be the best in the world. I taught in the public education system for 30+ years. I see something of the young adult olympians in the athletes I taught. With willpower and confidence they have made it to the pinnacle of their sport. Of course, that confidence had to start early, probably back when they were in school in Canada. So what does it take to make a young person gain the confidence to become an olympian? Surely some of it comes from a stable and supportive learning environment at school. Having a teacher’s assistant to help you through a learning disability. Having a guidance counselor to help you make the best choices. Having a track coach with the time to put in that extra lap. Having a clean and well ventilated school to keep you healthy. Making programs as good as possible with board level support. As I watch the Olympics I wonder what kind of success, what kind of c...

Jagmeet (pronounced Jug - meet) Singh was born January 2, 1979. He became leader of Canada’s NDP October 1, 2017. How he got from a one bedroom apartment in Scarborough to Queen’s Park and then the Canadian Legislature is a story worth noting. You can read a brief outline at ndp.ca/jagmeet or you can take a deep dive in his autobiography Love and Courage . Either one you choose, it’s worth thinking about a man that in 2017 accepted and welcomed a heckler who strode on stage and accused him of supporting sharia law. The woman, by her tone and demeanor was obviously a rabble rouser trying to agitate Jagmeet without interest in an answer. Jagmeet’s response drew attention worldwide for his patience and understanding. That moment really drove home the catchphrase that defines the NDP today, Love and Courage. It’s 2021. I can’t believe it. The world seems more polarized than ever. If you criticize the state of Israel you are automatically “anti semitic”? If you are pro life you are autom...

July 10 marks the day 77 years ago when Tommy Douglas was sworn in as the Premiere of Saskatchewan and the first leader of a Social Democratic government in North America. Tommy went on to make radical changes for the betterment of his province and for the rest of Canada. It is fitting on this anniversary to take a few minutes to understand what Social Democracy means and look at where it has been applied. The Wikipedia article is heavy reading but it is worth noting what Social Democracy is not. Social Democracy is not Socialism and certainly not the Oligarchical pretenders bred from Stalinism and Maoism. Social Democrats place democracy first in a bid for social justice, social welfare and a regulated, fair economy. Countries that are often held forth as good examples of governance, countries that are reported by the UN to be the happiest are concentrated in social democrat states. This week, take a few minutes to learn more about Tommy Douglas at the DCF website . Mouseland is T...

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report Calls to Action are heavy, often requiring some background reading to fully understand. The report refers to, and closely parallels the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ( UNDRIP ) which “emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations. It establishes an important standard for eliminating human rights violations against indigenous peoples worldwide and for combating discrimination and marginalization.” - link . The statements in these reports are very broad and sweeping. As you read along you may wonder just how we can go about achieving some of these goals? Some are very easy, as we saw with the government’s announcement this past June to allow indigenous peoples to apply to reclaim their traditional names, taken away from them when they attended residential school...