NDP - Do We Even Know What It Stand For?

First of all - why do they keep hiding their party constitution? Maybe there's something in there that they don't want us to see?

By the way, the URL that appears in the video (http://www.ndp.ca/ndp-durpal/files/CONST03.pdf) no longer works. They must have hidden their constitution someplace else. Secret agenda anyone?

The preamble to the constitution says:

"The principles of democratic socialism can be defined briefly as: That the production and distribution of goods and services shall be directed to meeting the social and individual needs of people within a sustainable environment and economy and not to the making of profit; To modify and control the operations of the monopolistic productive and distributive organizations through economic and social planning. Towards these ends and where necessary the extension of the principle of social ownership;"

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Here you have it. In other words - the NDP wants businesses to merely break even, if not to operate at loss with the help of "social planning" and "social ownership". And don't get too excited about their promise to reduce small business rate: it will come with the "cap-and-trade" scheme that will effectively place even higher tax burden on businesses.

If NDP Leader Jack Layton wins a minority government May 2, supported by the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois, he plans to make Canadians pay a new charge estimated at $21.5 billion over the next four years for the right to emit man-made carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Under Layton’s proposed cap-and-trade plan, this money will be paid by ordinary Canadians in higher retail costs for goods and services, along with job layoffs and lower salaries and benefits for workers.

Layton’s plan is to impose cap-and-trade on us soon after the NDP takes power.

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So much about helping small businesses. And let's not forget: the corporate tax - that's just how much it costs to keep the money in the business. Most of the tax applies when the money is distributed to the shareholders in form of dividends. And that's where the NDP policies of taxing the "high income" (e.g. anyone who earns above the poverty line) will come into play. Whatever the businesses won't pay through "reduced" business taxes and the "cap and trade" cash grab, they'll pay on their personal tax return - through dividend taxes and "poverty reduction" surtaxes for the "rich".

As for their social policies - we all know where they stand on babies' right to life. So when Jack Layton promises "greater abortion access" (which means - to make abortion available in every walk-in clinic at taxpayer expense, screw the provincial medicare rules) - I doubt that could surprise anyone. But what about other issues, like foreign policy, environment, national unity?... Here's something that seems to be way too much for a party that positions itself as mainstream, populist, middle class. Let alone - for a party that is eager to form the government.