JMJ
June 22, 2015
In 1970 the Waffle was a group within the NDP to push the party into more consistent socialism. It was organised, visible,and determined to have its choice in the NDP leadership race. The resolutions of the NDP carry more weight than the elected members. The elected must do as the Party Resolutions state. Thus an NDP Member of the Legislature, an NDP Member of Parliament or even an NDP Premier or( gasp) an NDP Prime Minister is not responsible to the people of his constituency, province or country but to the Party Voice.
The Waffle had many of its resolutions passed at the Party’s Annual Convention:
Abortion on Demand, 24 hr. Universal Child Care, et c. One key resolution dear to the heart of every true Leftist was : An NDP government will nationalise the Potash Industry by paying one dollar to the American Potash Corporation.
An American owned mining company ran lucrative potash mines in Saskatchewan, , lucrative to the employees and their families, to the government coffers, and to the shareholders. This was not enough for the Left. They wanted the industry Nationalised. That is they wanted all the Potash mines owned and operated by the Government, subect to political control which ment NDP Party control. Businesses have to make business decisions not political ones. This is how an economy works. Sometimes those decisions are not popular but necessary to keep the business going and profitable. The government’s job is to enforce safe and fair practices. When the government wants to be both the referee and player the profit falls, the standards fall and money needed for roads, hospitals and schools fall.
But Socialism is a religion and a cult. The articles of faith state that the government must run all business so the Waffle were not content until the potash mines became a crown corporation.
The two main contenders for the NDP leadership were Roy Romanow and Allen Blakeney. Romanow did not support the Waffle and the Waffle did not trust him. They threw their considerable weight behind Blakeney. Blakeney won and won the election. Romanow became his Minister of Justice. But their were debts to pay. Blakeney gave the Far Left of the Party northern Saskatchewan to do with it as they wished. He also got the long haired, marijuana tokers out of the eye of the respectable public.
There was still the Party Resolution to nationalise the Potash Industry. Blakeney had to deliver not because the Saskatchewan people wanted it but because the Party wanted it. Romanow still wanted to be Premier at the next opportunity. Romanow would table a bill to nationalise the potash company. A long and bitter fight ensued in the public and in the legislature. But what the Party wants, the Party gets. Other businesses were leaving the province in droves as were young people who wanted a future not a government job nor welfare. Investors nixed Saskatchewan as a place to put their money and expertise. The falling population , once the third highest in Canada fell well below a million. The Slogan was “ Last one out, turn off the lights.”
Romanow knew that he could force the American company to sell, but not for One Dollar. So he had them name their price and he trotted off to New York to borrow the money. Thus the NDP bought an American company by money borrowed from American banks. The tax payers were forced to pay the interest plus the price for years . The taxes of Saskatchewan became the highest in Canada. The Waffle was no longer relevant. The NDP and the Liberal Party of Canada became more extreme, more Left than a Waffler’s wildest dreams. Meanwhile the Federal NDP promise to be Socialists just like it was in Saskatchewan prior to 1982 if elected. Except, they don’t want to just nationalise an industry or two but to nationalise , that is own and operate, our children and ourselves. Please pray that God will protect Canada and her families. Gay
