John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP, posted this recently on Facebook:
John Clark
I think back many years to the night that the Bob Rae NDP government was elected in Ontario in the early 90s. I went to one of the victory parties and the sense of joy and hope was quite overwhelming. It was a sad moment for me because, given my political perspective and, having grown up with Labour governments in Britain, I knew what was coming – although the betrayals were worse than anyone could have expected.
There is no ‘common ground’ with Doug Ford and he doesn’t ‘love this city.’ He is a vicious reactionary who is in league with the developers, as he guts vital public services and throws people into poverty. The issue is to confront and defeat him and not to appease him, much less ally with him.
I have long ago gone over to the perspective that social democratic politics in this era have been reduced to those of the ‘lesser evil’ and I believe that those who implement them have to dealt with on this basis. However, I would address this comment to those who hope and expect to see more from the new Mayor. Understand that, even with the greatest sincerity, progressive left policies won’t happen simply because of a preferred electoral result.
In the days that follow, the political forces and the economic power structure that have imposed their regressive agenda on Toronto will be working hard to ensure they lose no ground. Without serious social action and mass pressure from below, that agenda will prevail. Above all else, this is no time for political passivity but for an upsurge in the struggle.
The Abolitionary 