NDP celebrates 50 years in Alberta

The complete story.


In 50 years the NDP has never reached power in Alberta, but that doesn't mean it hasn't had an impact.

The party served as the official opposition from 1982 to 1993, and has served as an alternate voice throughout the PC's 40 year dynasty.

The annual fall NDP convention goes in Edmonton this weekend, with the theme of "Celebrating our past, planning our future".

Federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair is here for the event, which wraps up Sunday.

NPD celebrates 50 years in Alberta - iNews880.com iNews 880 On Radio. On Line. On Demand. - Edmonton CHQTAM

I kind of look at stories like this with a mixture of scorn, admiration and amusement... mostly amusement.
Congratulations to the NDP on surviving 50 years in Alberta: its a long, cold haul for a party that is so far on the margins of Alberta politics that most people don't see them as a remotely valid alternative. I don't agree with or support most NDP policies but I do respect the willingness of others to voice their opinions and be a part of the democratic process; even if the policies are flawed, the exercise of the entire machinery makes for better government.

The scorn and amusement part comes when they start to talk about the "impact" the party has had in Alberta... which is next to none. When you have 60 gov't seats and 10-15 seats for the official opposition, its ridiculous to claim that you doing anything but being present to be steamrolled and making the entire process go through.

Sorry Dippers, but you won't form an Alberta gov't anytime soon; you have better odds of doing it federally.

Just wondering since the whole Alberta economy depends on resource extraction which the NDP is against, who in Alberta belongs to the NDP?

50 years and only four seats, I bet it was a BYOB.