The New Democratic Party (NDP) is thinking about changing its name. My advice is, don't do it.The NDP has already changed its name once. In 1933, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) was formed.
In 1961, a founding convention was held for the New Democratic Party. Out with the old CCF and in with the new NDP.
For all of these years the CCF - NDP have occupied the left of centre, the left, and the far left of Canadian politics.
The CCF and NDP have had some modest electoral success over the past 7+ decades. The biggest success for the party has been in the Province of Saskatchewan, were it was first elected as a CCF government in 1944 under the leadership of Tommy Douglas. The CCF - NDP have been dominant in Saskatchewan politics ever since that first victory.
The NDP has also elected governments in the Provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia and in the Yukon. However, the party has never been successful at the national level.
A name is symbolic. The name of a political party is very symbolic and many thousands of party members are heavily invested in the name. After all, it means something, or at least is supposed to. A name change causes disruption at the very least, and at worst, alienation. Has anyone done a risk-reward analysis behind this idea, if so I would like to see it.
My second point, just as important as my first point, has the NDP forgotten we are in the middle of "The Great Recession"? Of all the important things political parties have to worry about, why would anyone expend any time or energy at this time on a name change?
What a spectacle this will be. While Canadians continue to lose jobs and homes in record numbers, and while the economy and industry continue to shrink, the NDP, they are focused on their name. I know the NDP probably don't like taking advice from a card carrying Liberal like me, but honestly, you are making a big mistake.
