Through her actions NDP leader Carole James is redefining the NDP. She has made it clear that she is listening to both business and labour, and that she will continue to do so. That isn't good enough for some columnists and media pundits who call for a dramatic break between the NDP and labour. It is interesting that none of those who call for such a break are, or ever have been, members of the NDP. They don't appear to understand the inner workings of the party.

The formal link between labour and the NDP is found in the affiliation provisions in the party's constitution. An affiliated union can send 2 delegates to the party's convention for its first 100 members for whom affiliation dues have been paid and 1 delegate for each additional 500 members. Many unions have clauses in their own constitutions that prevent them from affiliating with any political party. HEU, HSA, BCGEU, BCNU, and the BCTF are examples of major public sector unions that are not affiliated to the NDP. In practice many affiliates do not affiliate their full membership and frequently do not send full delegations to convention unless there is a leadership race. At the 2001 leadership convention, fewer than 20% of the delegates came from affiliates. That convention resolved to study the affiliation provisions and report back to the next convention with recommendations. That convention will not be held until the fall of 2005.

Of course, critics of the NDP are not interested in the mechanics of how the party works. Changing the party's constitution is not really what they call for as much as for an outright fight between labour and party activists on some fundamental policy issue. Party activists love heated debates but a fundamental split on a basic value is not likely.

Notice how critics of the NDP are silent on the inner workings of the BC Liberal party. Gordon Campbell hijacked the party before the law required full disclosure of donations to leadership campaigns. He failed to voluntarily produce his donors list. The BC Elections Act makes it possible to see the amount of corporate donations to any party since the April 2000 filing with Elections BC, and it is possible to identify specific donors who contribute over $250 per year. The latest financial reports show that the NDP raises more money from individuals than the BC Liberals, but business and corporate donations to the BC Liberals exceed individual donations.

Over the last five years (1999-2003), the NDP raised just under $1.2 million from unions. During that five year period, the BC Liberals raised just under $8.15 million from individuals; the NDP raised $11.88 million from individuals. In each of the five years, the NDP raised more money from individuals. Over those five years, the BC Liberal party received more than $18.5 million in donations from businesses and corporations, more than two and a quarter times as much as they received from individuals. That's not just affiliation; that's ownership!