The NDP shifted to the right. Ignore the rainbows. They are not a workers party and no longer have a single reason to exist. The NDP many years ago was supposed to look out for joe working man. Once again, they have no reason to exist. The liberals also pretend to care about LGBT people and immigrants (Diversity).
In my opinion, the greatest division now isn't really left versus right,
its more luxury beliefs versus practicality.
Theres a lot I disagree with and agree with people in this forum on. I came from the left on the socialists side. Used to volunteer with a food kitchen for several years. I have a very specific view of reality and what its like to be on the bottom. Never been an NDP fan because I never saw what they were like in the 80s and I can still remember them being gay race communists in the 2000s, but I will say that they were more labour friendly then, and less gay as well I guess.
The issue is one of language, its one of reality- its the fact that both sides of the spectrum often come together when they realize that its people with luxury beliefs who have basically destroyed this nation, regardless of where they lie on the spectrum.
Maybe you could say that its the rich versus the poor, but its not quite that simple truly. There are many poor people with luxury beliefs, many middle class people [especially students] with luxury beliefs, and there are even some rich people who have the opposite- beliefs grounded in practicality and reality [possibly Trump if were stretching things].
We may disagree on the approach to solve problems, but at least those grounded in practical reality can recognize them for what they are.
Things like defunding the police is a luxury belief where people who dont live in ghettos will never have to face the consequences of their actions.
Diversity is our strength! Import the third world! was a luxury belief, till it was not.
Legalizing all the drugs or depolicing drug crimes is a luxury belief.
Shutting down the country will have minimal effects on the economy is a luxury belief that liberals didnt have to face, but small businesses did, for example.
While I think growing the pie so everyone gets a bigger share of it is better than dividing a pie, 'voodoo economics' or trickle down is a conservative luxury belief. The people in big cities in the conservative party didn't have to really face the effects of small towns dying off when jobs were shipped to Mexico or China. Even the conservative party has shifted from mom and pop' type economics to neoliberalism, and I don't think left or right wing is the best way to describe this phenomena. When is Ford Canada boasting record profits from offshoring going to benefit rust belt Ontario, for example? Still waiting for that trickle down.
Its why I think that the issue with Canada isn't even necessarily that parties have shifted right or left, honestly- I think its just the fact that so many people and politicians are completely deluded at this point, and luxury beliefs have taken over most of the parties due to the technocratic/managerial class being completely divorced from reality on the ground.
When pushed on failed luxury beliefs, they either memoryhole them or double down on supporting them and demonizing critics, and whereas in the past you'd sack people with these beliefs, well- they meant well so we should just give these politicians another chance, right?
90% of policies arent based in practicality anymore- or they just completely ignore how badly they fuck over the poor, or both. Faith in an almighty gay progressive slant to history or economic libertarianism cause problems that the thintelligent rich will never have to face themselves. Its why you can see someone voting for the NDP for a practical solution in housing (rent control), regardless of their other views. Everything is all just abstract and gay and half the things are culture war issues now, or just a naked cash grab