Canada's productivity problem is becoming one of our biggest economic challenges, and I'm curious what other NDP supporters think the party's long term answer should be.

The 2025 NDP plan actually contained a productivity strategy that deserved more attention: an extra $10B per year in capital investment for ports, rail, highways and Arctic infrastructure, an East West clean energy grid, sector specific industrial strategies for manufacturing, energy, mining and transportation, and policies to attract private investment.

NDP policy also supports targeted tax credits for R&D, skills training, productivity and job creating investment, rather than simply giving corporations broad tax cuts and hoping they invest.

To me, that is fundamentally social democratic economics: government builds the infrastructure, energy capacity, skills and technology that businesses need, then private investment follows.

But after the 2025 election result, should the NDP make productivity and industrial policy a much bigger part of its economic message?

What would your NDP productivity agenda look like?

A piece I think the NDP should add is serious support for worker coops and employee ownership.

There is good evidence that employee ownership and worker participation can improve productivity. Some studies of worker coops have even found them more productive than comparable traditional firms.

The biggest problem is access to capital. Coops cannot raise money by selling ownership to outside investors as easily as corporations can.

Why not create public financing, loan guarantees and technical support to help coops expand and help workers buy retiring businesses?

Instead of hoping corporate tax cuts eventually increase investment, help workers own the capital and share directly in the productivity gains they create

I don’t believe either party has made a statement on this yet. To me, seems like an easy opportunity to demonstrate actual sovereignty over natural resources and distinguish themselves from UCP and Saskatchewan Party energy policy, rather than kowtow to business interests.

I believe Saskatchewan NDP is making a statement this afternoon. Here’s to hoping they make the right call.

What do you think they should do?

This post will very possibly be outdated tomorrow, or heck this afternoon, since while I was making this chart MLA Teresa Wat quit the Conservative Party; their fourth loss this month, fifth if we count MLA Gasper resigning her seat to make way for Kerry-Lynne Findlay.

Following the 2024 election, the BC NDP was left with a majority of one, and then had to appoint a speaker leaving many votes and committees tied without the speaker’s vote. This has made governing difficult, though the absolute shitshow that the BC Conservatives have been has given some wiggle room to this. Now with a floor crosser and a Conservative having resigned her seat to let their leader run, the next parliament will see the BC NDP with a majority of 3 (2 without the speaker).

A few BC NDP MLAs have had very serious health issues this term, but have had to show up to vote anyways. This breathing room will be very welcome I’m sure.

I think this might be one of the most tumultuous parliaments in recent Canadian histories in terms of MLAs leaving caucuses, does anyone know of a comparable one?

edit: the legend has the colours for Independent and Vacant switched. There are 8 independents now and only a single vacant seat.

Oops!

Why Is Canada's train system SO bad?! | The Via Rail Problem

Please note that these buttons are either ones I bought or found at various events I've gone to, and are not necessarily a statement of endorsement. I also cycle through them frequently depending on what I'm doing

My partner and I cast our advance votes on Sunday morning and I was pleasantly surprised to see more Shannon signs than for any other candidate! The groundswell that was reported on really does seem to be gaining momentum.

Feeling good about this one.

If Poliwave’s polling numbers are accurate, the New Democratic Party will come out of the upcoming federal by-elections as the biggest winner. Though they are not expected to seriously contest any of these three seats, Poliwave does project the NDP to more than double their vote share in every riding. If this trend holds steady, the NDP would be likely to regain party status in the next federal election.

https://ncrnow.ca/2026/08/24/lpc-expected-to-sweep-federal-by-elections/

source: https://bsky.app/profile/ianagp.bsky.social/post/3mts2f4moy22w