On February 3, Ontario’s political scene was rocked by the news that the ONDP’s Deputy Leader, Doly Begum, was leaving the party and resigning her seat to run for the federal Liberals in the upcoming by-election in Scarborough Southwest.
This was a shocking move that has left NDP members and many in the labour movement in disarray. Begum, who was first elected as an MPP in 2018, won her seat due to the countless hours of campaigning put in by community members and trade unionists. Her supporters, community allies, and even her staff were caught off-guard by this announcement and are feeling betrayed.
At a time where an early federal election is brewing and the Carney government is governing well to the right of even Trudeau’s Liberals (with budget cuts as extreme as Stephen Harper’s Conservatives), Begum’s transition signifies a detachment from her core values and a desire for complacency in political action, happily being swallowed into a pro-Zionist government as a political pawn for Carney’s ambitions of a majority government.
An important federal seat open after years of Blair stronghold
Scarborough Southwest’s Liberal MP Bill Blair, notoriously referred to as “Forest Hill Bill” for living in one of Toronto’s richest neighbourhoods while governing in Scarborough Southwest, is the epitome of power-seeking careerists that run for office in lower-income, suburban areas who then cater to elites while undermining working class movements. Politicians like Blair have a pattern of governance that leaves many working class neighbourhoods disenfranchised, justifiably coming to the conclusion that “politicians always lie.” In reinforcing these sentiments, Canada’s political arena continues its feedback loop of rewarding capitalist-friendly, careerist governance that ignores the needs of constituents while disenfranchising leftist, working class, and migrant justice movements.
With Blair being the former Toronto Police Chief and Canada’s Minister of National Defence, it was clear that this Liberal member was a red Tory, something that Scarborough residents know very well. With Begum, Scarborough Southwest—and in extension, a major part of Scarborough—was offered an alternative. While the initial feeling of shock around Begum’s decision could negatively impact the community building and activism in Scarborough’s neighbourhoods, it is imperative that we not let this political turmoil wipe out our movements; rather, we must reflect upon this opportunism in the looking glass, and galvanize our collective power to stand for truth and justice.
Effective Strategy in Socialist Movements
Scarborough residents, social movements, and working class communities need an alternative that champions authentic leadership. Our communities know how to spot political performances, and we value bold leadership with integrity that uplifts working-class communities. Whether it’s joining a strike picket line, or fighting anti-black racism in schools, or making meals for your local mosques, community care leads from the sentiment that ‘love is greater than hate.’ Bringing strong leaders and their communities to the ballot box is one thing, but what will it take to actually use this power to deliver on electoral promises and strengthen our movements?
While the Ontario NDP plans to run a candidate to hold onto Begum’s old seat, the ONDP faces a steep uphill battle having lost not only a deputy leader but also an exciting, compelling, racialized MPP. The ONDP’s failure to hold onto their deputy leader also speaks to the weakness of the party, having already lost its entire Black caucus. Losing a hijab-wearing Muslim MPP in Begum has set the ONDP back yet again. With a high profile and a dynamic brand, Begum was primed to contend for a position as the next leader of the ONDP.. So what does it say about the NDP that Begum so easily jumped from one ship to another? When people and parties see parliament as the only venue to advance politics it is no wonder that forming government is prioritized above all else. While the ONDP and federal Liberals differ in political priorities, they share the same political strategy. It is the neoliberal ideology of Canadian politics that begs to be in government over all else, prioritizing the notion that government is the only institution that has the power to bring change to our lives. This notion is one that has been disproven time after time—yet, we know that careerist politicians will fall into these tired traps should they disconnect from social movements.
Begum had not actively engaged with queer/trans/radical or pro-Palestine movements—or even truly feminist movements, at that, beyond photo ops and passive event attendance. Nor had she further supported greater tenant organizing, rather shifting canvassing events with ONDP leader Marit Stiles from tenant organizing around Bill 60 to mainstreeting at large Scarborough mosques when approaching a fundraising deadline. In a riding where the median income is $35,000, the average individual in Scarborough Southwest is looking to their leaders for more than a photo op.
We are most powerful when we show up for one another
Though falling short in uplifting the most marginalized—particularly queer youth in Scarborough and from the Bangladeshi community—Doly Begum’s leadership was a key factor in building confidence around social movements in Scarborough and Toronto’s East End overall. We must condemn her co-optation of grassroots community organizing to benefit from our power, just to abandon the values that got her elected. Instead, we should remember that community organizing has been making Scarborough a better place since long before Doly Begum, and it will continue making Scarborough a better place long after she’s gone. Community keeps us safe, not opportunism.
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