Buzz's Strategy

Yesterday Buzz Hargrove and the CAW formally severed their political relationship with the NDP.

This comes after the NDP expelled Buzz from their party to punish him for his decision to back the federal Liberals in the last federal election.

Now while it’s fun to watch this little civil war unfold on the Left, there are also deeper questions that need answered.

For instance, what is Buzz Hargrove up to? Why has he abandoned the CAW’s traditional support for the NDP and for all intents and purposes gone over to the Liberals?

Well, I think Buzz, who is no dummy, understands the tide of human history is flowing against him and his socialist world-view.

A few months ago in a Financial Post column, Hargrove warned against the new “social and economic regime” taking root in Canada.

This new regime, says Hargrove meant new policies such as “deregulation, privatization, tax cuts, the leaning and refocusing of government programs and – of course – globalization.”

Hargrove, probably correctly, has decided the NDP can’t overturn this new market-oriented regime. Only a left-leaning Liberal Party – backed by the NDP in Parliament – can possibly turn back the clock.

So that’s Hargrove’s goal.

Give him credit – Hargrove is thinking strategically.

And if conservatives and other free-market supporters are going to stop him, they will have to start thinking strategically too.