Last Friday, the local chapter of the Newfoundland & Labrador New Democratic Party (NDP) held a mixer in The Breezeway, offering free pizza and Pepsi to all attendees. The group seemed to have easily garnered an impressive attendance. All of the pool tables were full and multiple sections of the bar had occupied tables with cheery faces that showcased a great amount of camaraderie. This turnout is not surprising, given the historical performance of the party in the area, holding both St John’s East and St. John’s South prior to 2015. Notably, the group seems to have an energy which seeks to compete and overtake youth engagement in Memorial campus in comparison to other political groups.
Speaking with the Chair of the NDP Youth Caucus, Kerri Claire Neil, students and youth have the opportunity to get involved with the party by attending weekly meetings on Monday afternoon at the University Centre in room UC 6011. Additionally, the bulk of engagement is through social media, mainly Twitter and Facebook. Currently, the group’s main goal is to conduct social events such as movie and trivia nights as part of a larger move to arrange more frequent activities. One of the notable approaches at this is the Campaign School starting June 1st aiming to train individuals on how to run campaigns prior to the election. The next event for the group is a movie screening of Salt of the Earth on March 15th, and a trivia night booked on April 3rd.
This no doubt marks the beginning of the party’s mobilization prior to the upcoming election. Given that Memorial University occupies the St. John’s East riding which featured the infamous upset of long-time MP Jack Harris against Liberal Nick Whalen, (dubbed one of the most baffling outcomes of the turbulent 2015 election) the NDP may be looking to reclaim lost territory. As the political climate on campus remains mildly active, events like the NDP’s may indicate that parties are beginning to heat things up by increasing their presence. With the widening Overton Window, seen in the upcoming populist People’s Party rally on March 2nd, one can only wonder what the political discourse in Newfoundland and Labrador will look like in the near future.