Crisis of Capitalism – Crisis of Labour Leadership Summary of the 2026 Socialist Action / Ligue pour Action Socialist Annual Convention
By John Wilson
Socialist Action held its annual convention June 20 in-person in Toronto and on-line. The convention is supreme in SA, reflecting its democratic centralist frame-work. Officers and central bodies were elected and we received fraternal greetings from Jeff Mackler of Socialist Action USA and Kshama Sawant of Workers Strike Back USA. We had local area reports and the Treasurer’s Report. Barry Weisleder, outgoing Federal Secretary, presented the Political Resolution (PR) around which there was the predominant discussion of the meeting. The PR analyzes the national and international situations and proposes tasks and perspectives for the coming year.
The world situation is alarming, which is demonstrated by the following quote on the environment: “The deterioration of our planet is approaching a catastrophic crisis, due to an economic system that puts private profit above all else. The capitalist class treats the land, water and peoples of this continent as resources to be conquered and exploited. Its attempts to “green” capitalism ... have failed utterly. Capitalist economic activity is destroying the natural environment upon which the very survival of humanity depends.”
“Capitalism can’t be fixed.” “The contradictions deeply embedded in the capitalist system are irreconcilable, unresolvable. Canadian workers, independently of the ruling class and with an experienced revolutionary socialist leadership, are the only force capable of overturning capitalist rule.”
The section on labour is comprehensive and well researched; most readers are going to learn things they didn’t know and which are only available if you know where to find them. 30.1% (4.96 million union members) have collective agreement. Growth is stalled, only held in place by new organization. Already a massive number of jobs have been lost because of the current situation. The demographic profile has changed significantly. In 1977 only 12% of union members were women. Now the percentage is 48. Women are taking on leadership roles in several unions, resulting in increased militancy, a strong fight for childcare, maternity and paternity leave, equal pay, and access to higher paying jobs. There are signs of an increase in militancy in unions, most strongly in Quebec.
The PR includes a history of NDP-union relations. In 1961, the Canadian Labour
Congress (CLC) and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) came together to found the NDP, described as “the party of organized labour”. In 1963, union affiliation peaks at 14.6% of union members. The 1970s-1980s were a period of gradual but significant decline, falling to 7-8% by the early 80s. 1993 saw a major rupture with Bob Rae’s Ontario NDP government implementing the infamous Social Contract, which froze wages and suspended collective bargaining for public sector workers. NDP governments preceded and followed it by back-to-work orders made in the interests of the corporate sector and/or the interests of a particular NDP regime.
“State of the NDP: Is the Party Over?” is posed by the document. In the 2025 election the federal NDP suffered staggering losses, both in the number of seats and its share of the popular vote. In the two disallowed socialist campaigns for the leadership, the massive response to them suggested that there is a large contingent of anti-capitalist activists outside the NDP, as well as those remaining in it. The party apparatus and its ‘leadership’ clique have reaffirmed their total hostility to socialist ideas and inner-party democracy.
Socialist Action has always given the NDP critical support on the basis that it is a mass labour party. Current events and the social situation have motivated many people to question the validity of this assessment. This will require further discussion. Should the NDP and its new leader move even marginally to the left, some recovery may ensue;
in that event we will deal with the implications.
Socialist Action, the NDP Socialist Caucus, and many supporters have created a new Socialist Movement that would bring together supporters both in and outside the NDP to build a movement and continue the Capitalism Can’t be Fixed campaign.
“The Quebec Question Lives”: This section mainly states and explains the position SA has long held that Quebec is an oppressed nation and merits support for its struggle for independence. Partly resulting from this struggle, the Quebecois are significantly to the left of the rest of “Canada”(ROC) on some issues. They opposed conscription in both world wars, and were the strongest opponents of the war against Vietnam, and got rid of religious schools in their nation. Increases in union militancy there often foreshadow that of the ROC.
Two examples: the recent massive demonstration (50,000) in Montreal against the proposed anti-strike law of the CAQ government, which would have given the Legault regime the power to intefere in union internal affairs. The other is the huge public sector strike which at its height had over half a million involved. The last paragraph describes the victories of the Quebecois capitalist class as against the Anglo-Canadian bourgeoisie and its own working class. Although vaguely aware of these developments, SA had not incorporated them into our analysis. The convention voted to open a discussion on Quebec.
“Trans Rights Remain Under Siege”: “Ten years after the enshrining of inalienable rights for transgender people in Canada, cultural attacks continue to pose a threat.”
The conservative ideologues and grifters pushing the anti-trans “gender critical” agenda have weaseled their way into provincial parliaments across the country.”
Three provinces passed sweeping anti-trans laws; at least the first, in New Brunswick, has been repealed. But these people, often connected to or supportive of the hard right, never stop. “Weaponized legislation most often takes the form of washroom bans, sports bans and restrictions to health care. These efforts find success because they couch their discrimination in polite moderate language about concern for the safety of women and children. ... these policies have deeply harmful effects on the lives of trans people, and serve as a jumping off point for more extreme and violent repression... Let us remember that transphobia is inherently classist and misogynist in its origins ... Socialists, stand with your trans comrades. Defend them and other disadvantaged communities to your utmost ability.”
“The Rise of AI and Surveillance”: “In 2026 the tech sector continued to ruthlessly pursue development and implementation of generative AI to the detriment of the working class... “The threat to jobs, while real in some sectors, has been overblown by the corporate media. Many classical establishment economists believe that AI, over hyped and oversold, is a bubble soon to burst. Billions are involved but the demand remains modest so far. A real danger is AI’s use to expand surveillance, further eroding what is left of digital privacy.
“International Perspectives”: “The international situation is marked by renewed tendencies toward war, crises, and revolution (and counterrevolution). This is most acutely and prominently expressed in the ongoing genocide committed by the state of Israel in Gaza.
Although the class struggle has generally lagged behind ... the international movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people’s resistance has sparked a new radicalization amongst student students and certain layers of the labour movement (particularly Europe)”.
The document goes on to further expand on Gaza and Iran’s defeat of the US war which is a victory for Palestinians, Cubans and Venezuelans, the declining support for Israel in the US, the radicalization reflected in the mass demonstrations against
Trump and ICE and the increased militancy of Quebec unions. Also the mass youth radicalizations in Asia and Africa. “This wave continues processes already underway in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, illustrating the new social weight of the young proletariat in the region, which threatens to become the next epicentre of the global class struggle.”
It goes on to discuss the war in Ukraine and the emergence of China as a morenpowerful competitor to the US. And “ The Fraud of Multi-polarity and the Hypocrisy of the BRICS”
The Political Resolution defines the “Tasks Ahead of Us” in three ways: 1. the nature of our party. 2. its major priorities in the actual situation and 3. how we can improve our functioning.”
A booklet is planned for the entire Political Resolution. Please keep an eye on that.