File 2023-006/004(01) - North Metro Waffle, 1971-1972

• Textual record

1 folder of textual records

File consists of meeting minutes, contact information of North Metro Waffle members, press statements regarding strike actions, posters in support for Texpack workers, forms for joining protests, position papers, newspaper clippings, event information sheets, and correspondence. Position papers include the following written by John Smart: ‘Waffle and anti-Waffle: Two Election Strategies for the NDP in Ontario’ (1971), ‘The Waffle, the federal election and Ottawa South’ (1971); the following written by Hans Modlich: ‘Whichway for Waffle?’ (c. 1971); the following by Mary Ann Code, Robin Endres, Larry Hoffman, Rose-Marie Larsson, Marjaleena Repo, Satu Repo and Gary Teeple: ‘The Waffle, the NDP, and the Independent Socialists in the Waffle’ (c. 1971); the following by Ed Bazylinski, Kelly Crichton, Gord Laxer, Dominique Pagnini, Jack Quarter, Dan Sunstrum, Sandra Principe, Bill Temple, and Mel Watkins: ‘A Strategy for the Waffle’ (c. 1971); the following by Dawn Aspinall, Len Choptiany, Danny Drache, John Lang and Neil Keller: ‘The Waffle and the NDP: Disappearing from Within’ (c. 1971); the following by Lukin Robinson and Richard Comber: ‘Statement on the Relationship between the Waffle Group and the NDP’ (c. 1971); the following by Krista Maeots: ‘A Socialist Strategy for the Waffle’ (c. 1971); the following by Jackie Larkin and Steve Penner: ‘Some Further Thoughts, Or Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom!’ (c. 1971); and the following by Ellie Prepas and Naomi Lyons: ‘Organization in the Toronto Waffle and the North Metro Experience’ (c. 1971). Meeting minutes and press releases in this file point to a crisis between the Ontario New Democratic Party (ONDP) and the Waffle Movement, with the former calling for the latter’s expulsion from the ONDP caucus. After the ONDP’s decision in 1972 to expel the Waffle from the party, members of the Waffle who still held NDP party membership were called upon to attend the London Conference organized by the Waffle Movement to submit deciding votes for the Waffle’s next steps, which included five options: one, dissolution; two, retain member status within the ONDP by adopting the Riverdale Resolution; three, cease to be a political party, but carry on political work for an Independent Socialist Canada outside of the ONDP; four, set up a new political party; and five, continue the Waffle’s functions unchanged and challenge the party expulsions at the next provincial NDP convention. File also includes notes on forming candidacies at the federal level around Waffle members who held NDP membership, which included Prepas. File also includes ‘The Waffle Manifesto,’ Prepas’ ONDP membership card for 1971, and a letter from Barry Weisleder addressed to all members of the North Metro Toronto NDP-Waffle Steering Committee regarding his objections to the arrangement of allowing only four panelists with near-uniform opinions on the Waffle’s options to speak in a conference where a decisive vote was to take place.