Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1969-2009 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.2 m of textual records
Context area
Name of creator
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Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
In 1969, Watkins along with James Laxer, became leader of the Waffle, a group formed from members of the New Democratic Party (NDP) that wished to push the party further to the left and called for the nationalization of Canadian industries to take them out of the hands of American interests. By 1972, the Waffle was pushed out of the NDP, and went on to form its own party, the Movement for an Independent Socialist Canada, but by 1974 it had disbanded.
Files in this series document the activities of the Waffle at the local, provincial, and national level, including its Manifesto for an Independent Socialist Canada, policy statements, meeting minutes, and news clippings. Also included is correspondence with James Laxer following the publication of his report in 1984 which critiqued the NDP’s economic policies. Finally, the series includes writings and talks by Watkins’ reflecting on the Waffle and its legacy, and his nomination speech when he ran as the NDP candidate in the riding of Beaches-East York during the 2000 federal election.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
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Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open; some files have been moved to box B2022-0034/016 for conservation reasons, as they were treated and remediated for mould. See file listing for further details.