Socialist Alternative
Leader	Collective leadership
Founded	1986 (as Labour Militant)
Headquarters	Vancouver, BC
Newspaper	Socialist Alternative
Ideology	Revolutionary socialism Marxism Trotskyism
Political position	Far-left
International affiliation	International Socialist Alternative
Colours	Red
Website
socialistalternative.ca
Politics of Canada Political parties Elections

Socialist Alternative is a socialist group in Canada active in youth and student activities,^[1] unions, environmental movements, and campaigns for economic and social justice.^[2] Socialist Alternative works under the belief that capitalism is incapable of providing a society wherein the majority thrive.^[3]

The group was founded as Labour Militant in 1986, a faction within the New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP). It withdrew from the NDP in 1996 and called instead for the creation of a new workers' party due to the drift of the NDP and other social democratic parties around the world towards liberal policies, particularly the Third Way and Blairism as inspired by then British Labour Party leader Tony Blair. Labour Militant changed its name to Socialist Resistance before adopting the name Socialist Alternative in 1999^[4]

In British Columbia, Socialist Alternative endorsed and campaigned for the BC Federation of Labour's "Fight for 15" campaign for a $15 minimum wage.^[5]

It works closely with Alternative Socialiste in Quebec and is affiliated with International Socialist Alternative,^[6] an international socialist organization. The ISA section in the United States, which has the same name, attracted attention in Seattle with the election of now-former city councillor Kshama Sawant in 2013.^[7][8]

Political views

References