There is an ideal of pacifism at all costs within the party, but it is not the only camp of thought on this issue. That is what I love about the rich history found within grassroots political movements of all stripes are the diversity of thought and belief.
Within the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, pre-cursor of the NDP, it was best show in the House of Commons on a historic vote in 1939 for Canada to enter World War II.
Then leader J.S. Woodsworth was a staunch pacifist believing all war was evil and a machine of the capitalist economic system used to oppress the masses. He stood as the only Member of Parliament that day to vote against going to war with Nazi Germany.
Tommy Douglas had visited Nazi Germany and saw the horror about to be released on the globe, and made a decision to be an informed pacifist; he stood up and voted for war against Nazi Germany.
Is either one less a pacifist? No. The lesson is that within our party we have always had healthy debate and dialogue on issues and complete agreement was never a necessity…the party survived and still does to this day with the two streams of pacifism co-existing, Complete Pacifists and Informed Pacifists.