NDP leadership contenders pitch vision to party membership

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OTTAWA — The five official candidates for the federal NDP leadership met for the first time Wednesday night in Ottawa at a forum hosted by the Canadian Labor Congress.

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Each candidate was given 10 minutes to introduce themselves to union leaders and the wider party membership and explain why they should become the next leader of the NDP.

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Bea Brusquet, president of the Canadian Labor Congress, interviewed each candidate, asking them what they want to tell workers, why they are running and what their priorities will be on day one.

The friendly event marked the beginning of the first debate between the candidates, which was officially announced on November 27 in Montreal.

Rob Ashton

Rob Ashton, a 30-year longshoreman and president of the International Trucking and Warehouse Union of Canada, said he is committed to restoring confidence in the working class and electing NDP MPs in areas where they have historically underperformed.

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“At some point we lost their trust and we have to go to places we might not feel comfortable going to to have uncomfortable and difficult conversations with Canadians,” Ashton told forum participants.

Ashton said that if he becomes leader, the first day would involve meeting constituency associations and giving local organizers the opportunity to tell leadership what they think is wrong with the party, which suffered its worst election result in April.

“These are going to be difficult conversations. These are going to be difficult conversations, but they are conversations that need to be had. This is day one, maybe day two,” Ashton said.

Part of Ashton's campaign is aimed at stoking working-class anger at struggling to cope with living standards and claiming the Liberals and Conservatives are not doing enough to help.

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“We're in a class war. It's the ruling class versus the working class. We all have to understand that, we have to say it loudly. We have to rally the troops,” Ashton said.

Heather McPherson

Heather McPherson has the most parliamentary experience, having been the MP for Edmonton Strathcona since 2019.

She said people need to see that the NDP has solutions to cost-of-living issues and create stronger local riding associations if they want to rebuild their political base.

“There needs to be a lot of reconstruction so that the New Democrats can fight the fight that we need to fight for Canadians right now,” she said.

She said this reinstatement involves developing a coordinated effort with current caucus members, provincial NDP chapters, union leaders and local riding associations to create a strong organizational base for all candidates.

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“I don't need to win with 62 percent of the vote. I need more new Democrats elected. We need to win more seats,” McPherson said. “We need more people elected as New Democrats because when more New Democrats win, that's how we actually make change in the lives of Canadians.”

When asked about her biggest accomplishments in Parliament, MacPherson said the list included “fundamentally changing the conversation about genocide in Gaza” and introducing legislation to create a national ADHD system for Canada with her son.

Tony McQuail

Tony McQuail, an organic farmer from Huron County, Ont., said he knows he's an “underdog” in the leadership race and is okay with being told he probably won't win.

McQuail said he wants to create a coalition of parties, including the NDP and the Green Party, to avoid opposing each other in elections and to get more progressive MPs elected.

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“For democracy to work at its best, everyone needs to be at the table,” McQuail said. “But we didn't do that. We're stuck in a corporate-capitalist consumer society because it serves the elites.”

McQuail said society needs to move from a consumer-driven economy to one focused on environmental sustainability.

“We have to develop wise and sensible transition programs because jobs are going to go away and go away no matter what we do,” he said. “But we can either do this with effective planning and support, or we can just throw people under the bus.”

McQuail said he believes this can be achieved by building a cross-party progressive coalition of voters to get more disillusioned people into politics.

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Avi Lewis

Avi Lewis, a journalist, activist and documentary filmmaker, said if he adds the NDP leader to his long resume, he will come up with big ideas to address accessibility issues.

That included bringing state-owned grocery stores and telecommunications companies into a market he said was controlled by a handful of private companies.

“We've sparked a debate on this issue. Not everyone agrees with it, but I think the NDP needs to promote ideas, not just the right words,” Lewis said.

“This is a time of desperation, when fascism is rising not only in the authoritarian government south of the border, but throughout the world. And the seeds of economic despair that the system creates are being sown.”

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Lewis said the party can reconnect with voters by offering frank conversations and engaging the public consciousness, as right-wing politicians have successfully done.

“Authenticity actually works in politics now, but we see that authenticity in a different way,” Lewis said.

Tanille Johnston

Tanilla Johnston, a social worker and city councilor in Campbell River, B.C., said the NDP needs to be a place where people feel welcome to recover.

If elected leader, Johnston said she would waive her party membership dues to make the NDP open to everyone.

“If we want more people to come to the table, open the door, maybe put in a ramp, widen it, make it super accessible so we can welcome all the people to the NDP table,” she said.

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Inclusiveness was central to Johnston's message at the forum and she said people must be able to see themselves in the party to support it.

“If you don't see yourself in that leader as a student, as a minority, as someone who maybe identifies as an equity group or something different than your average Canadian, you should be able to see yourself in our party,” she said.

Johnston said she has made accessibility a central part of her time in politics, working with Elections Canada in the last election to ensure ballot drop boxes were available in all remote First Nations communities in the North Island and Powell River.

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