A Wonk, an MP, and a Union Fighter
Three very different visions are emerging for the post-Singh NDP, with plenty of time left in the race
We are still very early in the New Democratic leadership race to see who will replace Jagmeet Singh in the next federal election, but so far it looks like we will have an actual contest on our hands.
Avi Lewis
The first notable candidate to enter the race was Avi Lewis, grandson of David Lewis and a previous NDP candidate in the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea To Sky in 2021, and Vancouver Centre in 2025.
He announced in mid-September with a sleek, progressive video in which he called for a wealth tax, a national cap on rent increases, and a public option for groceries, among others.
Lewis came right out of the gates with clear policy ideas, which as a policy enthusiast, I cannot help but enjoy. Of course, it is still early in the race and the other candidates will reveal their own platforms as time goes on, but Lewis gets some early points on this front.
Lewis is a well-known name in the party and among its membership being the bold activist he is, and as such he will have a natural base of support to start his candidacy.
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Heather McPherson
Next up is the only sitting MP to enter the race so far, Edmonton Strathcona’s Heather McPherson.
McPherson launched her campaign late September with an early endorsement from former NDP premier of Alberta, Rachel Notley, which makes sense given that both represent the same electoral district in downtown Edmonton.
As the only current MP in the race, she has the advantage of understanding the system and knowing how to act as a politician should. At the same time, that makes her an easy target for the ire of anti-establishment members of the party, something her opponents could use against her.
Her campaign launch included policy proposals such as a jobs program for young Canadians, stronger action against price-gouging by grocery stores, and broader commitments to fair wages and affordable housing.
Her work as a Foreign Affairs critic over the years will likely give her a natural edge on an issue where many left-wing candidates often struggle. Whether her time in caucus will win her the support of fellow MPs remains to be seen.
Rob Ashton
The final approved candidate in the race so far is Rob Ashton, a union leader who is far from the image of a typical politician.
Ashton is president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada, making him the only union candidate in the race, which is somewhat ironic given the NDP’s historic base of union support.
While Ashton’s campaign and launch video have been lighter on policy than those of McPherson or Lewis, he brings a distinct energy the other two candidates lack: a blunt, straightforward style and a willingness to say things as they are.
In his early interviews, Ashton has emphasized that he is a working-class Canadian who knows what it is like to work for a living while trying to build a better life for his kids. Many politicians have voiced similar sentiments, but few have lived them in the way many Canadians actually have.
I think Ashton is one to watch in this race. In a previous article, I argued that the NDP needs to find someone who can compete in blue ridings and challenge the Conservatives’ hold on blue-collar workers, if the party wants to be electorally successful.
That means speaking in a straightforward way, dropping overly academic language that has often made left-wing talking points the butt of jokes and alienated working-class Canadians. Not to mention promoting and building national projects and expanding our local economy for the benefit of Canadians, and not foreign interests.
While we will have to wait and see where Ashton’s policies land, he may be the very candidate who can connect with disaffected working-class Canadians who have grown nihilistic about politics and those who run it.
It also helps that he is willing to swear in front of a camera, as if we don’t all do so.
There have been other candidates that have announced their candidacies, or plan to do so, but only the three mentioned above have been approved by the party thus far.
The first leadership candidate forum will be hosted by the Canadian Labour Congress on October 22, while the first leadership debate will be some time in November, with an exact date yet to be decided by the party.