WINNIPEG - The five candidates on the ballot in the NDP leadership race took centre stage at the party’s national convention on Saturday.
One by one, the leadership hopefuls made their final pitches to the party faithful, about why they’d be the best pick to rebuild the federal New Democrats, and lead the embattled party into the next chapter.
The party’s next permanent leader will inherit a political organization that has a lot of work to do after last year’s worst-ever election result, and the “leadership showcases” largely focused on each candidates’ vision for the future of the party.
- READ MORE: Who’s who in the NDP leadership race
- READ MORE: The federal NDP is about to elect a new leader. Is it Avi Lewis’s race to lose?
Candidates draw contrast, rally supporters
First up was B.C.-based filmmaker Avi Lewis, backed by volunteers holding “tax the rich” and “green new deal” signs, his campaign staff, NDP MP Leah Gazan, and his wife Naomi Klein.
Lewis spoke about how he wants to bring the party back from “the wilderness,” and how he has a “clear vision” to get Canada through the tumult and protect the country from U.S. President Donald Trump “and all the chaos and toxic slop he generates.”
“We generate excitement with our bold ideas. We turn that excitement into momentum through organizing. We supercharge our organizing by trusting our base to lead at the riding level,” Lewis said.
“We build back our ground game well in advance of the next election and win more seats. We fling open the doors to the 99 per cent and become once again, as my grandfather David Lewis called it in the 1940s, ‘a political instrument of the people.’”
Then, donning his signature straw hat and denim, organic farmer Tony McQuail and his campaign staff who introduced him, leaned into his underdog standing, emphasizing that’s familiar ground for New Democrats.
“We need to unite, not just New Democrats, but a broad green progressive coalition with a vision of a hopeful future,” McQuail said. “We envision a Canada that is caring and compassionate, both for its residents at home and to the broader world community.”
Third to the stage was Indigenous social worker Tanille Johnston, who entered to the sounds of a Walking Wolf Singers drum circle.
After some friendly ribbing on her opponents and stating “political insiders and talking heads” ignored her campaign, Johnston touted the accomplishments of her race and made a direct ask for delegates to rank her first on the ballots.
“If you want a leader who listens, who turns the hope that you’ve been asked to have for decades into actual action, who truly believes we can win on our progressive values, I’m asking for your support,” she said.
Dockworker and union leader Rob Ashton came next. He was introduced by Canadian Labour Congress lead Bea Bruske, who said he “lives and breathes labour values.”
Instead of opting for a podium, Ashton was joined on stage by three supporters who took turns asking him pre-scripted questions which he then answered. Then, a pile of his supporters came on stage and he delivered an impassioned final speech about how the NDP was built by workers.”
“That’s not just our history. That has to be our future,” he said. “Right now, Canadians need us more than ever. They’re feeling the pressure on their bills, their jobs, their futures. And they’re looking for a party that understands what they’re going through.”
Last up was Alberta MP Heather McPherson. Her pre-speech video leaned heavily on clips from her time in the House of Commons – an advantage only she has, given she’s the only candidate running who has been elected to Parliament.
The video also included a personal endorsement from longtime former NDP MP Charlie Angus who said she has the track record and experience to gain more seat. Then, former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley — receiving widespread applause as she took the stage – introduced McPherson.
Speaking about the rights and progressive values that are under attack, both in Canada and abroad, McPherson said “now is not the time for us to shrink even more.”
“We haven’t been losing support because our values are wrong. We just haven’t always connected as well as we could. People just want to know who’s on their side. And this weekend, this weekend together, New Democrats can show Canadians that we have their back.”
Voting ends tonight, delegates look to the future
Though, these last-minute speeches may be too late to shift momentum dramatically.
NDP insiders tell CTV News, many members have already voted, and it’s shaping up to be B.C.-based filmmaker Avi Lewis’ race to lose.
Those same NDP stalwarts say with a ranked-ballot system, it could come down to who motivates the most members to vote.
“I don’t seem to be able to figure out from any of the campaigns who everybody’s second choice is,” said Melanie Richer, former communications director to Jagmeet Singh.
“If Rob and Heather are each other’s first and second choices, then maybe it allows one of them to perhaps pass over Avi, because we do know that there’s a lot of folks who have been members for a long time who don’t necessarily see Avi as who the leader could be.”
Richer also said she’s not sure it will be a first ballot victory.
“I think it’s definitely going to take a few ballots tomorrow to see who is the winner,” she said.
Delegates CTV News spoke with on Saturday said that no matter who wins, the next leader will need to reach people the NDP have not reached before.
“Whoever this leader is, is going to have a lot of shoe to fill. You know, I think people really want a different party, and we’ve heard it in the rooms, we’ve heard it on the floor,” said delegate, Canadian Labour Congress campaign lead, and NDP vice president Laurie Antonin.
“The campaign is over for now, but the work still needs to get done, right? We’re going to work with whoever becomes leader, because… this party cannot move away from working people.”
Antonin also said that the party has work to do when it comes to diversity and representation.
“I’m not seeing it, and I think that’s really important,” she said. “When you look at Jagmeet and what he’s gone through and been through, there was something really powerful in his ability to bring people who were never politically active into this movement.”
Delegate and would-be-voter for disqualified candidate Yves Engler, Zachariah Allister, told CTV News he considered spoiling his ballot but he “couldn’t do that in good conscience.”
“I still care about the NDP. It’s still the only labour-oriented party in Canada. And, you know, I’m not ready to let go of it,” he said. “There’s still a lot of good things in this party, good people in this party, and I think we can collaborate and make things better in the long run.”
NDP convention attendees also said the new leader will need to be cautious in rebuilding the party in their image, and don’t alienate the members who may have voted for another candidate.
“Day one, you are no longer a leader for the people that voted for you. You’re a leader for all New Democrats, and you need to start talking to everybody,” Richer said.
“So job number one is reaching out to the different campaigns who didn’t win… bringing them in somehow, and making sure they stay within the team.”
In a late afternoon update on the voting process and timing, the party said that voting closes across Canada at 6 p.m. and then officials will spend hours reviewing ballots that require a secondary review on Saturday night. As of 8 a.m. Sunday, the ballots will be calculated and the expectation is that “the results will be instantaneous.”
The NDP are anticipating announcing the final results on the convention floor at 10:50 a.m. ET on Sunday.
“The enthusiasm expressed by New Democrats across the country has been clear with the number of people who have already cast their ballot for the next leader of Canada’s NDP,” said NDP chief electoral officer Eric Hebert-Daly.
“With over 100,000 eligible voters, I am encouraged by voter turnout so far.”
