Latest news with #Desjarlais
National Observer
22-05-2025
- Politics
- National Observer
BC considered the 'final frontier' for federal NDP as leadership question looms
Kelowna resident and former federal NDP candidate Cade Desjarlais sees the party in "disarray." Desjarlais, who ran for the NDP in Kelowna-Lake Country in 2021 but voted for the successful Liberal candidate in the redrawn riding of Kelowna last month, said the NDP needed a working-class reset, a leader in that mould and a focus on British Columbia. "It's almost like the final frontier for the NDP out here," he said. "I think that realistically, that BC will play an extremely important role in forming the future of the party." Not only is BC home to three of the party's meagre parliamentary caucus of seven, including interim leader Don Davies, it is also one of just two provinces governed by a New Democrat, Premier David Eby, with the other being Manitoba under Wab Kinew, Desjarlais said. "It's not that people are opposed to putting an X beside the NDP on their ballots," Desjarlais said. Other NDP members and former political staffers agree that despite the devastating outcome of last month's election — which saw the party's parliamentary ranks reduced by 18 from the 25 seats won in 2021, and its popular vote collapse by 59 per cent — a renewal is not beyond reach, if the right leader is found. Geoff Meggs, former chief of staff to Eby's predecessor, the late John Horgan, said while the situation for the federal NDP was "very, very worrisome" and required "a lot of action," millions of Canadians have routinely voted for the party. "We have a very strong record of success and a big, big pool of voters in Canada, when you consider the provincial scene," he said. "We are Opposition or government in Western Canada, Opposition in Ontario, Opposition in Nova Scotia. But we formed government in most of those provinces at some point." Canadians who voted for the NDP in the past may do so again "if the right leader comes along," Meggs said. "I think really it starts with leader," Desjarlais said. Jagmeet Singh lost his riding and resigned as leader, but the "damage was done," Desjarlais said. "You can't really be seen as a symbol of the working class when you are walking around the airport with a Versace bag or a Gucci bag, whatever the case may be," Desjarlais said, referring to a sighting of Singh with a designer tote outside a Toronto hotel in 2023. Kareem Allam, a member of the BC NDP and founding partner of Richardson Strategy Group, said the party had done "extremely well" when it positioned itself as the voice of workers. "We saw that with John Horgan, we saw it with (former federal NDP leader) Jack Layton and as they start to drift away from that labour vote, that working person … the worse they do," he said. Allam said New Democrats are only now realizing that they can no longer count on the working-class vote. "I think that is going to be the defining feature of the next leadership race," Allam said, adding that "a lot of working-class people" have found a comfortable home with the federal Conservatives. Both the federal Liberals and Conservatives have been targeting working-class voters, Meggs said. So who should be the next federal NDP leader? Meggs said they should have prior experience in elected politics, be "ideally" proficient in French and familiar with national issues. He said "there is no doubt" that former Alberta premier Rachel Notley"would be a really formidable leader" for the federal party. "I don't know if she's interested in doing it, but she is exactly the kind of person who I think could bring new energy and new eyes to the job." Meggs also pointed to Heather McPherson — Alberta's lone New Democratic MP. Eby has already ruled himself out, but has said he hopes the future leader will look to his administration and that of Kinew for inspiration about how to form government and approach key policy questions. Meggs doubted Kinew would jump to federal politics and said that the next federal leader must be in it for the long haul, given the challenges facing the party. He said a leader from Western Canada could help the party reconnect with voters, but "may lack an understanding of some of the specific issues facing people in Quebec and in Eastern Canada." Allam, meanwhile, said the leader should ideally be from Quebec or Western Canada, and not Ontario. Meggs and Allam agree that renewal requires reconnecting the party to its working roots. Looming over the future of the party is US President Donald Trump, and the challenge of dealing with him and his tariffs. Meggs said the party must learn how to speak to recent immigrants, a task which becomes even more urgent with the threat of Trump. "What does it take to forge a stronger country, a more effective national response to the challenge of Trump?" he said. "It won't be the decision or action of a single person. They are going to have to consult and draw in a lot of people into that work as well." Desjarlais said it was precisely the threat of Trump that contributed to his vote for Liberal Stephen Fuhr, whom he considered a strong MP from a previous stint. "But the major piece as well was, who was going to deal with Donald Trump? It was really a question of leadership." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. seen as ‘final frontier' for federal NDP as leadership question looms
VICTORIA – Kelowna resident and former federal NDP candidate Cade Desjarlais sees the party in 'disarray.' Desjarlais, who ran for the NDP in Kelowna-Lake Country in 2021 but voted for the successful Liberal candidate in the redrawn riding of Kelowna last month, said the NDP needed a working-class reset, a leader in that mould and a focus on British Columbia. 'It's almost like the final frontier for the NDP out here,' he said. 'I think that realistically, that B.C. will play an extremely important role in forming the future of the party.' Not only is B.C. home to three of the party's meagre parliamentary caucus of seven, including interim leader Don Davies, it is also one of just two provinces governed by a New Democrat, Premier David Eby, with the other being Manitoba under Wab Kinew, Desjarlais said. 'It's not that people are opposed to putting an X beside the NDP on their ballots,' Desjarlais said. Other NDP members and former political staffers agree that despite the devastating outcome of last month's election — which saw the party's parliamentary ranks reduced by 18 from the 25 seats won in 2021, and its popular vote collapse by 59 per cent — a renewal is not beyond reach, if the right leader is found. Geoff Meggs, former chief of staff to Eby's predecessor, the late John Horgan, said while the situation for the federal NDP was 'very, very worrisome' and required 'a lot of action,' millions of Canadians have routinely voted for the party. 'We have a very strong record of success and a big, big pool of voters in Canada, when you consider the provincial scene,' he said. 'We are Opposition or government in Western Canada, Opposition in Ontario, Opposition in Nova Scotia. But we formed government in most of those provinces at some point.' Canadians who voted for the NDP in the past may do so again 'if the right leader comes along,' Meggs said. 'I think really it starts with leader,' Desjarlais said. Jagmeet Singh lost his riding and resigned as leader, but the 'damage was done,' Desjarlais said. 'You can't really be seen as a symbol of the working class when you are walking around the airport with a Versace bag or a Gucci bag, whatever the case may be,' Desjarlais said, referring to a sighting of Singh with a designer tote outside a Toronto hotel in 2023. Kareem Allam, a member of the B.C. NDP and founding partner of Richardson Strategy Group, said the party had done 'extremely well' when it positioned itself as the voice of workers. 'We saw that with John Horgan, we saw it with (former federal NDP leader) Jack Layton and as they start to drift away from that labour vote, that working person … the worse they do,' he said. Allam said New Democrats are only now realizing that they can no longer count on the working-class vote. 'I think that is going to be the defining feature of the next leadership race,' Allam said, adding that 'a lot of working-class people' have found a comfortable home with the federal Conservatives. Both the federal Liberals and Conservatives have been targeting working-class voters, Meggs said. So who should be the next federal NDP leader? Meggs said they should have prior experience in elected politics, be 'ideally' proficient in French and familiar with national issues. He said 'there is no doubt' that former Alberta premier Rachel Notley 'would be a really formidable leader' for the federal party. 'I don't know if she's interested in doing it, but she is exactly the kind of person who I think could bring new energy and new eyes to the job.' Meggs also pointed to Heather McPherson — Alberta's lone New Democratic MP. Eby has already ruled himself out, but has said he hopes the future leader will look to his administration and that of Kinew for inspiration about how to form government and approach key policy questions. Meggs doubted Kinew would jump to federal politics and said that the next federal leader must be in it for the long haul, given the challenges facing the party. He said a leader from Western Canada could help the party reconnect with voters, but 'may lack an understanding of some of the specific issues facing people in Quebec and in Eastern Canada.' Allam, meanwhile, said the leader should ideally be from Quebec or Western Canada, and not Ontario. Meggs and Allam agree that renewal requires reconnecting the party to its working roots. Looming over the future of the party is U.S. President Donald Trump, and the challenge of dealing with him and his tariffs. Meggs said the party must learn how to speak to recent immigrants, a task which becomes even more urgent with the threat of Trump. 'What does it take to forge a stronger country, a more effective national response to the challenge of Trump?' he said. 'It won't be the decision or action of a single person. They are going to have to consult and draw in a lot of people into that work as well.' Desjarlais said it was precisely the threat of Trump that contributed to his vote for Liberal Stephen Fuhr, whom he considered a strong MP from a previous stint. 'But the major piece as well was, who was going to deal with Donald Trump? It was really a question of leadership.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
First Nations unity displayed at rally against separatism at Legislature
(ANNews) – Hundreds of people attended a rally that First Nations leaders from across Alberta organized at the Legislature in Edmonton to protest the premier's ongoing separatist threats, which every speaker agreed would run roughshod over Treaty rights. The May 15 event opened with drumming and a grand entry while Elders burned sacred herbs for smudging, followed by remarks from leaders representing Treaty 6, 7 and 8. The protest was a way for Treaty First Nations in Alberta to present a united front in the face of Bill 54, which lowers the threshold for bringing forward a referendum. Premier Danielle Smith has said that she will hold a referendum on independence in 2026 if a petition in support of one gets enough signatures. 'Let us stand loud and clear and concise that no provincial government can hold a referendum to overturn our treaty,' Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations Grand Chief Greg Desjarlais told attendees. 'We do not answer to the provincial government.' Desjarlais, who is also the elected chief of Frog Lake First Nation, said he 'took many arrows and many bullets, many from my own people' for meeting with Premier Smith about Bill 54, which he said was part of the confederacy's 'diplomatic' and 'patient' approach to the separatist threat. The meeting resulted in Justice Minister Mickey Amery amending the bill to say that no separation referendum question can threaten First Nations Treaty rights, which First Nations leaders dismissed as meaningless. 'Let me be clear, this push for Alberta separation is not just dangerous, it's a violation of Treaty, natural law and the land itself,' said Desjarlais. Treaties 6, 7 and 8 were signed in 1876, 1877 and 1899, respectively, all before Alberta was established as a province in 1905. Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi commented that the day's display of unity 'is what we've needed for a long time.' 'When our nations and our Treaty are threatened, we need to come together,' he added. 'There's no separation between the chiefs and the councils and our people. We are all Treaty people when it comes to our Treaty. Each and every meeting that we are attending is to protect our children.' Grand Chief Mercredi emphasized that this includes non-Indigenous people as well. 'If you're in Alberta, in Canada, you are recognized as [part of the] Treaty,' he said. Representing Treaty 7 was Tsuut'ina Minor Chief Regena Crowchild, who spoke on behalf of Chief Roy Whitney. 'Any attempt to undermine or infringe on our Treaty rights will be met with unwavering resistance,' said Crowchild, who emphasized that she hasn't had any discussion 'whatsoever' with the premier on Bill 54. 'Defending our Treaty rights has always been a priority for me, and there are numerous examples of Tsuut'ina taking a strong stand against both federal and provincial actions that threaten those rights.' Saddle Lake Cree Nation Chief Jason Whiskeyjack said it's important to take the message 'that we are stronger together' to the Legislature. 'We have to celebrate who we are as a people, and when we do that the people are going to hear, not only here in this building but every Albertan in this Treaty 6, 7 and 8 territory. They need to be reminded that this is Treaty land. Everywhere they go is Treaty land,' he said. 'There's a lot of people wanting to separate. That's fine. They could just leave.' Chief Wilfred Hooka-Nooza of Dene Tha' First Nation in Treaty 8 said that attendees were gathered 'not as protesters, but as guardians of a promise older than the province of Alberta itself.' 'Our Treaties are not relics. They are not documents to be shelved and forgotten,' Chief Hooka-Nooza added. 'They are living, breathing commitments. They are a promise of coexistence, mutual respect and shared responsibility to this land we call home.' In addition to band leaders, Indigenous NDP MLAs Brooks Arcand-Paul of Alexander First Nation and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse of Michel First Nation were at the event, as was independent MLA Scott Sinclair, who is non-status First Nation. Also in attendance were Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi and several other NDP MLAs, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, and former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, as well as Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan and secretary treasurer Cori Longo.
Calgary Herald
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Election 2025: Edmonton Griesbach returns to Conservative fold as Kerry Diotte beats Blake Desjarlais
Article content Edmonton Griesbach is blue once more as former MP Kerry Diotte defeated the NDP candidate who unseated him four years ago — a body blow in a night of bad news for New Democrats. Article content Article content Diotte, the former news reporter, city councillor and mayoral candidate, claimed victory at a gathering at the 97 Street Canadian Brewhouse in the north Edmonton riding. Dozens of supporters cheered as CTV called the race for the Conservatives. Article content Article content Article content This time, Desjarlais campaigned on the NDP's dental and pharmacare deals with the Trudeau Liberals, and positioned himself as the only candidate who could stop a Conservative comeback. Article content With more than 80 per cent of polls reporting, however, Desjarlais sat at 32 per cent of the vote, with Diotte claiming 46.5. Patrick Lennox, the Liberal, was at 18.9 per cent. Article content Diotte thanked his volunteers and said he'd spent two years trying to win the Conservative nomination and convince Griesbach voters to give him another chance. Article content 'Man, it just feels good to be back,' he said. 'Basically, it was just hard work.' Article content Article content 2021 rematch Article content Article content Desjarlais defeated Diotte in 2021 with 40 per cent of the vote to 36 per cent — a difference of about 1,500 votes. The Liberals finished third with 15 per cent in that race. Article content Desjarlais, an Indigenous man then in his late 20s, was seen as a rising star in the party. This time, there were hopes he would be part of a potential part of a NDP power bloc in Edmonton. Article content As of 11:00 p.m. on election night, however, only Edmonton's Strathcona's Heather McPherson had retained her seat, with just seven NDPers across the country leading or elected. Twelve seats are required for official party status in Canada.
CBC
29-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta's blue wave has Conservatives projected to win nearly every seat in Edmonton
A blue wave is set to nearly sweep Edmonton, as the Conservatives are projected to win almost every seat in the region, as well as central and northern Alberta. Conservative candidate Kerry Diotte is projected to win Edmonton Griesbach, a seat he held from 2015 to 2021 then narrowly lost to NDP candidate Blake Desjarlais last election. Desjarlais's campaign was distributing anti-vote-splitting material just days before the election. As of 10 p.m. Monday night, Diotte was winning about 46.4 per cent of the vote Desjarlais had 32.3 per cent and Liberal candidate Patrick Lennox had 19.1 per cent. Conservatives won all but four of Alberta's 34 ridings in the 2021 election, with three of the four non-Conservative ridings in Edmonton. Heather McPherson cruised to victory in 2021 in Edmonton Strathcona, with 60 per cent of the vote, and CBC is projecting that she will win her riding once again. At 10 p.m., McPherson had about 45 per cent of the vote. McPherson told CBC Monday night that Canadians were voting this election out of a sense of fear, and New Democrats succeed when Canadians are voting out of a sense of hope. There has not yet been a call in Edmonton Centre, where former Liberal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault is not running again. The race is between Conservative Sayid Ahmed, Liberal Eleanor Olszewski and the NDP's Trisha Estabrooks. Olszewski has a narrow lead over Ahmed as of 10:45 p.m. Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi is projected to lose his bid for a Liberal seat in Edmonton Southeast. Conservative candidate Jagsharan Singh Mahal is projected to win there. Conservatives have been projected to win in all the other Edmonton ridings: Billy Morin is projected to win in Edmonton Northwest. Zaid Aboultaif in Edmonton Manning. Matt Jeneroux in Edmonton Riverbend. Tim Uppal in Edmonton Gateway. Kelly McCauley in Edmonton West. Northern and central Alberta ridings results The CBC decision desk has also projected the winning candidate in these central and northern Alberta ridings: Ponoka-Didsbury: Conservative Blaine Calkins. Red Deer: Conservative Burton Bailey. Battle River-Crowfoot: Conservative Damien Kurek. Leduc-Wetaskiwin: Conservative Mike Lake. Parkland: Conservative Dane Lloyd. St. Albert-Sturgeon River: Conservative Michael Cooper. Peace River-Westlock: Conservative Arnold Viersen. Lakeland: Conservative Shannon Stubbs. Fort McMurray-Cold Lake: Conservative Laila Goodridge. Grande Prairie: Conservative Chris Warkentin.
