Latest news with #NewDemocratic
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Hunt for new NDP leader raises tension before race even begins
OTTAWA—On the heels of a devastating election campaign, the New Democratic Party's road to recovery is off to a tense start as party insiders and grassroots activists tilt behind the scenes over the party's next big challenge: Who will replace Jagmeet Singh? Potential high-profile candidates have signalled a lack of interest and the process of even deciding how to orchestrate a leadership contest is already divisive. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante was being strongly pushed to launch a bid for the job and was widely seen as a big name that can unite the party, but is no longer considering a run. On a recent podcast, Plante, who's term as Montreal mayor ends in November, was asked if she was ready to announce her candidacy for NDP leader, and joked in French that she 'can announce that I won't be the leader of the NDP.' A source close to Plante, who was granted anonymity to speak freely, said she was not ruling out an entrance to federal politics in the future, but needed a break from politics after eight years as mayor. The NDP's federal council is expected to discuss and decide the rules of that race in late June, according to an email from NDP national director Lucy Watson sent to party members Wednesday and obtained by the Star. But questions over the timeline of the race, the entry fee, and how much power each vote should hold have been a source of contention among New Democrats. A letter circulating among party members, started by a group of local EDAs, is urging federal council not to rush the process to decide the rules, to have an admission fee that does not 'preclude working class people from entering the race,' to allow a membership sign-up deadline of more than five months during the race, and to commit to a 'one-member-one-vote' principle. It came after media reports that quoted party insiders suggesting a short race with an entry fee five times higher than the $30,000 required in the 2017 race. Already, the process to select interim leader Don Davies has caused some divisions in the party. 'We cannot have a coronation happen. We cannot have a process where internal party movers and shakers, the consulting class, define the terms, create barriers and effectively squeeze out the ability for a very robust process,' said Matthew Green, the former Hamilton Centre MP, as he echoed some of the calls in the letter. 'If this process lacks legitimacy, I think the party puts itself at risk.' All this politicking comes as the race to replace Singh shrinks. It's a highly-anticipated contest that some have said will be a battle for 'the soul of the party.' Aside from Plante, former MP Charlie Angus, another big name in New Democratic circles and the runner-up in 2017, declared recently he had no plans to enter the race. As did former Toronto city councillor Mike Layton and Public Service Alliance of Canada vice-president Alex Silas when reached by the Star. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and B.C. Premier David Eby have also thrown cold water on any speculation they were interested in the job, though none of those three high-profile New Democrats were ever considered likely contenders. Former Alberta NDP premier Rachel Notley has not expressed any interest in returning to politics and campaigned for Edmonton MP Heather McPherson, who is widely expected to run for leader, during her successful re-election bid. Notley did not return a request for comment. Another name in the rumour mill is Green, who told the Star Thursday he is not ruling anything out and is willing to support the 'right candidate.' But the former MP also dampened expectations among some New Democrats after telling this newspaper recently he believes the next leader should be a 'strong woman.' Some New Democrats see that as an endorsement of Winnipeg MP Leah Gazan, one of the remaining seven New Democrats in Parliament and an influential voice on the left-wing of the party who has not ruled out a run. 'It matters less to me who the next leader is, if the next leader is simply going to duplicate all the past mistakes and personnel of the status quo that got us here in the first place,' Green said Thursday. 'The leadership talk is premature, absent of a really serious discussion around party renewal to ensure that there's a party to run.' Aside from Green, McPherson, Gazan and longtime activist and filmmaker Avi Lewis appear to be the most likely candidates as of now, though no one has made an official announcement and it's typical for other candidates to emerge. 'It's shaping up to be a battle between an establishment candidate and a left-wing candidate, and everybody is wondering who the left-wing candidate is gonna be,' said one NDP source, who the Star agreed not to name so they could speak freely about the party. 'The field is thinning, but I don't think it's going to end there.' Lewis, a two-time NDP candidate who's the grandson of former federal NDP leader David Lewis and son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis, was an author of the Leap Manifesto, a 2015 policy document pushing for aggressive climate action and other left-wing priorities that led to contentious debates in the NDP. He has also publicly warned against 'former staffers, consultants, former provincial cabinet ministers,' he accused of trying to shape the race before it starts. 'This is a battle for the soul of the party that has made Canada different from the US,' Lewis said in a recent social media post. 'This is a party that was born of the 99%, and will start winning when it belongs to all of us once again.' McPherson told the Star Thursday that suggestions she is 'the establishment candidate' are 'absurd.' She has yet to commit to running for leader, but said she is being encouraged to run and needs to see what the race looks like before making a decision. 'I'm a New Democrat, but I am a New Democrat from Alberta,' McPherson said. 'I'm more interested in policies that candidates bring forward.' Asked about the leadership race rules, McPherson said she won't interfere because it's up to the federal council, not MPs, to decide. George Soule, a longtime New Democrat strategist, said he understands arguments for a longer, less costly race, but noted the Liberal party had a successful three-month race in electing leader Mark Carney. 'Other parties make money off their leaders' races, we lose money,' Soule said. 'I don't know what that balanced number is.' Watson, the NDP's national director, provided few details about what comes next for the party in its hunt for a new leader, saying, 'We look forward to a dynamic race with an exchange of ideas between candidates and party members about the NDP's path forward.' David Lewis was the former federal NDP leader and Stephen Lewis is the former Ontario NDP leader. A previous version of this story mistakenly swapped the leadership titles of the two.
Toronto Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Hunt for new NDP leader raises tension before race even begins
OTTAWA—On the heels of a devastating election campaign, the New Democratic Party's road to recovery is off to a tense start as party insiders and grassroots activists tilt behind the scenes over the party's next big challenge: Who will replace Jagmeet Singh? Potential high-profile candidates have signalled a lack of interest and the process of even deciding how to orchestrate a leadership contest is already divisive. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante was being strongly pushed to launch a bid for the job and was widely seen as a big name that can unite the party, but is no longer considering a run. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW On a recent podcast, Plante, who's term as Montreal mayor ends in November, was asked if she was ready to announce her candidacy for NDP leader, and joked in French that she 'can announce that I won't be the leader of the NDP.' A source close to Plante, who was granted anonymity to speak freely, said she was not ruling out an entrance to federal politics in the future, but needed a break from politics after eight years as mayor. The NDP's federal council is expected to discuss and decide the rules of that race in late June, according to an email from NDP national director Lucy Watson sent to party members Wednesday and obtained by the Star. But questions over the timeline of the race, the entry fee, and how much power each vote should hold have been a source of contention among New Democrats. A letter circulating among party members, started by a group of local EDAs, is urging federal council not to rush the process to decide the rules, to have an admission fee that does not 'preclude working class people from entering the race,' to allow a membership sign-up deadline of more than five months during the race, and to commit to a 'one-member-one-vote' principle. It came after media reports that quoted party insiders suggesting a short race with an entry fee five times higher than the $30,000 required in the 2017 race. Already, the process to select interim leader Don Davies has caused some divisions in the party. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'We cannot have a coronation happen. We cannot have a process where internal party movers and shakers, the consulting class, define the terms, create barriers and effectively squeeze out the ability for a very robust process,' said Matthew Green, the former Hamilton Centre MP, as he echoed some of the calls in the letter. 'If this process lacks legitimacy, I think the party puts itself at risk.' All this politicking comes as the race to replace Singh shrinks. It's a highly-anticipated contest that some have said will be a battle for 'the soul of the party.' Aside from Plante, former MP Charlie Angus, another big name in New Democratic circles and the runner-up in 2017, declared recently he had no plans to enter the race. As did former Toronto city councillor Mike Layton and Public Service Alliance of Canada vice-president Alex Silas when reached by the Star. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and B.C. Premier David Eby have also thrown cold water on any speculation they were interested in the job, though none of those three high-profile New Democrats were ever considered likely contenders. Former Alberta NDP premier Rachel Notley has not expressed any interest in returning to politics and campaigned for Edmonton MP Heather McPherson, who is widely expected to run for leader, during her successful re-election bid. Notley did not return a request for comment. Another name in the rumour mill is Green, who told the Star Thursday he is not ruling anything out and is willing to support the 'right candidate.' But the former MP also dampened expectations among some New Democrats after telling this newspaper recently he believes the next leader should be a 'strong woman.' Some New Democrats see that as an endorsement of Winnipeg MP Leah Gazan, one of the remaining seven New Democrats in Parliament and an influential voice on the left-wing of the party who has not ruled out a run. 'It matters less to me who the next leader is, if the next leader is simply going to duplicate all the past mistakes and personnel of the status quo that got us here in the first place,' Green said Thursday. 'The leadership talk is premature, absent of a really serious discussion around party renewal to ensure that there's a party to run.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Aside from Green, McPherson, Gazan and longtime activist and filmmaker Avi Lewis appear to be the most likely candidates as of now, though no one has made an official announcement and it's typical for other candidates to emerge. 'It's shaping up to be a battle between an establishment candidate and a left-wing candidate, and everybody is wondering who the left-wing candidate is gonna be,' said one NDP source, who the Star agreed not to name so they could speak freely about the party. 'The field is thinning, but I don't think it's going to end there.' Lewis, a two-time NDP candidate who's the grandson of former federal NDP leader David Lewis and son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis, was an author of the Leap Manifesto, a 2015 policy document pushing for aggressive climate action and other left-wing priorities that led to contentious debates in the NDP. He has also publicly warned against 'former staffers, consultants, former provincial cabinet ministers,' he accused of trying to shape the race before it starts. 'This is a battle for the soul of the party that has made Canada different from the US,' Lewis said in a recent social media post. 'This is a party that was born of the 99%, and will start winning when it belongs to all of us once again.' McPherson told the Star Thursday that suggestions she is 'the establishment candidate' are 'absurd.' She has yet to commit to running for leader, but said she is being encouraged to run and needs to see what the race looks like before making a decision. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I'm a New Democrat, but I am a New Democrat from Alberta,' McPherson said. 'I'm more interested in policies that candidates bring forward.' Asked about the leadership race rules, McPherson said she won't interfere because it's up to the federal council, not MPs, to decide. George Soule, a longtime New Democrat strategist, said he understands arguments for a longer, less costly race, but noted the Liberal party had a successful three-month race in electing leader Mark Carney. 'Other parties make money off their leaders' races, we lose money,' Soule said. 'I don't know what that balanced number is.' Watson, the NDP's national director, provided few details about what comes next for the party in its hunt for a new leader, saying, 'We look forward to a dynamic race with an exchange of ideas between candidates and party members about the NDP's path forward.' Correction — May 31, 2025: David Lewis was the former federal NDP leader and Stephen Lewis is the former Ontario NDP leader. A previous version of this story mistakenly swapped the leadership titles of the two. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
Toronto Star
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Saskatchewan NDP's anti-separation bill dies as legislative session wraps up
REGINA - Saskatchewan's legislative session ended Thursday and with it an anti-separation bill went up in flames. The Opposition NDP's proposed legislation was repeatedly blocked this week by Premier Scott Moe's Saskatchewan Party, as New Democratic Leader Carla Beck tried to force a vote.
Calgary Herald
09-05-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Lorne Gunter: Alberta NDP also has ties to company at centre of health-care controversy
Hmm. Curious. Article content Article content I remember being a little surprised by the NDP's over-the-top reaction to allegations levelled against the UCP government by former Alberta Health Services (AHS) CEO, Athana Mentzelopoulos, in a lawsuit she brought against the government back in February. Article content Mentzelopoulos's allegations were serious but unproven. She claimed she was wrongfully dismissed by the government of Premier Danielle Smith earlier this year because she was about to investigate the possibility that UCP politicians and government officials were engaged in wide-ranging corruption, including overpaying for surgeries in private surgical clinics and paying full price ($75 million), upfront, for millions of bottles of Turkish Tylenol during the 2022 North American shortage of painkillers, especially for children. Article content Article content New Democratic Leader Naheed Nenshi immediately went ballistic. Based on nothing more than sensational claims levelled by one side in a contentious lawsuit, Nenshi insisted Mentzelopoulos's assertions were 'the most shocking allegations that I have ever seen.' Article content Article content Now here's what's curious: Mraiche and MHCare likely had equally strong ties to the NDP, both while the New Democrats were in office and afterwards. Article content Article content Sources have provided Postmedia with photographs of Mraiche and senior NDP ministers when they were in government, as well as after they lost to the UCP in 2019. The photos appear to show a very close personal connection to the NDP, particularly former Premier Rachel Notley and former Education Minister David Eggen — every bit as close as the UCP ties Nenshi descried as 'very, very strong.' Article content Article content As MHCare pointed out in an eight-page letter sent April 8 to Jobs, Economy and Trade Deputy Minister Christopher McPherson — a copy of which has also been obtained by Postmedia — over the years, the company has carried out several successful contracts for the provincial health service. Its contracts have always been made directly with AHS, not with the government of the day. Article content There are photos of Notley and Eggen at a private party at Mraiche's home while both were still in government and a photo of Notley with her husband, union organizer Lou Arab, at Mraiche's home nearly two years after the NDP left office.
Hamilton Spectator
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
‘I'm not going anywhere:' Defeated MP Matthew Green is gearing up for a NDP rebuild — and another election race
Matthew Green lost his latest political bout in Hamilton Centre , but he's already eying the next round — both for himself and the battered New Democratic Party. The 44-year-old lost his lower city seat — once considered a New Democratic stronghold — in a federal election that wiped out the NDP across Ontario and left the orange party with just seven MPs across the country. The same political earthquake crumbled the party's hopes to retake Hamilton Mountain with star candidate Monique Taylor, a longtime MPP who left her provincial seat to pursue a failed federal bid. Monique Taylor lost her bid for Hamilton Mountain in a federal election that wiped out the NDP in Ontario. Local political pundits called Green's loss to Liberal Mississauga resident Aslam Rana shocking — particularly for a charismatic MP spurring chatter among New Democrats as a possible future party leader. 'That seat should have been safer than just about any other (NDP riding) in the country,' said local political-scientist Chris Erl after the election results came in. 'But I don't think Matthew Green is done. I think it would be very difficult to keep someone like him down … There's a lot of opportunity in politics.' In a post-result interview, Green said he did not see the loss as a 'personal rejection' by voters, but rather the result — at least in part — of constant tariff and annexation threats by U.S. President Donald Trump that 'changed the entire trajectory of the election.' 'It wasn't even like trying to swim against the current; it was more like trying to stop the tide,' said the outgoing MP. 'The local campaign could not overcome the national collapse.' Taylor was not available for an interview for this story, but previously related a similar story to The Spectator on election night. 'I'm not shocked,' she said of the result that saw her finish a surprising third behind both the Liberals and Conservatives. She said many voters 'ran to the polls' to support whichever party leader they thought best suited to the moment, rather than for or against the best prospective MP. 'They felt it was most important to vote for the leader.' Green said he met many erstwhile supporters at the door who were convinced by new Liberal Leader Mark Carney's sales pitch that only he could take on the unpredictable U.S. president. 'People would say they appreciate (our) work, they agree with the party, but in this moment they absolutely had to vote for Mark Carney,' he recalled. 'We had to remind a lot of people that Carney was not on the ballot, and that this is not a two-party system.' The astounding Liberal comeback — which followed historic polling lows under former prime minister Justin Trudeau — was possible in part because of the NDP's participation in a supply-and-confidence agreement propping up the minority government dating back to 2022. In theory, the New Democrats could have forced an earlier election by withdrawing support from the minority government — but Green said he had no regrets. He noted the contentious partnership helped deliver a national dental care program — and potentially prevented a Conservative majority predicted by pollsters last year. 'I think it was an ethical decision we made not to do that, to not hand (Tory Leader) Pierre Poilievre a supermajority, which is what I think would likely have happened,' he said. 'I've said it before, if I could deliver 9,000 people in Hamilton (free) dental care and not get re-elected, I'm OK with it.' New Democrat MP Matthew Green lost his Hamilton Centre seat in Monday's election — but he is already gearing up for the next fight. That said, Green sounds like he is gearing up for a rematch — and perhaps sooner rather than later, given it is rare for a minority government to last a full four years. 'I'm of this city, I'm from this city and I'm not going anywhere,' said the longtime community activist. 'I'm a proud Hamiltonian and I am going to continue to serve … I would imagine in 18 short months we could be back at the polls, ready to take on Mr. Rana again.' Green, who got his start in politics as a city councillor, appeared to rule out a mayoral run next year, arguing his eye is on issues that require 'national leadership' like the economy, housing and support for workers. 'I believe we need a working-class party in Parliament and now, we don't have that … we have two conservative parties.' He didn't rule out a run for the now-vacant NDP leadership during his chat with The Spectator, but argued his focus is on rebuilding a 'more inclusive' party less focused on 'personality brands' or 'trying to recreate the 20-year-old wins of (the late former leader) Jack Layton.' Right now, he said rebuilding the NDP and its vision for the country is the top priority. 'I plan on being part of the debrief, I plan on being part of whatever leadership race happens, regardless of whether I'm in it or not, because there are values that … I will fight to see asserted,' he said. —With files from Kate McCullough
