Ottawa— Three of the five candidates vying for the federal NDP leadership met face-to-face for the first time at a forum in Ottawa on Wednesday, offering Canadians an early glimpse of the tone and priorities shaping the race ahead of next month’s French-language debate.
Rob Ashton, Avi Lewis, and Heather McPherson participated in a leadership forum held during the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation gala, while Tanille Johnston and Tony McQuail were unable to attend.
The event revealed a mix of shared goals and policy differences among the contenders. All three agreed the party must communicate more clearly with Canadians and strengthen grassroots riding associations.
However, diverging views emerged on energy and climate policy. Lewis, a filmmaker and climate advocate who has twice run unsuccessfully for the NDP in Vancouver, said the party has not been consistent in its messaging on pipelines.
“Thomas Mulcair supported the pipeline. Jagmeet Singh sent a lot of mixed messages, and that hurt us,” Lewis said. “In British Columbia, people don’t believe we should risk fragile ecosystems for corporate oil profits.”
Ashton, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada, called for a balanced transition to a green economy, stressing that fossil fuel jobs “feed a lot of families.” He said future projects should require Indigenous consent and strict environmental standards.
“Our campaign follows what NDP conventions decide,” Ashton said. “It’s members who tell us how we lead the party.”
McPherson, the NDP MP for Edmonton Strathcona, said the party’s stance on energy is already clear and should not be the main focus. Instead, she emphasized job creation and youth employment, proposing to expand the Canada Summer Jobs Program into a year-round initiative.
“We need more investment in mentorship, apprenticeships, and affordable post-secondary education,” McPherson said, noting high youth unemployment, particularly in Alberta.
The NDP leadership convention will be held in Winnipeg from March 27 to 29, 2026, where members will elect a new leader to replace Jagmeet Singh.
Before that, all five candidates will take the stage for the first official debate on November 27 in Montreal. Each campaign must also meet the next $25,000 fundraising deadline by November 13, one of four set by the party.