OTTAWA — As the race to succeed Jagmeet Singh heats up, the five contenders for the federal NDP leadership are turning their focus to a key political test — mastering French before the party’s first leadership debate in Montreal on November 27.
The candidates — Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson, Rob Ashton, Tanille Johnston, and Tony McQuail — have all acknowledged that while they have varying levels of French proficiency, none are fully bilingual. Each has pledged to strengthen their French skills in recognition of the linguistic and cultural realities of leading a national party in a bilingual country.
During last week’s leadership forum in Ottawa, Lewis, a filmmaker and long-time progressive voice, opened by responding to a question in French. His campaign later clarified that he is “not fully bilingual,” though he is actively working to improve.
Political observers say the ability to communicate effectively in both official languages could prove crucial for whoever takes the helm. Veteran NDP strategist Karl Bélanger noted that without strong French-language skills, the next leader may struggle to rebuild the party’s presence in Quebec, a province where the NDP once held sweeping support under Jack Layton and Tom Mulcair.
The Montreal debate will mark the first major test of the candidates’ policies — and their linguistic agility — as they seek to prove they can connect with voters from coast to coast to coast, in both English and French.