NDP leadership candidate Avi Lewis says socialism, defined by bold public solutions, not managerial caution, can rebuild the party after historic losses. He’s betting it can unite a majority across divided regions and broaden the party’s coalition.
Last April, Canada’s parliamentary left suffered the worst electoral blow in its history — losing official party status and winning just seven seats in the House of Commons. With Mark Carney’s Liberals now riding high in the polls, and whispers of a snap election as early as this spring, the New Democratic Party (NDP), Canada’s social democratic party, faces a heavy lift as it tries to rebuild. And as five candidates vie for the leadership in the race to succeed Jagmeet Singh, journalist and filmmaker Avi Lewis has clearly occupied its left lane.
A two-time federal candidate and activist, Lewis’s family has deep roots in the party going back to the founding of its predecessor, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in 1932. For years he has been active on issues of climate justice, worker’s rights, and Palestinian solidarity. Since launching his leadership campaign last fall, has put unapologetically left-wing policies — like the need for a national network of publicly owned grocery stores — front and center.
With less than two months to go in the race, Jacobin sat down with Lewis to discuss his candidacy, his belief in public ownership, his campaign’s approach to organizing, the NDP’s relationship to trade unions and social movements, and his vision of how it can rebuild from the socialist left. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
I think many reading this will be broadly…
Auteur: Avi Lewis
