The Current NDP’s new leader, Avi Lewis, lays out the road ahead
Mar 30, 2026
Avi Lewis, newly elected leader of the federal NDP and progressive campaigner, discusses the party’s steep rebuilding task. He talks about why the NDP lost support, cooperation with Liberals, reclaiming working-class voters, and his stance on new oil and gas production with a focus on just transition for workers.
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Why The NDP Lost Visibility
- Avi Lewis says the NDP lost traction because the 2021 campaign was shaped by fear of Trump and global crises that pushed voters to the centre.
- He frames the party's moment as rebuilding visibility amid cascading world events and voter distraction.
Minority Government Tradeoffs Explained
- Avi Lewis defends the NDP's support for the Liberal minority as producing tangible policy wins like dental care and anti-scab legislation.
- He argues first-past-the-post structure forces tradeoffs and can wipe out parties despite legislative gains.
Why Working Class Voters Drifted Right
- Lewis links the NDP's loss of working-class voters to a global trend where the populist right channels working-class anger toward scapegoats.
- He suggests the NDP was too polite and failed to validate legitimate anger, ceding ground to the right.