NDP leadership contenders have first face-to-face meeting ahead of French debate

OTTAWA — Three of the five NDP leadership candidates had their first face-to-face encounter, which serves as a preview for next month’s French debate.

Rob Ashton, Avi Lewis and Heather McPherson took part in a forum at the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation gala in Ottawa, while Tanille Johnston and Tony McQuail were not able to attend.

The three contenders saw degrees of agreement on issues like the need to speak more plainly about issues and put greater emphasis on riding associations.

Some differences are emerging: Lewis said that Canada cannot expand fossil fuel production and that the party has not been straightforward enough in communicating energy policy.

“Thomas Mulcair supported the pipeline. Jagmeet (Singh) sent a lot of mixed messages on pipelines, and I think that hurt us,” Lewis said following the forum. “I know it hurt me in British Columbia, where people do not think that we should risk fragile ecosystems to give the oil and gas industry massively increased profits.”

Lewis unsuccessfully ran for the NDP in Vancouver seats in the 2021 and 2025 campaigns.

Ashton said Canada needs to move toward a green economy, but the fossil fuel sector feeds a lot of families. He added that new projects could be considered with proper Indigenous consent and if they meet environmental regulations, but ultimately, he wouldn’t be the one to steer energy policy if he becomes leader.

“Our campaign follows what the New Democratic Party convention says. Period,” Ashton said. “It’s the members that tell us how we lead the party. I can’t come in here and tell you, ‘oh, we’re going to expand this project to that project, because I got to hear that from the convention.'”

The NDP will hold its annual policy convention in Winnipeg from March 27 to 29, culminating in the selection of a new leader.

McPherson said Lewis’s energy stance is already party policy and instead wants to focus on new avenues to create jobs for young people, such as expanding the Canada Summer Jobs Program to be year-round.

“When we see a crisis across this country, where young people particularly in Alberta, can’t find work … making sure we have a program that has more investment in mentorship, more investment and apprenticeships that makes post-secondary education more affordable for young people, I think is important,” McPherson said.

All five candidates are scheduled to meet again in Montreal for the first official debate on Nov. 27. First, they will need to meet the second of four $25,000 fundraising deadlines, now set for Nov. 13.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2025.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press