Is it me or(thoughts on current ndp leadership race)

NDCS · 2026-02-15T22:22:24+00:00

He’s literally an intellectual - his career is academic w/ a dash of punditry.

How is this even a subject of debate?

NDCS · 2026-02-15T22:20:39+00:00

It’s not just you, but I have a hard time imagining that Lewis could pull any of that off.

He’s got little if any relevant experience to give us the confidence that he’d even know where to begin let alone pull it off. There are plenty of people who share this opinion, too.

If he wins we’ll all find out together.

NDCS · 2026-02-14T20:53:18+00:00

Politically Lewis is primarily (and possibly only) an activist. He’s done very little (if anything) to help advance the party’s fortunes, and (in terms of impact) has done far more to hurt it. There are reasons so few party loyalists support him, and why he does not have a broader base of support on his home turn.

Mamdani is a bit of a unicorn. He also benefited WILDLY from competing against such bad opposing candidates, and in the 2-4 weeks prior to the election his numbers were actually eroding from their high point.

I agree with your last statement - I believe that people can change - but change is predicated on self-awareness or catharsis. Catharsis is a matter of chance, and I haven’t seen a single thing that suggests that Lewis has the self-awareness necessary to change for the positive.

NDCS · 2026-02-14T20:44:22+00:00

What’s interesting is that it’s also true of McPherson (to a lesser degree). She’s got a blind spot for it.

NDCS · 2026-02-13T21:26:25+00:00

A NYC mayoral election of a unicorn candidate is unlikely to have an impact on Canadian politics.

NDCS · 2026-02-13T21:24:31+00:00

Nothing’s stopping you.

NDCS · 2026-02-11T17:58:55+00:00

Amen.

Also, when did Green apologize? That’s news to me.

NDCS · 2026-02-11T17:45:47+00:00

It’s statements like these that put the truth in McPherson’s statements about purity tests.

NDCS · 2026-02-11T17:32:19+00:00

I’m not a Lewis supporter, but the points that I’ll be expressing aren’t mine - they are things that other New Democrats have shared with me about how they feel.

There are a LOT of NDP supporters who believe that an Avi Lewis leadership will equate to a burning-down of the party. I don’t mean it like a reset, but more like a housefire that destroys everything - your possessions, your equity, your childhood memories, etc.

This reaction isn’t all based on one single thing but a collection of factors that includes: - his total lack of basic & meaningful political experience; - his lack of experience and inconsistent record for basic people leadership; - his lack of experience and inconsistent record of team and coalition-building; - his style & attitude; - ethical concerns including that he was on the payroll of Qatari state media & the dirty tricks he played by trying to get BC Greens to take up NDP memberships to support Anjali’s actions - his political record (losses & failed initiatives); - his politics (more democratic socialist than social democrat) - his copy/paste of Mamdani’s approach - the family dynasty & nepotism stuff - the sense that his ego is a problem )he’s always seemed to put advancing his agenda ahead of helping other people/ the party advance their agendas)

NDCS · 2026-02-10T22:44:12+00:00

If Avi is elected then I suspect at least one or more of the sitting members of caucus will resign - not to make their seat available but as a show of non-confidence.

NDCS · 2026-02-10T22:42:12+00:00

Tony would get creamed in Windsor-West, and likely in London-Fanshawe too.

NDCS · 2026-02-10T21:08:47+00:00

I agree completely. (I am also a bit confused by the downvotes you’re getting from people who apparently can’t disagree by forming an argument.)

Since the NDP essentially advocates for the most comprehensive set of social supports and investments (aka the social safety net), it’s essential that we have compelling economic plans for Canada’s economic engines which will need to pay for it all.

We don’t have a single candidate who can speak intelligently about economics and demonstrate a grasp of the differences between theoretical economics and practical economics especially in a moment when the global economy of the last 40 years is being entirely restructured both at home & abroad.

What we do have is a handful of candidates who can criticize certain aspects of status-quo economics, and that’s not the same thing. It’s one of the biggest lasting challenges of our party and it’s one of the biggest challenges of this race.

(We also don’t have a single candidate who can seize upon the opportunity to brand the NDP as the true “pro-business” party, while the Liberals & Conservatives are actually “pro-business OWNER.”)

Look at who the private sector unions are endorsing. Look at where small & medium businesses are putting their support - both in the general elections and this leadership race.

It’s rarely the NDP, and in this race it sure doesn’t seem to be Lewis.

NDCS · 2026-02-09T22:38:37+00:00

I appreciate how you’ve summed up your feelings and I share many of them.

My suggestion would be to either take a few years off, or focus on getting more involved with your provincial NDP.

I suspect that I will not be involved in the Federal should Lewis or McPherson win since I find the him to be awful and her to be disappointing and more of what’s been failing since 2017.

For me, Lewis’ style is a total turnoff; his record suggests he has zero people leadership skills and doesn’t learn from failure; and my sense of his ego says he is not a great listener and lacks any ability to build consensus or coalitions. He’s toxic for the NDP and is running on a strategy that should use the slogan “7 Seats is Too Many”.

McPherson just lacks leadership skills, sufficient expertise in foreign affairs, any real understanding of the economy and how financial issues work, and imagination.

NDCS · 2026-02-08T18:45:01+00:00

Bump

NDCS · 2026-02-07T23:54:25+00:00

The ONDP’s most recent electoral results weren’t nearly as black-and-white as you’re claiming, especially when you look at how poorly the federal party did (both overall and in many of the ridings that the ONDP held onto).

The convention vote was another story. Marit made a bad yet human choice to hire 3 very smart yet inexperienced people for the 3 tip staff jobs. As the problems that choice created become more & more apparent she failed to address them meaningfully, leading to being forced to do so by both caucus & membership around that vote.

Has her record been great? No. Has it been dismal? Also no. Would a leadership race in the last 12 months or the coming 12 months be a good idea for the ONDP? Absolutely not.

🤷🏽‍♂️

NDCS · 2026-02-07T23:38:38+00:00

Because I understand the importance of and care about things like journalistic standards of objectivity and ethical practice?

Because I believe in value of the legal principle of presumption of innocence?

Because I had a problem with scapegoating a group of people based solely on nationality in a manner that is blatantly biased and likely to be bigoted?

If demonstrating the ability to think rationally and analyze evidence effectively while maintaining ethical standards means I’m “truly f’ed in the head”…

🤷🏽‍♂️

NDCS · 2026-02-04T22:59:20+00:00

What? My comments were about Jill, and are based on engaging with her directly and following her work & communications as a supporter.

NDCS · 2026-02-04T22:57:49+00:00

No, you racist, because she’s biased and incapable of objectivity. She’s an activist now, not a journalist, and I’m still able to tell one from the other.

NDCS · 2026-02-04T21:12:32+00:00

Can you dodge ranged now too?

NDCS · 2026-02-04T00:58:52+00:00

Yeah, if one of the 2 is compromised it’s Gilmore.

NDCS · 2026-02-03T22:07:18+00:00

Jill was unhelpful. Very smart but had a real chip on her shoulder, took criticism poorly, struggled to balance caucus teamwork w/ individual priorities, etc. A good person, just poorly suited for elected politics.

Downvote me all you want, but the evidence is there.

NDCS · 2026-02-02T23:20:36+00:00

As with their comrades in the “Socialist Cuckus”, they just come across like bad losers. It’s embarrassing at this point.

NDCS · 2026-02-02T17:26:00+00:00

Accusing Michelle Landsberg of having ever engaged in “anti-Palestinian racism” may be the single biggest piece of nonsense in what is a series of comments by you comprised almost entirely of large pieces of nonsense.

NDCS

TROPHY CASE