NDP leadership candidates outline platforms ahead of final debate

Five NDP leadership candidates are preparing for a second and final party-organized debate in British Columbia, and the new leader will be chosen by ranked ballot with an announcement on March 29 in Winnipeg.

The NDP has sold memberships and received entry fees as its leadership contenders prepare for a second and final party-organized debate in British Columbia. The debate will be held in English; an earlier debate intended to be in French was largely conducted in English because many candidates are not fluently bilingual. Candidates share broad social democratic values but are using the debate to distinguish their priorities and proposals. The leadership contest will be decided by a ranked ballot, and the new leader is scheduled to be announced on March 29 at a convention in Winnipeg. Key points: - Rob Ashton proposes a national public transit strategy with a dedicated $2-billion annual fund, expanded national transport infrastructure including high-speed rail, improved rail to the Port of Churchill, a shift in defence procurement away from some U.S.-controlled systems, and a move to proportional representation determined by a citizens' assembly. - Tanille Johnston, the first Indigenous woman running for the NDP leadership, centers reconciliation and calls for federal investment in First Nations infrastructure, elimination of long-term on-reserve boil water advisories, and a guaranteed livable basic income scaled to taxable income funded in part by higher corporate and capital gains taxes. - Avi Lewis, leading in fundraising, proposes a wealth tax on very large fortunes, an end to fossil fuel subsidies, reinstating a digital services tax the federal government recently ended, and a "human guarantee" plus broader AI regulations including disclosure of training data sets. - Heather McPherson, the only current MP in the race, emphasizes rebuilding the party and stronger regional campaign infrastructure, a focus on a green economy and a nationwide electricity grid, long-term funding for municipal disaster resilience, and ending federal subsidies for oil and gas. - Blake McQuail, an organic farmer who describes himself as a green progressive, highlights regenerative farming, communal and sustainable housing approaches, a non-profit ride-share idea for rural communities, support for a universal basic income, and replacing first-past-the-post with proportional representation. Summary: The debate is positioned as a final opportunity for candidates to set themselves apart on policy and organizational priorities ahead of the leadership vote. The leadership contest proceeds by ranked ballot and will conclude with the new leader announced on March 29 in Winnipeg; the debate in British Columbia is the immediate next event in that timetable.