Manitoba premier praises new federal NDP leader, says they can ‘do big things together’

Premier Wab Kinew expressed his appreciation for newly selected federal NDP leader Avi Lewis and said the two will work together for “a positive vision of Canada.”

“I just love Avi, he’s just a great person and we don’t have to agree on everything in order to do big things together,” Kinew told reporters at the RBC Convention Centre following Lewis’s victory speech.

Lewis, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and activist, was chosen as the federal party’s new leader Sunday morning following a leadership convention in Winnipeg. He received 39,734 votes and defeated four rivals for the leadership.

Kinew said they have shared values.

“The big things are healthcare, education. Yeah, we can have debates, heated debates, about any manner of other issues, but the values are there. The values are we’re fighting for the average person, we’re fighting for the people who don’t have a voice right now and that’s the most important thing.”

Kinew and Lewis may disagree on certain points, the premier said, citing their approaches to engaging the country’s richest citizens as one example, but he added that debate and differences of opinion are signs of a healthy political party and a healthy democracy.

“I think we’re going to work together for a positive vision of Canada,” Kinew said. “I think there’s going to be lots of great policy discussions and political discussions.”

When asked what advice Kinew has for Lewis, the premier suggested that the new leader collaborate with his leadership race rivals: MP Heather McPherson, municipal councillor Tanille Johnston, union leader Rob Ashton and farmer Tony McQuail.

“Make Heather McPherson your house leader,” Kinew said. “Tanille is a rising star — find an important role and a seat for her. Make Rob your outreach to labour. Have Tony be your ag critic. I think bringing the NDP together, starting with the leadership candidates, is the first step towards a path to victory for the federal NDP.”

Kinew wasn’t the only provincial NDP politician with good things to say about Lewis.

St. Boniface MLA Robert Loiselle said he was excited about the filmmaker’s victory.

“Canada is a mosaic of languages, cultures, peoples, (and) I’ve always felt like the NDP is kind of like the conscience of the country,” Loiselle said. “And in a time of war right now (and) uncertainty, we need to kind of lock (arms) once again.”

Loiselle noted Lewis’s familial roots in politics. His father, Stephen Lewis, led the provincial New Democrats in Ontario, and his grandfather, David Lewis, led the party federally after Tommy Douglas.

As Lewis seeks to rebuild the NDP following the party’s crushing defeat in last year’s federal election, Loiselle said he thinks that lineage will be useful.

“Avi brings with him kind of like that presence, that gravitas, that kind of like NDP family knowledge to be able to get us to the next step, and that’s rebuilding the NDP of course and having a strong presence in Ottawa,” he said.

Renée Cable, the NDP MLA for Southdale, expressed happiness following the announcement.

“I am thrilled that we are in a place where we can move forward as a party and have a good solid unified voice,” she said.

During Lewis’s speech, he said the last year shows Canada needs the NDP more than ever as people still struggle with the high cost of living, and that the party will focus on increasing corporate and wealth taxes.

Cable appreciates and shares that focus on working Canadians.

“I think that we have to get back to taking care of the things that affect the majority of Canadians, rather than the very unique needs of a very small group of people,” she said.

The NDP has chosen “a very dynamic leader, (a) principled leader,” said Manitoba New Democrat MP Leah Gazan, adding that much of what Lewis said during his victory speech resonated with her.

“It’s no secret that I’m a very proud socialist and I believe in public options,” Gazan said. “That’s one of the reasons I support him. I’m also worried that we’re in the middle of a climate emergency and that we need to find a new way forward that brings workers along with us.

“He’s also been very consistent about upholding the rights of Indigenous people and respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. He’s a feminist. He takes bold positions.”

Most political observers were expecting Lewis to win based on campaign donations raised, said Christopher Adams, adjunct professor in political science at the University of Manitoba.

Lewis raised $1.23 million — more than double McPherson, his closest competitor,

“The party is in very rough shape,” Adams said. “Not (having) official party status in the House of Commons means they don’t have the resources as an established party, but also having done very poorly the last election. So his big challenge will be to fundraise for the party, but he’s shown a good track record of that.”

Lewis’s focus on topics such as housing, health care and the environment reflects the NDP’s democratic socialist roots, he added.

—With files from The Canadian Press

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca