By Molly Simpson

The New Democratic Party Toronto Area Council (TAC) and Ontario New Democratic Youth (ONDY) hosted the second New Democratic Party (NDP) leadership debate at Toronto Metropolitan University on Jan. 10 at the Ted Rogers School of Management. 

Avi Lewis, Tony McQuail, Rob Ashton – president of the International Longshore Workers Union Canada, Heather McPherson – Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Strathcona and Tanille Johnston – a Campbell River city councillor, as the current NDP leadership candidates were invited to participate. This follows their first debate in Montreal on Nov. 27.

Doly Begum, the NDP Member of Provincial Parliament of Scarborough Southwest, as well as former Toronto city councillor Mike Layton moderated the debate. They asked the candidates questions ranging from affordability and housing, to the future of the NDP. 

Candidates were each given one minute to discuss their platform during opening remarks. 

Ashton spoke about affordability and “building power from the ground up,” before passing the stage to McPherson who said she plans to beat Conservatives and not cede to the Liberal party. 

McQuail said his campaign would focus on four R’s: representation, regeneration, redistribution and redesign. He highlighted representation and spoke of his interest in representative voting instead of first-past-the-post. This is the current Canadian system where voters cast one vote, and the first party to 50 per cent of the votes wins.

“We don’t win because we’re told we can’t win,” he said.

Johnston’s platform spoke to students, making education affordable and “putting the working class back into the centre of the NDP.” 

Lewis finished off opening statements while discussing artificial intelligence and “rekindling hope in the NDP.”

Moderators asked candidates about their plans to get NDP seats in both the Toronto area, and the wider country. The NDP have not held any Toronto area seats since the 2011 election. 

McPherson focused on working with provincial NDP and letting riding associations use specific messaging in their ridings, noting how messages in downtown Toronto may not be widely effective. 

Johnston suggested “year round organizing,” outside of election periods. 

Lewis spoke about focusing on suburban and rural ridings that the past NDP had “abandoned.” 

Ashton talked about reconnecting with the community. “We have to root the party in lunchrooms, in classrooms and in hospitals,” he said. 

Moderators also asked candidates about affordability issues.

Ashton discussed capping prices of essentials, like groceries and cell phone bills. 

Lewis advocated for public ownership while referencing Ashton’s price caps. He added, “when you have a moment of market failure…the government must intervene.”

Candidates also talked about housing. Johnston discussed how housing needs to meet diverse demands and accessibility requirements. Ashton said rent controls are a necessity across the country. 

Lewis said, “the market is not going to solve a crisis that the market created,” on the Liberal and Conservative incentivization plans. 

He spoke about public developers, construction companies and building non-profit housing as alternatives.

Topics of environmentalism, Palestine and post-secondary education were also brought up by several candidates. 

Yves Engler, a Montreal-based activist, attended a demonstration happening outside the building. Engler said he and his supporters were there protesting the party’s rejection of Engler’s bid for leadership. 

In an emailed statement to The Eyeopener, the NDP TAC said Engler would not be permitted entry.

“We did not make this decision because of Mr. Engler’s views. Mr. Engler is not an official or approved candidate,” the email said. 

The NDP TAC said in the same email that they are organized by volunteers within the Ontario NDP. The event was not organized by the federal party.

The council outlined in their debate conduct policy that entry would be denied to anyone participating in a demonstration outside. 

The NDP will select their leader between March 27-29 in Winnipeg.