Sunday March 29, 2026 | WINNIPEG, MB [Posted at 9:37 am PT | Updated 10:16 am]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The new leader of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) is Avi Lewis.
He won the top job on the first vote of a ranked ballot today March 29. The voter turnout was 70.6%.
- Avi Lewis: 39,734 votes (56%)
- Heather McPherson: 20,899 votes (29%)
- Tanille Johnston: 5,159 votes (7%)
- Rob Ashton: 4,193 votes (5.9%)
- Tony McQuail: 945 votes (1%)
Over 100,000 electors:
There were 100,542 electors, who could vote online, by phone or by postal mail.
- Online votes: 68,754
- Telephone votes: 1,252
- Mail-in votes: 928
That shows 96.9% of valid ballots cast online (a method that the party recommended).
About 2,000 delegates attended the convention in person, with the rest of the eligible membership voting remotely.
Over 70,000 votes cast:
The total votes cast was 70,934 with 70,930 of those being valid (four were spoiled).
Day one:
The acceptance speech by Avi Lewis included articulation about the cost of living crisis in Canada: “Working hard no longer earns you a living.” Likely all NDP leadership will agree with that.
The economy is rigged and is against workers, he said, and may not be wrong on that. But how to fix it?
Elected NDP provincial governments take pragmatic approaches to trying to deliver solutions to that within the current setup of the economy. Lewis says he looks forward to meeting with BC NDP Premier David Eby and called other provincial NDP leaders ‘premiers in waiting’.
Lewis said that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s vision for Canada is not aligned for Canadians.
In his 18-minute speech, Lewis did not mention previous recent party leaders like Jack Layton (who took the NDP to Official Opposition status in 2011) or Jagmeet Singh (who most recently led the party during the pandemic keeping people afloat with a viable CERB amount, and who bolstered child care, dental care and Pharmacare in the national social safety net).
But he did herald former NDP leader Tommy Douglas (leader from 1961 to 1971) who ushered in universal health care. Lewis’ grandfather David Lewis then led the NDP (1971-1975) after Douglas.
Rebuilding the party:
The new leader will need to rebuild the party which was reduced to seven seats after the April 2025 federal election (down now to six seats since one NDP MP crossed the floor to the Liberals a few weeks ago).
“We are ready to come roaring back on the Canadian political stage,” said Lewis in acceptance speech remarks.
Lewis arrived on stage with fellow contestant Tanille Johnston and called her “a sensation and a rising star” and noting her Indigenous roots. The other candidates joined him on stage for his speech. He gave a nod to Tony McQuail for highlighting electoral reform. He called Rob Ashton “the real deal” who might “walk into parliament in your work boots”. He acknowledged Heather McPherson, MP (Edmonton Strathcona) last but as someone who “who knows how to win” and that she “gets things done in Ottawa”.
Lewis does not currently have a seat in the House of Commons.
===== RELATED:
- Heather McPherson likely to achieve NDP leadership win (March 28, 2026)
- Manitoba NDP Premier Kinew invigorates crowd at federal NDP leadership convention (March 27, 2026)
- NEWS SECTIONS: FEDERAL NDP | CANADA-NATIONAL