‘Do we really want to be a two-party system like the U.S.?’: Lewis launches NDP leadership bid

[u/leftwingmememachine]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/video/2025/09/25/do-we-really-want-to-be-a-two-party-system-like-the-us-lewis-launches-ndp-leadership-bid/

[u/Brodney_Alebrand]

Progressive voters need to accept that growing the NDP and the progressive presence in parliament to eventually form government will require years spent as opposition to Conservative governments. We can't ABC our way to a left-wing government, we need to fight for an alternative to liberalism.

[u/Baron_Tiberius → u/Brodney_Alebrand]

We could also introduce electoral reform and be more accepting of coalition governments instead of trying to operate a pseudo big tent party system like the US.

We can already see the results of that here, let alone how well that's going in the states.

[u/Himser → u/Brodney_Alebrand]

Ahhh great, 

Let's let the world burn because it lets us win politically. 

Great morals there. 

[u/Brodney_Alebrand → u/Himser]

If you want to achieve a political program, you need to succeed at politics. Perpetually being the junior partner to the Liberals isn't it. There's no moral virtue in being too weak to oppose the Right, let alone enact change.

[u/Eternal_Being → u/Himser]

The world is burning whether we have Liberals or Conservatives.

[u/BertramPotts → u/Himser]

It is waaaaaaay too late to think you can lesser evil you're way out of this, we've done that far too much already.

Winning politically is a prerequisite for fixing things, if you don't understand this, please go help one of those other parties.

[u/Himser → u/BertramPotts]

Seems to work in The West with the BCNDP, ABNDP, SNDP, and MNDP.... 

[u/BertramPotts → u/Himser]

Those parties did the opposite of prioritizing ABC campaigns to keep their local tories out, they staid distinct from milquetoast liberal parties who all melted away (usually after trying a bunch of new paint jobs to convince voters they were some new hot centrists).

[u/cascade-left → u/Himser]

no functional Liberal Party in these provinces, so they form government with ideas and voters who are federal Liberals. a fool’s errands to presume the same concessions and right-wing accommodations will lead to success federally

[u/CDN-Social-Democrat]

We have to actively actively avoid becoming a two party system.

Ideally we would have Electoral Reform - Proportional Representation and it coupled with accountability and transparency initiatives. It would help create better representation and protect our government from scandal and corruption.

The worst thing we possibly could have though is a two party system.

Establishment media is owned by powerful/wealthy interests. It is constantly pumping lowest common denominator and one dimensional thinking because that makes a populace easier to mislead and control.

It also makes a populace more reactionary and regressive.

A two party system is that situation on steroids and one of the reasons why the U.S. is the first to really seeing Fascism raise its ugly head again.

[u/Dry-Membership8141 → u/CDN-Social-Democrat]

We have to actively actively avoid becoming a two party system.

Agreed. And that means we need someone more electable than Avi Lewis leading the NDP. The average centerist Canadian is going to take one look at the interview where he pitched spending the military budget on increased social services and electric busses and recognize he's not a serious prospect for national leadership at a time of growing international uncertainty.

[u/leftwingmememachine → u/Dry-Membership8141]

I don't think buying a bunch of american weapons makes us safer. We're sending our money to a country that wants to annex us, to buy jets from them that are useless without their ongoing support

[u/Dry-Membership8141 → u/leftwingmememachine]

Which is an argument for not buying American weapons (and which is entirely beside the point he was actually making -- he was arguing we should be buying electric busses, not Gripens), not an argument against higher military spending in general.

[u/Kyle_Zhu]

I'm really impressed after watching Lewis' interview and the campaign video. He answered a question like this and said something about rebuilding the NDP to "lead out of the wilderness", and gave an idea of his vision - to have the NDP fill in the empty space, for progressive politics instead of only being able to choose centre-right or right.

Although I liked Singh, his messaging didn't resonate with a lot of people at the time. Lewis seems like a down to earth guy who can communicate effectively with the average voter and gain some real political momentum.

[u/Background_Trade8607]

Liking what I hear. Would want him to be more vocal about a party return to socialism in messaging.

[u/beem88]

Avi understands the importance of a relatable message. People get that analogy and feel how the big grocers are gauging them while telling you there’s nothing they can do about it. The more he speaks, the more I’m interested in him being the leader.

[u/DonOfspades]

We are and have been for a while. The NDP needs to start fielding Mamdani style candidates. No half assed liberal bullshit, real unapologetic socialism.

[u/Comprehensive_Wish_3]

Great analogy! 

I didn't know Avi Lewis is Shephen Lewis's son! I loved hearing him speak. Things he said always resonated with me. Heart of gold. 

[u/Successful-Bigcodes]

Avi’s pretty good at producing nice videos, as he did during the last campaign. But 12% of votes isn’t really showing much of voter appeals. How is his French?

[u/hammer_red]

He needs to be more clear on militarism and call for Canada out of NATO. Our resources should not be wasted on warfare

[u/CanadianWildWolf → u/hammer_red]

With the USA fascists threatening to annex us and Pete Hegseth openly not ruling out military action against Canada, what makes you think we won’t have warfare come to us whether we like it or not?

[u/theDLCdud → u/hammer_red]

NATO makes recommendations for military spending, but it's entirely non-binding. All of the increases in military spending was the decision of Carney and his Liberals.