The quest for the next leader of the New Democratic Party brought five hopefuls to Montreal, where they confronted a significant hurdle: their command of the French language. During a debate on Thursday, November 27, 2025, the candidates navigated a forum intended to be conducted mostly in French, revealing the party's broader challenge to reconnect with Quebec voters.
A Linguistic Challenge on Stage
The evening was marked by moments of prepared script reading, broken sentences, and occasional reverts to English. Rob Ashton, a union leader from British Columbia, uttered an exasperated "Oh Jesus" at one point, highlighting the difficulty. The debate was structured to be 60 percent in French, with candidates having access to live translation via earpieces.
Among the contenders, filmmaker Avi Lewis, 58, spoke the most and most comfortably in his second language. He was followed by Alberta Member of Parliament Heather McPherson, 53. The other candidates—union leader Rob Ashton, 49, social worker Tanille Johnston, 38, and farmer Tony McQuail, now in his 70s—made concerted efforts to use as much French as possible. McQuail notably wore a straw hat on stage.
Rebuilding the NDP in Quebec
The location of the debate was strategic. The NDP was left with just one seat in Quebec—Alexandre Boulerice's riding of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie—after a devastating election last spring where Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberals battered the party under former leader Jagmeet Singh. This Montreal debate was reported to carry significant weight for Boulerice as he considers whom to endorse.
Addressing the need to win back support, Avi Lewis stated, "If we want to come back in Quebec, we need to speak to Quebecers in their language. Right now, we're not up to the job to come back. We need to develop a clear offer in French focused on Quebecers' needs."
Rob Ashton acknowledged his own efforts, saying he has been "working on my own français" and would "bust my butt" to improve. He then made a broader point, declaring, "We're lucky, because the language of the working class rises above any language in the world."
Heather McPherson focused on organizational strength, arguing that rebuilding in Quebec begins with stronger riding associations to provide the volunteer and fundraising muscle the party has lacked. Tony McQuail proposed building alliances with other progressive parties in the province.
Policy Agreements and Distinct Angles
The roughly 90-minute debate also covered a wide range of topics, including Indigenous relations, workers' rights, and the party's overall path forward. A quick-fire round saw the candidates largely in agreement on core issues, though they approached solutions from different angles.
On affordability, the first question of the night, Heather McPherson pitched a jobs plan for youth involving year-round summer jobs, peer-to-peer work, and new bursaries. Tanille Johnston, from the We Wai Kai First Nation, agreed but took it "one step further" by calling for free post-secondary education, arguing that students should not graduate with a "mountain of debt."
Avi Lewis pointed to the billions in profits made by Canadian banks, asserting, "We need to go and get that money." Rob Ashton personalized the crisis by mentioning his 21-year-old daughter who cannot move out due to high rental and food prices. He also took aim at the Bank of Canada, proposing it should have a dual mandate to control inflation and promote employment.
Tony McQuail used a vivid analogy to illustrate wealth inequality, comparing a million seconds (11 days) to a billion seconds (31 years). He lamented the state of people living on the streets in Ottawa and insisted, "We need a fair tax system." McQuail repeatedly returned to a foundational issue, arguing that the first-past-the-post voting system is a core problem that needs to be addressed.
While Lewis and Ashton criticized large corporations and discussed redistributing the means of production, McQuail noted he had seen many such proposals before and largely agreed, but stressed the systemic electoral barrier.
Personal Touches and the Road Ahead
The debate also included lighter moments where candidates shared personal details. When asked about something people don't know about her, Heather McPherson revealed, "I bake... I like to make protest cookies. It's one of my very favourite things… anti-scab cookies."
For the best advice he ever received, Tony McQuail cited "advice from a team of horses." He explained, "Anger doesn't get you anywhere, because if you get pissed off at horses, they just get nervous and unhappy. Learning to work with horses helped me learn to work better with others."
The field of five candidates did not mention Montreal political activist Yves Engler, who is reportedly awaiting vetting to enter the race. The next leadership debate is scheduled for February in British Columbia, with the new leader to be chosen in March at the party's annual convention in Winnipeg.
