Alberta NDP Figure Demands Apology Over Resurfaced Mocking Video
Former Alberta NDP environment minister Shannon Phillips has publicly called for an apology from federal NDP leadership frontrunner Avi Lewis after a years-old video resurfaced showing Lewis and his wife Naomi Klein laughing about Phillips losing her cabinet position.
Video Content Sparks Political Controversy
The video, which has been available on YouTube since September 2020, captures Lewis and Klein reacting to what they describe as "mean tweets" about their Leap Manifesto. This controversial policy document, which advocates for shutting down fossil fuel use and implementing extensive income redistribution, failed to gain official NDP party endorsement during the 2016 convention in Edmonton.
In the clip, Lewis reads aloud a tweet that labels him an "extreme radical eco-terrorist who would shut down Alberta's oil sands and send Alberta's economy off a cliff." He then jokes that the tweet mistakenly endorsed Phillips before her election to Alberta's legislature in 2015.
Klein adds, "We're still married and she's not environment minister anymore," before commenting, "That's really horrible to say." Both individuals are seen laughing heartily at the remark.
Phillips Responds to Personal Mockery
Phillips, who served as Alberta's environment minister from 2015 until the NDP's electoral defeat to the United Conservative Party in April 2019, expressed serious concern about the video's content. She emphasized that the situation is no laughing matter, particularly given the timing and context.
"Let's situate ourselves in what Lewis and Klein are doing here," stated Phillips, who remained an NDP MLA until 2024. "They are actively running down, in highly personal terms, a sitting NDP MLA at a time when Avi Lewis was preparing to run for the federal party."
The video emerged just two months after news broke that two police officers in Phillips' hometown of Lethbridge, Alberta, had been demoted for improperly following and photographing her during her tenure as environment minister. The officers reportedly opposed Phillips' plan for establishing a provincial park.
Apology Demanded and Political Endorsements
Phillips has explicitly stated that both Lewis and Klein should apologize to her "both publicly and privately." She noted that she hasn't heard from either individual since the clip began circulating online recently, despite Lewis having her phone number since the early 2000s.
In related political developments, Phillips has endorsed Edmonton MP Heather McPherson to become the next federal NDP leader. Meanwhile, Lewis' campaign did not respond to requests for comment regarding the video or Phillips' reaction by the specified deadline.
Additional Targets of Mockery
The resurfaced video also shows Lewis and Klein making fun of Alberta labour union leader Gil McGowan, who previously criticized them as "downtown Toronto political dilettantes" who "come to Alberta and track their garbage across our front lawn." Klein responds in the video with laughter, saying, "That's not solidarity, Gil!"
While McGowan declined to comment when contacted about the video, Phillips indicated she believes he deserves an apology as well. The campaign of fellow NDP leadership candidate Rob Ashton suggested the video reflects Lewis' general dismissiveness toward the NDP's provincial sections.
This incident highlights ongoing tensions within the NDP between federal leadership candidates and provincial party members, particularly regarding environmental policy and political solidarity. The video's resurgence during a leadership campaign adds significant political weight to what might otherwise be dismissed as old footage.
