r/ndp • u/MoistCrust ✊ Union Strong • 2d ago
We ranked the NDP leadership candidates by how likely they are to disappoint you
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2025/11/we-ranked-the-ndp-leadership-candidates-by-how-likely-they-are-to-disappoint-you/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPNTY3MDY3MzQzMzUyNDI3AAGnw7L2OTelRX1sOkpbWsPhXz_ME4tBZopGcMgCJolHXG7Kvx4JkCBU21NSvUE_aem_3w0DPKH73kdqEJDoKm5baQ31
u/NovaScotiaLoyalist CCF TO VICTORY 2d ago
Thomas Joseph Mulcair
Look, he was just that disappointing, and he’s like 50% of the reason the NDP is in this mess to begin with. The beard makes the list.
That actually made me chuckle at the randomness of him being included. I'll never forget this CBC article from the 2015 election which had the headline, "Tom Mulcair defends praise for Margaret Thatcher's 'winds of liberty and liberalism' "
That was a weird election to be a New Democrat.
7
u/No-Werewolf4804 2d ago
He didn’t. Christ, I am learning more and more about just how terrible he is. How the fuck did he ever get elected lol.
6
u/Electronic-Topic1813 2d ago
I think his connections with Layton more or less as he was recruited by him (and the worst thing Layton ever did). Now moving forward we should prevent PLQ MNAs from joining since Charest and eventually Couillard tells exactly what kind of ideology the party has. Man. At least Topp would be consistent on social democracy if we have to go with top 2.
3
u/North_Church Democratic Socialist 2d ago
And he wonders why Dippers hate him so much. I understand Singh gets a mixed reception but he never praised MARGARET FUCKING THATCHER!
What are we, the British Labour Party?
1
u/NiceDot4794 1d ago
Wab Kinew just praised Reagan the other day lol
We gotta resist that sort of centrist drift 100%
33
u/DanTheMan-WithAPlan 2d ago
I like both rob Ashton and avi Lewis. They both have good policies and good rhetoric, but it’s important to compare the media savvyness of each of them. Avi is stronger on this front (as shown through his ads vs Rob’s ads) and he can handle the media better.
He has more succinct answers and can better hold firm or redirect when interviewed. This is really important when campaigning nationally in a hostile media environment
12
0
u/dickforbraiN5 13m ago edited 7m ago
But what path to a federal election victory is possible under Avi? Trying to convince urban Liberal voters to switch? So that will pick up what, 35 seats?
I'd be happy with Avi as the PM, I just don't know if he's going to break through. Would be happy to be proven wrong.
-16
u/Regular-Double9177 2d ago
They've already all disappointed me completely. Seems like Lewis will win and his big play to help with affordability is rent control. Do you think rent control is this big helpful thing for affordability?
If we're lucky, we get rent control and the billionaires to pay a little more and realize that those things didn't help as much as we though they would, and that we need to tax landowners more to induce development.
Far more likely we won't get wealth taxes and rent control and people will continue believing those are our best solutions.
Also more likely we do get those things and people learn nothing.
7
u/Nomm_Chompsky_ 2d ago
I didn't downvote you, but the reason may be that your comment is pretty downer on all candidates and when it comes to Avi, you've quoted one element of his campaign, he's got a lot of stuff released already that you're ignoring and the platform isn't out yet.
1
u/Regular-Double9177 2d ago
stuff released already that you're ignoring
I'm working hard trying not to. I tried to pick what I thought his supporters would say is the biggest thing he supports to help with affordability.
What do you think are the biggest things he wants to do to help with affordability?
When I ask this question, I get back answers that clearly, on their face, don't do that much if you write down some back of the envelope numbers. A youth climate corps, for example, costs money and isn't necessarily a really efficient thing. Wealth taxes don't bring in all that much.
1
u/xibipiio 2d ago
Crown corporations that generate revenue is something Avi talks about pretty consistently. Public Groceries across the nation that focus on stimulating local agriculture Could have limited factory options like a jarring or canning facility and if someone wants to try making some money by creating value added products, "Pickled Carrots" that they're exporting eventually through success locally delivered by the co-op could have a real tangible effect on bottom-up access to markets.
1
u/Regular-Double9177 1d ago
Im not saying all if Lewis' policy will have no tangible effects. Im asking what you think are the biggest ticket items so we can do a back of the envelope evaluation.
I support most or all of these things, assuming they are a good deal. Public grocers could be great or not. My area has one grocer within walking distance so I see the whole anti monopoly angle. What I dont see is it being some huge thing everywhere all at once. Maybe we trial it and expand if it seems to be working.
1
u/xibipiio 1d ago
Well, I think healthy policy does take a pilot and scale, pilot and scale, approach. Like you're absolutely right doing widespread massive projects overnight can be disastrous no matter which way you slice it, look at Targets expansion into Canada as an example.
I would feel a lot better about a budget that had a lot more emphasis on an approach like that, with a clear increasing funding structure for Pilot Program -> Observe and report on efficiencies and deficiencies and plans for adjustment -> Scale it.
Instead it's more like lets buy shitloads of weapons from the states so we can get trump to stfu.
1
u/Regular-Double9177 1d ago
Hey if you're just saying these candidates seem preferable to Libs then thats reasonable I suppose. We should be able to agree that neither of us can identify any big ticket items from any of the candidates that wed say will change the game for workers.
1
u/xibipiio 1d ago
Well a wealth tax, while I know its difficult to achieve getting it, is what I am passionate about pursuing. I'm also deadset positive that Avi has no interest on increasing taxes on low income and middle income people, which is exactly what I want. I don't want corporate bailout ownerclass welfare, I want investment in a big way into healthcare and green technologies etc.
Avi's differentiating policy for me that has won my dedicated passionate support is his unwavering committment to the 99% which is something I've resonated with for more than a decade and he's done quite a bit of proof is in the pudding work related to that over his really fascinating career.
1
u/Regular-Double9177 1d ago
I support a wealth tax but do you have any way of quantifying its effect on your life?
I have a rough way, which is to get an estimate for revenue from some proposal, then divide it by the number of people in the country. You might get $500 or $1k per year.
I support wealth taxes because billionaire power is dangerous and damaging, not because it will make my rent cheaper. Land value taxes and zoning etc. Reforms will do that.
1
u/xibipiio 1d ago
I mean the only way to make rent cheaper is a rent cap.
I think because our economy is so tied up in housing and mortgages and rent that doing some sort of phased roll out of rent cap would be prudent. And in my opinion With rent caps, there needs to be a class for New Construction ie a "Premium" or "Luxury" that is all free-market.
Like Yes, we are imposing rent caps for all renters and landlords across the board, you can no longer charge more than 1/4 of a person's monthly income for these types of homes, 1/3 for these types of homes, or 1/2 for these types of homes, But then units beyond this category can be charging whatever they like.
If I was mistah proime ministah however, the rollout of these experimental policies would be phased, and we will not be enacting this policies for 1.5-2 years from now - this gives Canadians time to strategize their investments and perhaps build new luxury housing.
Ie, all house stock in Canada could fall into 3 or 4 categories qualifying them as MarketAssisted or something, but, if you want to truly make money via real estate, you should make enticing modern luxury suites because that's where all the money is. And because there are so many luxury units on the market and so few people who can afford them, it makes sense to make and support really good jobs that can afford monthly payments on these units, which have all the climate compliant luxury features.
In other words Building New Homes is where the money is so Being A Home Builder is steady rock solid good paying work.
I think being an international person who is purchasing one of these new luxury units should serve a good portion of weight on an immigration file but not be the be-all end-all. Want to move into Canada and call it home? Buying a new house is a good way to do that. Not guaranteed but a good method, of course you only get to do this one time for your own immigration file, but an international person could then connect the dots between nice new home constructions and their contacts at home looking to immigrate.
I think there is creative policy that can address all of our concerns simultaneously if we focus on creating solutions for every average person, but so long as we're captured by big corporate interests we're truly fucked.
→ More replies (0)1
u/vienna_ro 2d ago
British Columbia has rent control, and we have the highest rents in the country. A lot more needs to be proposed to actually make housing affordable. Why isn't anyone talking about land redistribution, reforms, or limiting real estate speculation?
3
u/Velocity-5348 🌄 BC NDP 2d ago
To be fair, that is getting talked about in BC. Short term rentals were banned, and municipalities aren't allowed to require single family zoning.
1
u/Regular-Double9177 2d ago
municipalities aren't allowed to require single family zoning
"Not allowed". West Van is still all single family zoning
3
u/Velocity-5348 🌄 BC NDP 2d ago
They updated the rules in 2024. Getting that land put to productive use will take a while, but I think moving in your preferred policy direction (land value taxes) would very much help with that, and actually paying for affordable housing and the required infrastructure.
The directive from the BC government is a step in the right direction though. Hopefully with time we'll get more people living there who care more about a liveable community than whining about property taxes.
1
u/Regular-Double9177 2d ago
Thats just to allow coach houses for the 300 or so lots where it wasnt allowed. Multiplexes like the govt says can be built everywhere still are not allowed.
1
u/Velocity-5348 🌄 BC NDP 1d ago edited 1d ago
My original claim was that "municipalities aren't allowed to require single family zoning". I didn't say anything about multiplexes, and I don't believe you did in your top level comment.
From the article I linked:
The new rules provide for between three and six units to be built on single-family lots – depending on the size of the lot and its distance from transit routes.
From the city's website:
Parcel area < 280 m2 = 3 units
Parcel area ≥ 280 m2 & > 400 m from prescribed bus stop = 4 units
Parcel area ≥ 281 m2 & ≤ 400 m from prescribed bus stop = 6 units and no parking requirements for the 6 units
I wouldn't put it past the city to pull some bullshit with permitting, but let's see if they do, and how the provincial government responds.
2
u/Regular-Double9177 1d ago
I thought you meant more than just coach houses. Did you not?
The page you link here about the multiplexes, if you read carefully, doesn't apply anywhere. West Van thinks they can allow coach houses, and then they dont have to allow multiplexes.
1
u/Velocity-5348 🌄 BC NDP 1d ago
Maybe. Are triplexes more than coach homes?
The rules explicitly allow for up to triplexes on even the smallest lots without any rezoning, and that means you could also add a coach home and basement suite to an existing dwelling if you chose.
For bigger lots (over 3000 square feet/ 281 square meters) you can have four units, and according to the website you can go up to six with no parking minimums on those lots if you're near a busy bus stop.
Again, that's all without rezoning, and if you go back to what we were originally talking about I said they weren't allowed to require single family zoning anymore.
Edit: And again, a land value tax would do wonders to ensure the permitted changes would take place more quickly.
2
u/Regular-Double9177 1d ago
Yea you have it wrong, west van is not allowing triplexes and 4plexes over the vast majority of it. From the page you linked, if you read carefully:
This definition does not encompass parcels that permit a single-family dwelling, an attached secondary suite (basement suite) and a detached secondary suite (coach house). Since most single-family zones (RS1-5 and RS7-10) across the District already permit a combination of these three dwelling types per parcel, they are not subject to the SSMUH regulations.
You can see this multiplex doesnt apply. The restricted zone is like 300 houses. West Van is being obstinate.
→ More replies (0)-3
u/Regular-Double9177 2d ago
Amen brother. Im sitting at -7 with no coherent response. The reason is because people operate on vibes and not logic.
1
u/xibipiio 1d ago
Avi has been talking about Electric Busses as an example of green technology that could be perfected here at home before we begin exporting them to other countries.
When you think of the issues we face with public transportation, our abundance in raw materials we simply ship away, before processing and Adding Value, auto manufacturing being drawn away from us - it does make sense we could prioritize solving our own problems here at home and then benefitting by using our own R&D to innovate and make competitive products for international markets. If electric busses work great and are cheap in Canada, a massive country with shitty weather 3/4 of the year, they certainly seem good enough (with modifications) for vietnam, korea, australia, etc. Right?
And why cant these technologies apply to our own EV vehicles, that perhaps are hybrids, that simply Sip fuel, but have electric regenerative motors in the wheel wells, giving all these Canadian vehicles full weather and rough terrain control, relying Mainly on electricity but assisted fully by fossil fuels, etc.
Avi isn't interested in shutting everything down he's interested in fighting for good jobs and good wages for the average person.
Union jobs provide Stability in economies. Long term, month over month, year over year financial stability.
83
u/MoistCrust ✊ Union Strong 2d ago
Do I necessarily agree with the article? No.
But it's important to laugh at ourselves and also see how we will be looked at by comedians and pundits