HANNAFORD: Avi Lewis is about to rewrite Canadian left-wing politics

Well, they got their man. Newly elected NDP leader Avi Lewis is a socialist out of central casting. Unlike Jagmeet Singh, he who liked his Rolexes and the odd borrowed Maserati and could find the vestigial socialism in any deal that might extend his leadership for a few months more, Mr. Lewis’ recent published statements give every impression that he would rather slit his wrists than help Prime Minister Carney stay in power another day. Here is a sampler from his leadership campaign, his victory speech, and remarks offered during the happy moments that followed his victory announcements. 1. Tackling inequality – “It is time, far past time, to properly tax the corporations and billionaires that have been riding a tidal wave of profits while the 99 per cent have been suffering and struggling... This country is awash in wealth. We can have nice things... The money is there. We need a government with the courage to go and get it for all of us." He tied this directly to funding his agenda, including a wealth tax on the top 1%. 2. Death to oil – "We can't keep increasing fossil fuel production." His platform called for "powerlines, not pipelines." Mr. Lewis will not support new pipelines or LNG terminals, he will support an export tax on oil and gas to the U.S., and tax windfall profits on fossil fuel companies. He promises a Green New Deal investing 2% of GDP to create one million climate jobs (via renewables, transit, heat pumps, solar, and an East-West-North clean energy grid built with Canadian materials.) 3. Trump-proofing the Canadian economy – “Our plan is to Trump-proof the economy by investing massively in Canadian economic independence using the unmatched power of public ownership to ensure the fundamentals of a good life. A network of public providers for food, phones, and the internet. A public housing developer and public construction companies to build millions of non-market homes." This was the signature "anti-capitalist" element of his platform. 4. “Homes for the many, not the money” – To solve the housing crisis, Mr. Lewis proposes a national rent cap and building a million public homes. There would be tenant protection, homelessness would be ended, and for indigenous people, a "For Indigenous, By Indigenous" housing strategy. 5. Protect workers from Artificial Intelligence: Lewis made AI a major campaign target, calling for a moratorium on new AI data centres and broader regulations. In his "Dignified Work in a Digital Age" platform section, he stressed “real” solutions for digital-era challenges, including saving jobs, democratizing workplaces, and defending workers' rights against AI-driven threats like data theft, job displacement, and