Avi Lewis elected as NDP leader, prairie provinces divided

Filmmaker Avi Lewis has been elected as the NDP’s new leader, defeating his four rivals on the first ballot with nearly 40,000 votes, from almost 71,000 ballots cast.

This victory signals a shift toward the party pushing big, unabashedly left-wing policies like government-owned and operated grocery stores as grassroots members pushed for change after a devastating election result last year.

Despite the strong mandate from party members, the leaders of the Alberta and Saskatchewan NDP issued statements shortly after Lewis’s victory saying his policies are “not in the interests of Alberta” and will “hurt” Saskatchewan workers.

The new NDP leader did not name specific policies, but acknowledged there are differences between the federal and provincial branches.

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