Union leader Rob Ashton pitches 'working class' candidacy for NDP leadership

“I decided that workers needed a voice in Canada. The Conservatives, they say that they have our back and the Liberals are always standing right beside us, allegedly,” Ashton told The Canadian Press.

“But when an election happens, they disappear and the rich get richer and, quite frankly, the workers of this country are left in the dust.”

Ashton said he believes the party has lost touch with its traditional union base and blamed that in part for NDP’s crushing losses in the April 28 election.

The party was knocked down from 24 to seven seats in the House of Commons and lost recognized party status. Jagmeet Singh lost his own Vancouver-area seat and announced his resignation as party leader that night.

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Ontario Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford have made concerted efforts to win the support of private sector union members.

Ashton said they’ve been able to do this by channelling union members’ anger over the high cost of living.

“Workers are angry right now. Me, I’m friggin’ furious because of what’s been going on,” he said.

“We want, as workers, something to believe in. We want … to be able to say, ‘I’ve got a good job, the NDP knows how to provide us good jobs.’ And we’re honestly, I think we’re getting tired of slogans.”

Ashton said that as NDP leader, he would focus on job creation by pushing for increased home construction and shipbuilding.

While he described his French-language skills as lacking, Ashton said he’s taking classes because he wants to be able to represent all Canadians.

He joins Alberta MP Heather McPherson and documentarian Avi Lewis as the only official leadership candidates to date.

McPherson told The Canadian Press Wednesday that the party needs to talk to more Canadians and meet them where they are.

“We saw that in April. Folks across the country didn’t think that they belonged within our party, and I think in a lot of the ways we’ve talked about issues, that’s been a problem,” she said.

McPherson said that means talking about the issues in plain language, not pulling back from core values like “fairness, of taking care of your neighbour … looking out for your community, (and) protecting human rights.”

“We’ve often been too precious, and too narrow, and too small, and too closed, and I don’t like that. I don’t like the way that makes people feel like they don’t belong as part of our party,” she said.

“Those are things that I think the majority of Canadians believe in. The majority of Canadians are New Democrats. They just don’t know it yet.”

Montreal activist Yves Engler and Tanille Johnston, a Campbell River B.C. city councillor and former NDP candidate, are also expected to enter the race.

The first candidate forum is expected to take place later this month and the first of two formal debates is set for November. Exact dates have not yet been announced.

To get on the ballot, candidates need to gather at least 500 signatures that meet demographic and regional distribution requirements and pay a $100,000 entry fee.

In order to vote in the leadership race, individuals must obtain party membership by Jan. 28.

New Democrats will choose their new leader on March 29 during their party’s annual convention in Winnipeg.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2025