NDP leadership hopeful submits official bid, challenging ‘undemocratic’ vetting process [video]

Yves Engler, a self-described ecosocialist and anti-imperialist who is running for the leadership of the federal NDP, officially submitted his application for vetting by the party on Monday.

If he makes it through the NDP’s approval process, Engler will become the sixth candidate in the race to succeed Jagmeet Singh following the party’s historic defeat in April’s federal election.

His bid for approval by the party’s leadership vote committee follows a tour of eastern Canada with stops in New Brunswick’s three main cities. He spoke to the NB Media Co-op on Friday afternoon ahead of a speaking event in Moncton.

Watch the full Q&A with Yves Engler:

Engler, who lives in Montreal, has authored or co-authored more than a dozen books, focussing on a radical critique of Canadian foreign policy. He is also known for disrupting media conferences and other appearances by high-ranking politicians.

His critique extends to institutions on the Canadian left, including what he calls the “conservative milquetoast NDP.” He’s calling for the party to shift leftwards. “The world needs it, the country needs it.”

Leadership applications are vetted by a three-person committee, according to party rules. Engler calls the process “undemocratic” and says it causes progressives to self-censor.

“The aim here is not just to be leader of the party,” he said. “The aim is to have an impact on the political direction of all the leadership candidates.”

He said people are seeking an alternative that will challenge the status quo at a time marked by “the livestreamed holocaust in Gaza,” stark wealth inequality and a deepening climate crisis.

“The reality is that none of the other candidates in this NDP leadership race will say something as simple and obvious as we need to shut down the tar sands,” Engler said.

He’s a controversial figure. On Tuesday, a campaign appearance at a city-owned arena in Sarnia, Ont. attracted criticism from the Canadian Antisemitism Education Campaign, which demanded the event’s cancellation and called him a “notorious antisemite” in a letter to the mayor and city council.

Engler has rejected allegations of antisemitism, saying that he condemns bigotry and pointing to his background “as an active participant in anti-racism struggles, as a writer, a public commentator and an activist.” He argues that the allegations result from his support for the Palestinian cause and criticism of the pro-Israel lobby.

Earlier this year, he was arrested in Montreal over social media posts criticizing a pro-Israel social media influencer but charges were soon dropped and he was released after spending five days in jail. However, he faces additional charges for allegedly harassing police by writing about the original charges.

During campaign stops, most of the people who show up “understand this is an insurgent campaign, this is a long-shot campaign,” Engler told the NB Media Co-op on Friday.

On the election of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Engler said “it’s a sign that socialism is not taboo.”

He recalled the NDP’s historical roots in the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. In its 1933 Regina manifesto, the CCF called for the eradication of capitalism. “This kind of discussion should be part of the NDP, certainly part of NDP leadership race,” Engler said.

He waited until Monday to submit his official application to the NDP because he wanted the campaign to gain momentum, fearing that otherwise the party would reject his submission outright.

The NB Media Co-op has reached out to the NDP for comment for this story.

The party’s officially-approved candidates so far include Rob Ashton, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union of Canada; social worker Tanille Johnson, the only Indigenous candidate; journalist and activist Avi Lewis; Edmonton Strathcona MP Heather McPherson; and farmer Tony McQuail.

David Gordon Koch is a journalist with the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, via the Local Journalism Initiative.