Late on December 9, 2025, a message from our campaign, Yves Engler for NDP leader ( NDP is the New Democratic Party in Canada) lands in my mailbox : “NDP blocks my candidacy”.

There is also an article by Yves, citing the vetting committee: “Many of your public positions contradict the NDP’s core commitments to democracy, international law, and solidarity with oppressed peoples.”

I am flabbergasted: The main thing I admire about Yves, the main reason why I joined his campaign is precisely his compassion for oppressed peoples, for example, for Haiti and Palestine.

If they had accused Yves of being too progressive, too bold, too blunt, I would understand, but the reasons they give make me suspect that they haven’t read his books and articles.

Later on, during the Press Conference the next day, Yves suggests that, from the beginning, “those who have been promoting the genocide in Gaza” did not want him to run.

Here are some extracts from the Press Conference, slightly edited for clarity:

Bianca Mugyenyi, volunteer mobilization team for the Yves Engler campaign:

“We built this campaign because we know that when ordinary people get organized, the impossible becomes inevitable.”

Former CUPW (Canadian Union of Postal Workers ) President Mike Palecek:

“We’re here today not just to say that we’re disappointed, but to say that we do not accept this decision. We plan to resist it by every means at our disposal. And that means traditional methods of working class struggle. 

We will protest. (…) We will conduct acts of nonviolent civil disobedience.” (…) “We are not suspending our campaign.”

Rabbi David Mivasair states that what’s most important is Yves’ ideas, like his critiques of the increase in the Canadian military budget, of Canada’s military complicity with, for example Israel, even with the US as it prepares to invade Venezuela possibly (…) as well as his very sharp critique of continuing to develop fossil fuels which are disaster for the entire world”. He ends: ”For me, the fight again is not so much about Yves, but it’s about the kinds of policies and the vision for our country and for the world that we want to uphold.”

Jasmine Peardon, policy committee for the Yves Engler campaign:

“Our commitment is to the people, to the land, to the environment. I mean this is devastating for us and for our future; young people are so disillusioned with politics. We rarely have policies or politicians who offer us anything substantial.(…) I don’t know if I can afford to have kids because rent keeps increasing every year. The NDP has no right to squash this campaign. This is our future. I’ve contributed to this platform and in designing what I think I need for my future and what people around me need. And I don’t want to be involved in genocide (…). So I would rather be outside the party with Yves than inside.”

Yves Engler:

the NDP has excluded dozens, maybe a hundred candidates over the past 10, 20 years that have said they believe Palestinians are equal human beings. (…) Immediately when we announced this candidacy, those who’ve been promoting the genocide in Gaza came out and said ‘NDP, do not let him run’ ”.

At a Zoom meeting , nobody sounds discouraged. Impressions and plans are exchanged:

“In a lot of ways, this campaign is about to begin.”

“The NDP Federal Council can overturn decisions; write to them!”

“We continue to organize”.

There is also a petition asking that party members be allowed to choose their own leader. (Yves was barred from the leadership race by the NDP’s three-person vetting committee).

Interestingly, Regina’s City Council is now proposing optional budget cuts  that validate the concerns that Jasmine voiced during the Press Conference. Some of these cuts are:” Reducing transit services” ( and there already are not enough buses!), reducing snow removal (already insufficient), eliminating some sport facilities, “end[ing] the Housing Incentive Program, which supports the development of affordable housing” ( and Regina’s homeless population keeps increasing).

I don’t know what effect our protest campaign will have. I hope it will at least encourage more people to look at our platform, to dream, and to act.