After the 2025 federal elections in Canada, the then New Democratic Party (NDP)’s leader, Jagmeet Singh, lost his seat in the House of Commons, which is part of Canada’s Parliament and has 343 seats. At the same time, the NDP went from 24 seats down to 7 seats, losing its official status since this status requires 12 seats.
By Evelyn Tischer
As a result, Singh resigned and the NDP needs a new leader who will be elected in March 2026.
For a few years, I have been following the weekly “Canadian Foreign Policy Hour”, hosted on Zoom by Yves Engler, and where Yves discusses Canada’s role abroad, and invites questions and comments.
During this hour, there is a parallel and very lively discussion taking place in the chat, as attendees ask and answer questions and exchange comments, jokes, and encouragement.
Yves has written numerous articles and written or co-authored 13 books.
In July of this year (2025), Yves announced that the New Democratic Party (NDP) Socialist Caucus had asked him to run to lead the NDP , and that his initial reaction had been to reject this request, but that later he had accepted.
Political candidate means campaign and campaign means volunteers. As requests for volunteers appear, I debate: Shall I? I like Yves’ compassion and cry for justice for Haiti, Palestine , and countries where people are exploited due to Canadian mining industries. On the other hand, I know that political campaigns mean fighting and often, dirty fighting, and I have zero experience in political campaigning.
Finally, I tell myself that campaigning for Yves may be the best way to help this poor world, and in particular Palestine, and I join the campaign.
Next come requests to support Yves’ bid to lead the NDP, and for money.
To engage with other volunteers across Canada, a number of us join Discord where we exchange comments, ideas, pieces of advice, videos, articles, and of course, jokes.
Volunteer committees are formed: Policy committee, fundraising committee, social media committee, and others.
I get into the policy committee and join the first meeting, on Zoom, bracing myself for insults and fights.
Behind the gentleman who welcomes us are shelves full of books and a globe. I am very fond of books and globes, so this reassures me.
Ideas for the policies are gathered and suggestions and comments are welcome. The tone is respectful. I say that Canada should sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) , and this suggestion is accepted. It’s amazing! A small group – later it grew to about 45 – can decide Canada’s policy. If Yves becomes leader of the NDP, and if…, and if …, what a small group decided may define Canada’s policy! And I dream…Guaranteed housing for all, Canada out of NATO, dissolve the North American Defense Agreement (NORAD). (See the platform)
In September, Yves tours Canada and asks us to welcome him. Feeling bold I email back: “Stop in Regina, we’ll welcome you.” He answers: “I’d be happy to come”. His stop in Regina is planned for September 25. The Regina Peace Council, although it does not, as a group, support Yves’ bid, is always happy to hear a talk that is within its interests, and is helping to welcome him. We’ll bring snacks. Coffee? No, the room is small and tables have to be removed to make room for more chairs. So it’s “bring your own beverage”!
Yves explains : “One of the reasons I’m running is because we are two years into a live-streamed holocaust. Every single day there are 50, 100, 150 Palestinians that are being slaughtered in Gaza, and our government two years in won’t even uphold Canadian law when it comes to Israel”.
After the talk, I hear some appreciative comments and hopefully Yves has gained some more supporters.
The number of volunteers now exceeds 1000 and committees are busy. I recognize some people from the Canadian Foreign Policy Hour. Bianca, Yves’ wife, always kind and enthusiastic, often appears to help and organize, and so does Yves. Their two young children are occasionally spotted, needing a snack, a teddy bear , or a dispute settlement.
When the platform is finished, it needs to be translated into French. A translation group is formed and frantic messages are exchanged: “How do I get ’é’?”. “ Yves is a feminist so let’s feminise as much as possible!”
Finally, the platform – Capitalism Can’t Be Fixed – Onward to a Socialist Future – is finished in both English and French. It’s a celebration! This policy is our child and the heart of the campaign. If all of it becomes reality, it will be heaven. Even if only 1 % is implemented, it will be a big improvement.
It is amusing that, while we work for Yves, articles on the campaign of Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s candidate mayor, appear in Pressenza. It is interesting to make comparisons: Both want food security. Zohran wants popular supermarkets , Yves wants large grocer chains nationalized under a cooperative model. Zohran wants to tax multimillionaires, Yves wants to abolish billionaires.
I don’t think we love Yves the same way as Zohran’s supporters love Zohran. For us Yves is like a family member whom we support, admire and respect. And we hope he will be allowed to bring good into this world.
