NDP Leadership Race Tensions Build Ahead of Winnipeg Convention

On Jan 11, 2026 CBC reports a brewing NDP leadership battle as the party pushes toward its March convention in Winnipeg. Three front‑runners—Heather McPherson of Edmonton, Avi Lewis of Vancouver, and Rob Ashton, a national ILWU president—vie for momentum and fundraising amid a November 28 membership‑sign‑up deadline. Lewis has raised more than $780,000, eclipsing the $100,000 entry fee and nearing the $1.5 million spend limit, while McPherson boasts support from former Alberta premier Rachel Notley. The United Steelworkers, the largest private‑sector union, endorsed Ashton, mobilizing 225,000 members for his campaign. The race remains tight, with news attention muted by other international headlines.