Lewis says he won’t run for office until the NDP is ‘ready’ for a general election

NDP Leader Avi Lewis, four months into his tenure, is strategically delaying his run for a seat in the House of Commons. His immediate priority is ensuring the New Democratic Party is fully prepared for a general election across the country, rather than seeking a personal electoral victory at this stage.

Lewis plans to actively support candidates in upcoming byelections before the year's end but will not be on the ballot himself. He articulated his approach in a recent interview, stating, "I think there will be a point in the next year where I feel we’re election-ready across the country. We want to run serious campaigns everywhere." He emphasized that as a party on the rebound, he cannot "pursue a seat at all costs," and his entry into Parliament will be contingent on the party's readiness.

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I think there will be a point in the next year where I feel we’re election-ready across the country. We want to run serious campaigns everywhere.

Having lost elections in Vancouver in both 2021 and 2025, Lewis has spent the past three weeks in Montreal. He is actively campaigning with NDP candidates Pierre Céré and Nima Machouf in the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie and Laurier-Ste-Marie ridings, respectively. During his time in Montreal, he has dedicated three hours daily to intensive French lessons, focusing on political communication, a move away from typical French immersion locations.

Lewis's French studies have included critiquing his own interviews and analyzing the communication techniques of other politicians. He recently studied an interview featuring former Liberal cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault, who is set to resign as MP for Laurier-Ste-Marie. Lewis is also aware of his party's history, recalling how Jack Layton's appearance on a popular program during the 2011 election campaign significantly boosted the NDP. The party aims to retain the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie riding, currently held by Independent Alexandre Boulerice, who is running in the Quebec election.

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We’re in a position as a party on the rebound where I can’t just pursue a seat at all costs. So I do need a litmus test for when is it time for me to get in there? And that’s going be either in the next election or the run-up to the next election, once we are election-ready.