Canada's New Democratic Party choose Avi Lewis as new leader

Canada's left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) has chosen former journalist and activist Avi Lewis as their new leader, after suffering major losses in the last federal election. Lewis received 56% of the vote in a first ballot victory, defeating member of parliament Heather McPherson and three other candidates. He ran on a platform to revive the struggling party, prioritising worker rights in the age of artificial intelligence, ending new oil and gas pipelines and projects, and exploring state-owned, non-profit grocery stores. Once the main opposition party in 2011, the NDP now holds only six seats in Canada's House of Commons. At his victory speech on Sunday in Winnipeg, Lewis, 58, said his party is united in its commitment to the working people of Canada and to easing the cost-of-living crisis. "I know every politician says they feel your pain, and they claim to be outraged by the sky-high price of everything, but what they won't talk about is why an economy that's rigged for the rich is leaving the vast majority of us behind," Lewis said. He will have the challenge of rebuilding the federal party. "Canada, mark your calendar: the NDP comeback starts now," Lewis said. "This is