NDP Leader Avi Lewis should not emulate the hard-left candidates who won recent U.S. Democratic primaries, warns columnist Tasha Kheiriddin. The victories of Darializa Avila Chevalier, Brad Lander, and Claire Valdez—all endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)—signal a radical shift that could influence Canadian politics.
Radical U.S. Candidates Set a Dangerous Precedent
Chevalier, who won a primary in New York, previously posted on X (since deleted) that she wiped her hand on the American flag. She also founded an anti-Israel organization at Columbia University demanding “the total eradication of Western civilization” and called for abolishing borders. According to Kheiriddin, such extremism should not be replicated in Canada.
Young Voters Driving the Leftward Shift
In the U.S., Gen Z voters are embracing the hard left. Pollster David Coletto described them as “ripe for a disruptive story.” In 2025, three out of four voters aged 18-29 cast ballots for New York Mayor Zohran Mamdami, a DSA leader. This year, 35 of 150 DSA-endorsed primary candidates won or ran unopposed, while 34 lost.
In Canada, pollster Jean-Marc Leger found that over a third of men and women aged 18-34 identify as left or centre-left. Among women aged 18-24, 45 percent lean left, while men aged 25-34 are the most right-wing at 33 percent.
Canada’s Socialist History vs. Current NDP Direction
Canadian socialism has historical roots: 1970s NDP leader Ed Broadbent wanted to nationalize banks, and Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis championed rent control and worker rights. However, recent federal NDP leaders Thomas Mulcair and Jagmeet Singh embraced balanced budgets and wealth taxes—not radical U.S.-style policies.
Now, Avi Lewis—son of Stephen—has positioned himself as “Mamdami light.” He calls for state-run grocery stores and a moratorium on fossil fuel extraction. While not as extreme as Chevalier, Lewis has said, “Five per cent of GDP on military spending is a destructive and nihilistic fantasy, pouring fuel on the climate fire.”
Anti-Israel Sentiment Fuels the Far Left
The American left’s anti-Israel rhetoric is a key galvanizer. Among U.S. adults aged 18-34, 53 percent sympathize more with Palestinians—a record high—while only 23 percent sympathize more with Israelis, a record low. In Canada, a Leger survey found positive attitudes toward Israel dropped from 33 to 22 percent across all age groups, including 20 percent among young adults 18-34.
Kheiriddin warns that Lewis risks following this dark path, alienating Jewish voters and embracing divisive ideologies. She concludes that Canadian voters should reject such extremism.
