NDP Leader Avi Lewis says ‘door is open’ to Prairie leaders opposed to his energy policies

Avi Lewis addressed disagreements with provincial NDP leaders over energy policy as he began his work as the newly elected federal NDP leader, downplaying divisions as a threat to rebuilding the party.

Lewis Seeks Unity Amid Prairie Concerns

Lewis decisively won the leadership contest at the party’s convention in Winnipeg on Sunday, taking 56 per cent of votes in the first round of a ranked-ballot contest. On Monday, he addressed provincial leaders skeptical of his leadership.

“We don’t have to agree on every little thing in order to do big things together,” Lewis said, referring to policy disagreements with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi and Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck.

The primary point of disagreement centers on Lewis’s opposition to new fossil fuel developments, a key concern for provincial leaders in the Prairies where the energy sector is a major economic driver.

Beck declined a meeting request from Lewis, citing concerns that his energy policies jeopardize “$13.6 billion in economic activity annually in Saskatchewan,” according to an open letter she wrote.

Lewis reiterated that his “door is open” to Beck, stating his leadership victory gave him a mandate to pursue the policies he campaigned on. He clarified that the NDP seeks to halt expansion of oil and gas infrastructure, not “shut it down.”

He argued that reliance on fossil fuels is exacerbating the cost of living crisis, pointing to oil price spikes caused by the conflict involving the United States and Israel. “We want to get off the boom and bust roller coaster,” he said, dismissing what he called a “bad faith narrative” that the NDP is calling for an immediate shutdown of the fossil fuel industry.

Nenshi expressed concern over Lewis’s victory, posting online that it “is not in the interests of Alberta.” He stated his provincial party believes in both “more pipelines and in reducing emissions.”

Kinew Offers Support

Lewis has a warmer relationship with Manitoba Premier Kinew, who hosted the new NDP leader at a lengthy meeting Sunday afternoon, saying he would be a “great voice for the country.” However, disagreements on energy policy remain, with Kinew previously suggesting a new pipeline from Western Canada and potential expansion of the Port of Churchill to increase shipping through the Arctic.

Lewis stated that a federal NDP government would not support such a project.

With the federal NDP currently holding just six seats in the House of Commons – its smallest-ever caucus – Lewis is hoping to win over the provincial wings by rebuilding after a disastrous 2025 election and a recent floor-crossing from Nunavut MP Lori Idlout.

“We can support our provincial sections best by winning more seats and rising in the polls and reaching more Canadians,” he said.

Lewis does not plan to seek a seat in Parliament immediately. “When the caucus and I feel that the party is at a point where I’m needed in the House of Commons, I will look for the first available winnable seat,” he said. “And that moment is not now.”